It\u2019s the kind of effort that makes you a national hero and will live on for years to come.<\/p>\n
Just arrived in North America after a hot season in Scotland, voted player of the season for Motherwell and included in the Premiership team of the year.<\/p>\n
He felt \u201cat his peak\u201d coming into this campaign but this was still a performance beyond his wildest dreams.<\/p>\n
\u201cAbsolutely I could not have foreseen this,\u201d Just said, as he stood in the mixed zone, probably with a hundred things running through his mind. \u201cOf course, I\u2019m playing at the moment with a lot of confidence and I always believe in myself but to be leaving here with two goals, that\u2019s really special and something I\u2019ll remember for a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Just joins an exclusive group, alongside Steve Sumner (1982), Steve Wooddin (1982), Winston Reid (2010) and Shane Smeltz (2010) as the only Kiwi men to have found the net at a Fifa World Cup.<\/p>\n
\u201cSomeone told me I\u2019m the top goal scorer for New Zealand at World Cups,\u201d Just smiled. \u201cI hope now that the World Cup has expanded that we\u2019ll be going more consistently and there\u2019ll be a lot of players after me that will quite easily surpass my goal tally. But yes \u2026 it\u2019s really special.\u201d<\/p>\n
As he stood clutching a pizza box \u2013 some well-deserved sustenance \u2013 Just admitted to mixed feelings after the dramatic evening.<\/p>\n
New Zealand had led twice and seemed on the verge of a breakthrough victory, but Iran found equalisers on both occasions, the second coming in the 65th minute.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s of course difficult,\u201d Just said. \u201cWe would love to be leaving here with three points but at the same time, they were a really good side. They hit the post in the first half, they had a lot of chances.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter we scored the first goal, obviously emotions are high and then when they score it\u2019s quite easy to have the momentum shift. But we stayed in the game, we played our football. We go up again, they score, and again we don\u2019t drop our heads, we keep pushing for the win. Overall it\u2019s a really strong performance.\u201d<\/p>\n
Eli Just shoots to score his first goal against Iran. Photo \/ Photosport<\/p>\n
Both goals were memorable. The first came after Chris Wood had held the ball up superbly, before Singh found Just, who juggled from one foot to the other before punching a right foot volley past Alireza Beiranvand in the Iran goal.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt happened so quickly,\u201d said Just. \u201cA few short passes, I remember the ball going over my head and I tried to lift my arm because I didn\u2019t realise Woodsy was there. And then he plays it to me and I thought I just volleyed it with the right foot, but when I saw it back, I actually took a touch with my left foot, so it was actually quite a nice goal, nicer than I thought at the time.\u201d<\/p>\n
The second was arguably even better, as Callum McCowatt and Sarpreet Singh linked up in midfield to send Just away, before the winger got a return pass from Wood and fired home.<\/p>\n
\u201cAgain, a few short passes,\u201d Just recalled. \u201cIt opened up again into Woodsy, who was such good platform all game drawing the defenders, then he lays me off. I just remember thinking about trying to lift the ball off the ground, because I knew the keeper was coming out, and luckily hit the back of the net.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wood, who was superb throughout, timed his transfer perfectly.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs soon as it got given into my feet, I could see that the defenders were coming towards, so you knew the space was out wide,\u201d Wood recalled. \u201cIt was about just making sure the way I pass was right for him to hit it first time and he did the business \u2026 he did the hard bit at the end.\u201d<\/p>\n
Compounding the unique achievement was the fact that both chances fell to his weaker right foot.<\/p>\n
\u201cCallum McCowatt was telling me that I\u2019m better finishing on the right foot because you just focus on making good contact rather than trying to place it and that\u2019s what I did. I was fortunate enough to get good contact.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was McCowatt who was responsible for Just\u2019s goal celebration, as he cupped his hands around his eyes after both strikes. The tradition had started at the Chile match in March, when Just\u2019s effort was sent to VAR.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was Cal that said to me then, if it gets given a goal, let\u2019s do binoculars,\u201d said Just. \u201cSo, yeah, it started from there and we joked before the game that maybe we should do it again and I couldn\u2019t have foreseen scoring two. But it makes for some nice photos.\u201d<\/p>\n
The All Whites headed back to their base in San Diego after the match, scheduled to arrive late on Monday night (local time) at their La Jolla hotel. The team will have a recovery day on Tuesday before getting back into training the following day.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re definitely in a good space,\u201d Just said. \u201cToday could have gone a lot worse, it could have also gone a lot better. For us the biggest thing is not only the result, but also the performance. We showed that when we play our football we\u2019re really strong. Now we have a lot of confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n