Iran kept their FIFA World Cup hopes alive with a hard-fought draw against Egypt, but a disallowed stoppage-time winner means qualification now depends on results from other groups.
SEATTLE: Iran’s hopes of reaching the FIFA World Cup knockout stage remain uncertain after a dramatic 1-1 draw against Egypt in their final Group G match on Friday.
Egypt booked their place in the last 32 after finishing second in the group with five points, level with Belgium but behind on goal difference. Iran finished third on three points and must now wait to see whether they qualify as one of the tournament’s eight best third-placed teams.
Egypt made the perfect start when Mahmoud Saber opened the scoring in the fifth minute, giving his side an early advantage.
Iran responded swiftly as defender Ramin Rezaeian equalized just nine minutes later, finding the net from a difficult angle to restore parity.
The contest remained evenly balanced, with Iran creating the better chances to secure all three points. Mehdi Taremi missed a golden opportunity when his first-half penalty was saved before later rattling the crossbar with a powerful header.
The biggest moment arrived in stoppage time when Shoja Khalilzadeh thought he had scored a dramatic winner in the 93rd minute. However, celebrations were cut short after the assistant referee ruled the goal out for offside.
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