A 93rd-minute Iran celebration became Egypt’s passage to the Round of 32 when VAR ruled out Shoja Khalilzadeh’s apparent winner in a 1-1 World Cup draw at Lumen Field. For anyone tracking Egypt Iran live, the swing was brutal: Iran thought it had finally crossed the line into the knockouts, only for Egypt to survive.
Khalilzadeh sparks Iran euphoria before VAR cuts it down
Khalilzadeh ripped off his shirt after firing in from close range, and Iran’s bench emptied into a pile-on that briefly looked like history. An Iranian fan also rushed the field in the celebrations before seven security guards brought him down.
Then referee Szymon Marciniak, after a video review, ruled Khalilzadeh offside. The decision left Iran with a third straight draw and another tournament goal wiped away by review, while Egypt held the result it needed.
Saber strikes early as Rezaeian restores Iran belief
The Egypt Iran match had opened with the same volatility that defined its finish. M. Saber put Egypt ahead in the 5th minute, giving the group runners-up a perfect start before Mehdi Taremi’s 11th-minute penalty was saved.
Iran still answered quickly. Ramin Rezaeian struck in the 14th minute to make it 1-1, a scoreline that was already fixed at half-time and somehow survived the late chaos.
Egypt controls territory while Iran waits on results
Egypt had the territorial weight: 62% possession, 15 total shots and an 8-2 corner advantage. But Iran were more direct with their chances, putting 4 shots on target to Egypt’s 3 despite having only 38% of the ball.
The pressure peaked late. Taremi headed against the woodwork in the 89th minute, Yasser Ibrahim made a crucial block from Rezaeian deep in added time, and Saeid Ezatolahi then headed against the crossbar before the final whistle came with the game past 100 minutes.
Discipline also reflected the edge of the night: Egypt had 3 yellow cards and 11 fouls, while Iran finished with 4 yellows and 16 fouls. Belgium’s 5-1 win over New Zealand combined with this draw sends Egypt through second on 5 points to face Australia; Iran, unbeaten but winless on 3 points, must wait on other results in the best third-placed teams race.
Match Information
Competition: World Cup. Date & Time: Saturday 27 June 2026, 05:00 CET. Venue: Lumen Field, Seattle. Referee: Szymon Marciniak, Poland.
