Get the latest news and updates from Dawn
Iranians woke early on Saturday to watch the men’s national football team face Egypt, riding an emotional rollercoaster as Iran fought back to draw but missed the chance to directly qualify for the World Cup’s last 32.
But all is not lost for Team Melli after the 1-1 draw.
Depending on the results in other groups, the Iranians could still reach the knockout stage for the first time in their history.
Iran had a troubled buildup to the World Cup due to the war in the Middle East, which broke out in late February with US-Israeli strikes on Tehran.
