SOCCER: Iran arrive in US for World Cup opener against New Zealand in LA

LOS ANGELES/TIJUANA, Mexico — Iran national football team arrived at Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday after a short flight from Tijuana, where the squad had departed its World Cup base camp earlier for a celebratory send-off ahead of its opening match against New Zealand national football team.

The Airbus A320 landed on Runway 25L at 4:11 p.m. ET (2011 GMT) under clear, sunny conditions. The airport is located about 15 minutes from the stadium that will host Iran’s World Cup opener on Monday.

The team was expected to proceed directly to its hotel, where a visible police security presence was already in place ahead of the squad’s arrival.

-Reporting by Herbert Villarraga; Writing by Frank Pingue in Toronto and Ossian Shine in New York; Editing by Ken Ferris/Reuters