In the end, the disorder many had feared played out on the field rather than in the stands. Concerns had followed this so-called ‘Pride Match’ between Iran and Egypt from the start, with worries it could spill into chaos. Few, though, expected it to unfold in this manner.
After a gripping and nerve-shredding 90 minutes in Seattle, Iran’s World Cup future was left unresolved following a dramatic finale.
Iran, still chasing a first-ever place in the knockout rounds of a World Cup, briefly believed they had booked their passage to the round of 32 when defender Shoja Khalilzadeh struck deep into stoppage time.
The goal appeared to put Iran 2-1 ahead and triggered jubilant scenes among the players, coaching staff and supporters. But after an extended VAR review, the celebrations were cut short. The replay showed Khalilzadeh had strayed offside by the finest of margins.
Even then, the drama was not finished. Moments later, Iran midfielder Saeid Ezatolahi sent a header crashing against the crossbar. Soon after, the referee brought the match to a close, leaving Egypt to celebrate instead.
The 1-1 draw sends Belgium and Egypt through from Group G. Iran remain strong contenders to advance as one of the eight best third-placed teams, but they must now wait and hope results elsewhere fall in their favor.
Iran’s World Cup hopes are still uncertain after a dramatic finish to the ‘Pride Match’ against Egypt
Shoja Khalilzadeh believed he had delivered a stoppage-time winner for Iran in Seattle on Friday
Khalilzadeh fired home following a goalmouth scramble but was later adjudged to be offside
Iran’s players were left devastated at the final whistle and now face an anxious wait
Iran’s World Cup campaign has been dogged by travel and visa restrictions, with coach Amir Ghalenoei complaining his team have been ‘oppressed.’ Iran’s players, meanwhile, have claimed they are being treated unfairly.
Despite months of uncertainty and controversy, however, Iran finished third in Group G with three draws from three games. Belgium’s 5-1 win over New Zealand means they topped the group on goal difference ahead of Egypt, with Iran finishing third.
As it stands, Iran are among the top eight-ranked third-place teams and are slated to face Switzerland in the round of 32. To guarantee a place in the knockout rounds, Iran need only one of the following to happen: Croatia lose to Ghana in Group L; DR Congo fail to beat Uzbekistan in Group K (provided Uzbekistan do not win by at least seven goals); either Algeria or Austria win their meeting in Group J.
Local organizers designated this game a ‘Pride Match,’ given it fell on the eve of Pride Weekend, which celebrates the LGBTQ+ community and culminates in a huge parade through Seattle on Sunday.
That sparked complaints from both Iran – where homosexuality is illegal – and Egypt, where gay men can be imprisoned for ‘indecency’, ‘scandalous acts’, and ‘debauchery.’
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Despite their protests, however, the match went ahead, sparking fears of unrest around Seattle. There were clashes on Friday afternoon but primarily between different factions of Iranian fans.
Before kickoff, the Iranian national anthem was once again greeted by loud boos by some sections of the crowd. On the streets surrounding Lumen Field, meanwhile, there were more anti-government protests and disputes between Iranian supporters.
Certainly the number of pre-revolutionary Iranian flags – which have been banned by FIFA – dwarfed the number of Pride flags around Downtown Seattle. Near the stadium gates, tension also nearly spilled over between supporters of Israel and Palestine.
Mahmoud Saber opened the scoring for Egypt after just five minutes of the Group G clash
Ramin Rezaeian equalized for Iran only minutes after Mehdi Taremi had missed a penalty
Some fans brought in rainbow flags into Lumen Field for the game between Egypt and Iran
Protests against the Iranian regime were held outside the stadium ahead of Friday’s game
The Iranian national anthem was once again greeted by boos by some sections of the crowd
Inside Lumen Field, veteran human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell staged his own protest by holding up a placard that read: ‘Iran & Egypt ban gay footballers. It’s against FIFA rules.’ He claimed stadium officials attempted to take his sign.
Down on the field, Egypt took an early lead after Mohamed Salah’s shot was parried by Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand into the path of Mahmoud Saber, whose effort went through a crowd of bodies and into the net.
Iran had the chance to level a few minutes later when Mehdi Taremi was fouled by Mohamed Abdelmonem inside the area. But Taremi was denied by Egypt goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir.
But that proved only a brief reprieve, with Ramin Rezaeian equalizing from a tight angle. That meant, heading into the second-half stoppage time, Group G still sat on a knife-edge. Iran thought they had won it late on, only for VAR to intervene.
