Khabor Wala Desk
Published: 22nd June 2026, 9:37 AM
Iran produced a disciplined and resolute defensive performance to hold a highly fancied Belgium side to a 0-0 draw in their FIFA World Cup Group G encounter at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Despite commanding the tempo and dominating possession for the entirety of the 90 minutes, a Belgian lineup featuring world-class talents such as Kevin De Bruyne and Thibaut Courtois could not find a breakthrough.
The European side unleashed 23 shots over the course of the match, testing the opposition with seven efforts on target. However, none could bypass Iran’s stubborn defensive line or goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand, who single-handedly preserved the clean sheet with seven vital saves.
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Iran’s backline successfully contained Belgium’s potent attacking trio of De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, and Jérémy Doku. Both sides thought they had broken the deadlock at various intervals, only to be denied by officiating decisions. Iran had one goal overturned due to an offside infringement, while Belgium saw two of their goals disallowed following reviews by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) and offside rulings.
This result extends Belgium’s winless run in the World Cup to four matches across tournaments, a sequence consisting of three draws and one defeat. They began their current campaign with a 1-1 draw against Egypt. Similarly, Iran have drawn both of their opening fixtures, having previously recovered from a deficit twice to draw 2-2 with New Zealand.
The result leaves Group G finely balanced, with Iran and Belgium occupying the top two positions ahead of the final round of fixtures:
| Position | Team | Matches Played | Goal Difference Trends | Points |
| 1 | Iran | 2 | Drew 2-2, Drew 0-0 | 2 |
| 2 | Belgium | 2 | Drew 1-1, Drew 0-0 | 2 |
| 3 | New Zealand | 1 | Drew 2-2 | 1 |
| 4 | Egypt | 1 | Drew 1-1 | 1 |
Against the early run of play, Iran created the first clear opening of the match. Defender Hossein Kanaanizadegan turned sharply and struck a low, venomous shot towards the bottom corner, forcing Thibaut Courtois into an acrobatic diving save.
In the 24th minute, Iran executed a well-drilled free-kick routine that culminated in the ball entering the Belgian net, but the goal was promptly disallowed for offside. The sides went into the half-time interval on level terms.
The tactical battle intensified in the second half, with Courtois called into action once again in the 53rd minute. FC Porto forward Mehdi Taremi controlled the ball inside the penalty box, turned his marker, and fired a powerful shot that the Real Madrid goalkeeper managed to parry away.
Belgium responded with sustained pressure. In the 60th minute, a goalmouth scramble saw the ball ricochet off multiple players before falling kindly to Maxim De Cuyper. His powerful strike seemed destined for the back of the net, but Beiranvand produced an extraordinary reflex save to deny him.
The complexion of the match altered significantly in the 66th minute when Belgian defender Nathan Ngoy received a straight red card. Ngoy was initially in possession of the ball with Taremi positioned roughly ten yards away. A heavy second touch from the defender allowed Taremi to close the distance and steal possession. In a desperate bid to stop the striker, Ngoy pulled Taremi back by his shirt, leaving the referee with no option but to issue a red card.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, Belgium nearly snatched a late winner. Four minutes before the end of regulation time, De Cuyper unleashed another fierce effort, but Beiranvand executed a spectacular diving save to ensure the match ended without goals.
The definitive final round of Group G matches will take place simultaneously on Saturday morning (Bangladesh Time). Belgium are set to contest New Zealand, whilst Iran will play Egypt. Having never previously progressed to the knockout stages of a FIFA World Cup, Iran remain well-positioned to achieve historical qualification.
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