California, USA – New Zealand coach Darren Bazile expressed his disappointment after his team’s 2-2 draw with Iran in their opening match of Group G at the 2026 World Cup.
New Zealand squandered a victory that was within their grasp, having taken the lead twice during the match. They had to settle for a single point in their opening World Cup fixture.
Basile said in post-match comments: “I am satisfied with the level of the players and the effort they put in throughout the match. We created many opportunities, and we succeeded in imposing our style for long periods, and we also performed well defensively for most of the match”.
He added: “It’s natural to feel disappointed, because we were very close to winning. We took the lead twice, scored two outstanding goals, and created many positive moments that deserved to be translated into a victory”.
The New Zealand coach concluded his remarks by saying: “The result is a bit painful, because we were just steps away from achieving a historic feat by winning a World Cup match. We were very close to that, but now we have to focus on what’s next”.
New Zealand is preparing for a tough match against Egypt on June 22nd, in the second round of the group stage. Both teams will be looking to improve their chances of advancing to the next round.
