Iran produced a disciplined defensive display to earn a hard-fought 0-0 draw against 10-man Belgium in their 2026 FIFA World Cup Group G clash, leaving the Red Devils’ hopes of reaching the knockout stage hanging in the balance.
Belgium dominated possession for much of the contest in Los Angeles but struggled to convert their control into clear-cut chances against a resilient Iranian side led by an inspired goalkeeper, Alireza Beiranvand. The result means Belgium have collected just two points from their opening two matches and now face a must-win encounter against New Zealand to keep their World Cup campaign alive.
Iran thought they had taken the lead in the first half when Mehdi Taremi found the net from a cleverly worked free-kick routine, but the goal was ruled out after a VAR review confirmed the striker was offside. At the other end, Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne were unable to break through Iran’s organised defence despite creating several opportunities.
The game’s defining moment came in the 66th minute when Belgium defender Nathan Ngoy was shown a straight red card for bringing down Taremi after a misplaced back pass left the Iranian striker through on goal. Despite enjoying a numerical advantage for the remainder of the match, Iran could not find a breakthrough as Belgium defended resolutely.
Beiranvand emerged as the standout performer, producing a series of outstanding saves, including a remarkable stop to deny Maxim De Cuyper from close range. His heroics ensured Iran claimed a valuable point that keeps their hopes of progressing to the knockout stage firmly alive.
The draw leaves Group G finely balanced, with all qualification places still up for grabs heading into the final round of group matches. Iran will face Egypt in their last fixture, while Belgium must defeat New Zealand and hope other results go in their favour to avoid a second consecutive group-stage exit from the World Cup.
