Beazley plays down political backdrop before Iran clash

Darren Beazley has tried to strip the politics out of New Zealand’s World Cup meeting with Iran, saying his team are treating it like any other game.

The Group G match takes place in Los Angeles, where Reuters expects a large Iranian turnout to add to the atmosphere. The fixture comes after months of tension between Iran and the United States, and after a framework agreement was announced to end the conflict.

Beazley told reporters New Zealand had prepared in the same way as for every other international, with no special changes for the occasion. He said the game matters because it is at a World Cup and his side want to perform at their best.

Captain Chris Wood backed that view, saying the only focus inside the camp is football once the players step on to the pitch.

The match also marks New Zealand’s return to the World Cup after a 16-year absence. Iran arrive as Asia’s unbeaten qualifiers and ranked 20th in the world, but Wood said the gap between teams has been small in the tournament so far.