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Iran 2 - 2 New Zealand at the FIFA World Cup 2026 (Group G · Matchday 1). Full-time result, predicted and confirmed lineups, formations (4-3-3 vs 4-3-3), key players including Ali Alipour and Mehdi Taremi and Chris Wood and Francis De Vries, and match analysis — updated on FootballDream.
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Iran edge in as slight favourites against New Zealand, but the margins are fine. Iran's biggest threat runs through Ali Alipour and Mehdi Taremi, while New Zealand will pin their hopes on Chris Wood and Francis De Vries. Points here could prove decisive in Group G · Matchday 1. The match is staged at SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles. The predicted XIs reflect current form and squad news; official lineups are confirmed about an hour before kick-off. Make your own call — predict the result, exact score and goalscorers on FootballDream before kick-off.
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Iran line up in a 4-3-3, New Zealand in a 4-3-3. Iran will expect the bulk of possession and the task of breaking down a compact block, while New Zealand are likely to defend deeper and look to spring Chris Wood and Francis De Vries on the counter. Whether Ariya Yousefi and Medhi Ghayedi can dictate tempo will shape how open the game becomes. Set pieces and the opening goal often tilt tight group games like this.
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- Iran: Ali Alipour, Mehdi Taremi, Alireza Jahanbakhsh — 4-3-3 match.formationSuffix
- New Zealand: Chris Wood, Francis De Vries, Jesse Randall — 4-3-3 match.formationSuffix
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