The New York Times: After a chippy, unsatisfying game, Iran won its World Cup opener against Morocco on Friday in St. Petersburg, 1-0, thanks to an own goal in added time.

Trying to clear a last-second ball across the goalmouth, Aziz Bouhaddouz of Morocco dove for a header, and the ball went unerringly into the corner of his own net.

It was a hard result for Morocco, which played the more enterprising, offensive minded game. The team had several chances that fell short during the contest, but at least looked like getting a point, until the terrible finish.

Both teams, but especially Iran, engaged in a great deal of physical play, and numerous players from both sides hit the turf with injuries throughout.

While Morocco occasionally threatened to score, Iran failed to trouble the goal much at all, taking many of their shots from 40 yards or more and unsurprisingly failing to convert them >>>