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By Open Chronicle with agencies
Belgium and Iran remain in search of their first victory at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after playing out a hard-fought 0-0 draw in Los Angeles on Sunday.
The Group G encounter was defined by outstanding performances from goalkeepers Alireza Beiranvand and Thibaut Courtois, who produced a series of crucial saves to deny both sides.
Despite dominating possession for long periods, Belgium was unable to break down a disciplined Iranian defense and finished the match with ten men following the dismissal of defender Nathan Ngoy.
Belgium Controls Possession
Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia handed striker Romelu Lukaku his first start for club or country since June 2025.
The Red Devils controlled possession throughout much of the first half, repeatedly sending crosses and cutbacks into the penalty area.
Their best early opportunity came when Youri Tielemans fired a powerful effort toward the near post, only for Beiranvand to react quickly and push the ball away.
Iran, however, remained compact and resilient, frustrating Belgium with disciplined defending and timely interventions.
Iran Threatens Through Taremi
While Belgium enjoyed most of the ball, Iran created some of the more dangerous chances.
Courtois was forced into an excellent low save to deny Hossein Kanani after a long throw caused problems inside the Belgian penalty area.
Iran thought it had taken the lead midway through the first half following a cleverly worked free kick. Ehsan Hajisafi slipped the ball through the defensive wall to Mehdi Taremi, who finished confidently past Courtois.
The celebrations were short-lived, however, as the goal was ruled out for offside.
Goalkeepers Take Center Stage
The second half continued in much the same fashion.
Iran introduced Alireza Jahanbakhsh for his 100th international appearance, and the veteran quickly became involved as Team Melli increased their attacking threat.
Courtois was again called into action to stop a powerful volley from Taremi following another long throw.
At the opposite end, Beiranvand produced two outstanding low saves to deny Maxim De Cuyper and preserve the deadlock.
Belgium Reduced to Ten Men
The decisive moment of the match came in the 66th minute.
A poor touch from Nathan Ngoy allowed Taremi to break through on goal, forcing the Belgian defender to bring down the Iranian striker.
The referee had little hesitation in showing a straight red card, leaving Belgium to play the remainder of the contest with ten men.
Despite the numerical advantage, Iran was unable to find a breakthrough as Belgium defended resolutely to secure a point.
Coaches Reflect on Frustrating Draw
Belgium coach Garcia expressed disappointment with his team’s lack of cutting edge.
“We lacked efficiency up front,” he said. “I expected this kind of game, with nearly 70 percent possession, plenty of crosses and lots of shots. We hit the target, but we didn’t test the goalkeeper enough.”
Lukaku echoed those sentiments.
“We have to analyse what went wrong because we created so many chances without scoring, and that’s frustrating,” the striker said.
Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei praised both teams and singled out Beiranvand for special recognition.
“I think it was a very exciting game. Both teams deserved to win. I want to extend my sincere thanks to each and every player, especially Ali Beiranvand,” he said.
Beiranvand himself paid tribute to his teammates after another impressive defensive display.
“The game was very tough. Belgium is one of the best teams in the world. We could have won the game if we had shown more focus, but all the players gave everything they had.”
Group G Remains Wide Open
The draw leaves both Belgium and Iran with two points from their opening two matches, keeping qualification hopes alive but increasing the pressure heading into the final group-stage fixtures.
Belgium will now need a positive result against New Zealand, while Iran will also be aiming to secure a place in the knockout rounds as Group G remains finely balanced.
For now, the spotlight belongs to the two goalkeepers whose outstanding performances ensured neither side could find a winning goal in Los Angeles.