As it happened: Morocco 0 Iran 1

REACTION: BBC Sport's Chris Sutton: "Iran are celebrating like they have won the World Cup. They defended deep and they were dogged and determined. They probably didn't deserve to win but who cares. Morocco just didn't do enough and they ran out of ideas after a superb first 20 minutes."

REACTION: ITV Sport's Slaven Bilic: "Morocco didn't deserve to lose ... but credit to Carlos Quieroz."

FULL-TIME: And that's it. Just like Egypt earlier in the day, there is heartbreak for Morocco late on. It's not been a good couple of days for the Arab Nations.

7.55pm: GOAL! Late, late drama here as Bouhaddouzat, the Moroccan substitute, heads into his own net from a free-kick in the fourth minute of added time. Iran are on course for their first World Cup win since 1998.

7.51pm: There will be six minutes of additional time here but I think most people have already seen enough. The mind is already wondering to tonight's mouthwatering game between Spain and Portugal. 

7.46pm: Although a draw is never a bad result, both teams have Spain and Portugal to come so their chances of finishing runners-up recede with events here.

7.44pm: ITV pundit Iain Dowie: "Morocco have been very disappointing in the second half, particularly creatively. They have looked flat and tired and not as full of beans as they were in the first half."

7.32pm: Youssef En-Nesyri scored in the recent friendly win over Estonia, so Hervé Renard may look to him to come off the bench and grab a winner for Morocco.

7.28pm: ITV Sport's Iain Dowie: "If I was the Morocco coach I'd look to freshen it up a bit."

7.27pm: BBC pundit Chris Sutton: "Both teams are cancelling each other out. Iran, to their credit, are defending as they have been and Azmoun is feeding off scraps. That chance in the first half will still be going through his mind."

7.23pm: There have been plenty of meaty challenges in this game, with 25 fouls so far. Referee Cüneyt Çakir has been a busy man.

7.17pm: 

Morocco's Mbark Boussoufa in action with Iran's Ramin Rezaeian.

7.13pm: "Half-time came at a good time for Morocco," said BBC Sport pundit Chris Sutton. "It gave them the chance to regroup for the second period and ensure they are more patient in the final third."

7.05pm: And we're back underway in St.Petersburg. Can the deadlock be broken?

6.56pm: Former Croatian coach Slaven Bilic. "I love Morocco and every player is positive, but their centre-forward is isolated. They are nice to watch but no penetrative enough."

6.55pm: "Early on Morocco were really impressive ... but they've only had half chances," said ITV's Ryan Giggs. "Iran have had the best chance of the game."

6.54pm:  The stats confirm that Morocco have been on top. They've enjoyed 69 percent of the possesion but both teams have had nine shots on goal and two on target. 

6.50pm: It's half-time at the Krestovsky Stadium and it's goalless between Morocco and Iran. The scoreline should not come as any great surprise as these two conceded just two goals combined in 16 qualifying matches.

6.45pm: Reaction to that big chance from BBC Sport's Chris Sutton: "The golden boy Azmoun fluffs his lines when he should have scored. Big opportunity wasted."

6.44pm: That's the big chance of the match right there. Iran's Sardar Azmoun charges towards the Morocco goal and with just the keeper to beat. he shoots straight at the legs of Munir Mohamedi. It was a good save by the Numancia keeper but Azmoun should really have scored.

6.34pm: 

6.31pm: There is certainly no easing into the first game for either side here. They are both going at it full throttle.

6.30pm: A sign of how dominant Morocco are is demonstrated by the fact that Morocco's Medhi Benatia has enjoyed 25 touches more than Iran's Omid Ebrahimi.

6.27pm: Morocco are well on top here, enjoying 67 percent of the possession. Although Saudi Arabia showed last night that possession counts for very little, Morocco look much more penetrative than the Green Falcons.

6.26pm: Morocco have not just turned over minnows in their 18-match unbeaten run. They've toppled Serbia, Nigeria, South Korea, Ivory Coast and Egypt, so Iran should prove much more straight-forward opposition.

6.19pm: Morocco must have some serious attacking talent if they are able to leave Sofian Boufal out of their 23-man squad. 

6.14pm: Iran captain Masoud Shojaei is the first man to be cautioned for a late tackle in midfield. "That's quite a cynical one," says ITV pundit Iain Dowie.

6.11pm: Iran warmed up for this game with a largely uninspiring 1-0 win over Lithuania and they've started quite tenatively here.

6.07pm: Morocco have started with an intent and purpose here in what is their first World Cup game since 1998.

6.04pm: We're not expecting many goals here as Iran kept 12 straight clean sheets in qualifying and Morocco six.

6.01pm: Carlos Queiroz has qualified for a World Cup with three countries — South Africa (2002), Portugal (2010) and Iran (2014 and 2018).

6pm: KICK-OFF: And we're underway. 

5.59pm: BBC Sport's Chris Sutton: "It is colorful in the stadium. At one end you have got the deep red of Morocco and at the other is the green, white and red of Iran. These are sides that have underachieved at the World Cup but they will see today as an opportunity. Both sides have qualified for the finals on solid defences but this game is an opportunity to lay down a marker and put pressure on Portugal and Spain."

5.57pm: Iran are unbeaten in competitive matches since the last World Cup, so it's no wonder their fans are in fine voice.

5.56pm: This is the fifth time the Atlas Lions have made it to the World Cup, their best performance coming in 1986 when they got out of a group including England, Portugal and Poland to make it to the second round.

5.36pm: Morocco fans are cranking up the noise in the St. Petersburg Stadium

5.30pm: Up front for Morocco is Ayoub El-Kaabi, who only made his international debut in March but has forced his way into Herve Renard's starting lineup.
Morocco: Achraf Hakimi, Mehdi Benatia, Romain Saiss, Hakim Ziyech, Karim El Ahmadi, Ayoub El Kaabi, Younes Belhanda, Monir El Kajoui, Mbark Boussoufa, Noureddine Amrabat, Amine Harit

5.29pm: Iran start with Sardar Azmoun in place of injured striker Mehdi Taremi for the opening Group B match against Morocco in St. Petersburg.
Iran: Ali Beiranvand, Ehsan Hajisafi, Roozbeh Cheshmi, Masoud Shojaei, Morteza Pouraliganji, Omid Ebrahimi, Karim Ansarifard, Vahid Amiri, Alieza Jahanbakhsh, Sardar Azmoun, Ramin Rezaeian.

5.25pm: 

5.18pm: Authorities in Tehran cancelled plans to allow families to watch Iran's World Cup football opener against Morocco on Friday in the stadium and public parks of the Islamic republic's capital. The Islamic republic is thought to be the only country in the world that refuses to allow fans to gather in open public spaces for the World Cup, possibly due to opposition to the idea of men and women watching together.

5.17pm: Morocco were without a World Cup appearance in nearly 20 years and in the doldrums when Herve Renard turned up. But since he took his place in the dugout in early 2016 the fortunes of the Atlas Lions have taken a turn for the better. The Frenchman made the side more solid, and very tough to beat, as their current run of 18 games unbeaten illustrates. That run includes matches against fellow World Cup hopefuls Serbia, Nigeria, South Korea and Egypt. Only Belgium (19) and Spain (20) have a better record going into the tournament.

So that's defeat for Saudi Arabia and Egypt in the first two games of the World Cup. Now it is down to Morocco to restore some pride for the Arab world. They face Iran in Group B at the Krestovsky Stadium in St. Petersburg and come into the game full of confidence as they are unbeaten in their last 18 matches. Let's see how they get on.