Incredible: The halftime of this match lasted 70 minutes

World Cup 2026 20 March 2025 at 16:18

Aliou Toundé

News Editor

Rarely has a World Cup qualifying match made such a mark on history. This Thursday, Iran triumphed 2-0 over the United Arab Emirates, but the match will be chiefly remembered for its bizarre records.

Everything changed after just 15 minutes of play when a lighting failure at Tehran's Azadi Stadium forced South Korean referee Ko Hyung-Jin to halt the match. The result: a first half extended by 29 minutes, an absolute record in international football.

Even more astonishing, Sardar Azmoun scored the latest goal ever in a first half, in the 27th minute of added time! A surreal moment that will be etched in football history.

Iran then sealed their 2-0 victory with a second goal from Mohammad Mohebi in the second half. Although the second half saw "only" seven minutes of added time, this match will go down in history as one of the longest ever played. A unique moment in international football history.