Taina Basiyalo 
[Source: Reuters]
Iran’s soccer team arrived at Los Angeles International Airport today after a short flight from Tijuana, Mexico, where they left their World Cup base camp earlier, to a rousing sendoff ahead of their opening match against New Zealand tomorrow.
The A320 aircraft touched down on runway 25L on its second landing attempt under sunny skies at the airport, which is about 15 minutes from the Los Angeles Stadium that will host Iran’s World Cup opener tomorrow.
The team was expected to head to their hotel, where a police security presence was already in place.
The squad’s Group G fixture against New Zealand will be played against the backdrop of the U.S. war with Iran, adding a charged atmosphere to a contest between two nations that have never met at the World Cup.
Iran moved their World Cup base camp from a sports complex in Arizona to Mexico late last month after the U.S. and Israel conducted joint strikes on Iran beginning in late February.
They meet New Zealand at 12.45 pm tomorrow and you can watch the LIVE action on FBC Sports.
