Jun 16, Kathmandu - In an exhilarating opening match of Group G at the FIFA World Cup, New Zealand and Iran battled to a 2-2 draw at the Los Angeles Stadium on Tuesday morning.

Despite New Zealand taking the lead twice, they couldn't hold onto their advantage, resulting in a hard-fought stalemate. Eliza Just was the star for New Zealand, scoring both goals in the 7th and 54th minutes. Iran responded with goals from Ramin Rezaian in the 32nd minute and Mohammad Moehabi in the 64th minute, ensuring both teams earned a valuable point.

In another Group G encounter, Belgium and Egypt also settled for a 1-1 draw in a thrilling match. Egypt opened the scoring early, with midfielder Imam Shour netting in the 19th minute to ignite their hopes. Belgium responded in the second half, with Romelu Lukaku unleashing a powerful shot in the 66th minute that deflected off Egyptian defender Mohamed Hany and found the net, leveling the score.

Both matches set the tone for an exciting tournament with high stakes and intense competition.