Iran defy FIFA flag ban, Nunez hauled off at half-time as World Cup day four delivers drama

Iran’s opening World Cup fixture against New Zealand ended 1-1 in a match overshadowed by political tension, as fans inside the stadium ignored a FIFA ban on pre-revolutionary flags and displayed versions of the country’s official flag bearing a lion-and-sun motif. The Iranians twice came from behind to claim a point, with their national anthem booed before kick-off.

In Group H, Saudi Arabia held Uruguay to a draw after Maxi Araujo netted an equaliser for the South Americans. The result left all four teams in the group level on one point after the opening round of fixtures, with Spain held to a goalless draw by Cape Verde.

Darwin Nunez endured a night to forget in Uruguay’s colours, completing just three passes before Marcelo Bielsa hooked him at half-time. The performance is unlikely to help the forward’s transfer prospects heading into the summer window.

Saudi Arabia’s performance was not without controversy, however. Head coach Georgis Donis was seen calling a player over to deliver tactical instructions while goalkeeper Mohammed Al Owais received treatment on the pitch — a practice that referees’ chief Pierluigi Collina had explicitly warned against ahead of the tournament.

In Group G, Egypt and Belgium played out a draw in their opener. Egypt manager Hossam Hassan defended his decision to substitute Mohamed Salah, saying: “We do not rely on a single player but on a collective 26. Salah, Marmoush, they give it their all, they were really, really giving everything with their ferocious transitions.”

Elsewhere, Japan face an anxious wait over the fitness of winger Takefusa Kubo after he underwent scans on a knee injury sustained against the Netherlands. Kubo was assessed after flying back to Nashville with the squad, and while he was seen moving around the team’s base, a Japanese official confirmed results were still pending and concern remained that his tournament could already be over.

Tunisia, meanwhile, appear set to appoint Hervé Renard as their new manager following a brief period of confusion after the confirmation of Sabri Lamouchi’s sacking was temporarily removed from official channels. The North African side are seeking a swift change of direction after losing their opening match to Sweden.