By Boluwatife Oshadiya | June 22, 2026
Key Points
- Iran secured a resilient 0-0 draw against Belgium in Los Angeles
- Belgium played the closing stages with 10 men after Nathan Ngoy’s red card
- Iran remain unbeaten after two World Cup matches for the first time in their history
Main Story
Iran continued their impressive FIFA World Cup campaign with a hard-fought goalless draw against Belgium in Los Angeles, securing an unbeaten start to the tournament for the first time.
Belgium controlled much of the possession and created several opportunities throughout the contest, but Iran’s disciplined defensive display and outstanding goalkeeping from Alireza Beiranvand frustrated the Red Devils.
Belgium threatened early through Maxim De Cuyper and Kevin De Bruyne, while Romelu Lukaku made his first start for club or country since June 2025. However, Iran nearly stunned their opponents in the 14th minute when Hossein Kanani forced Thibaut Courtois into an excellent save.
Iran thought they had taken the lead midway through the first half when Mehdi Taremi converted from close range following a cleverly worked free-kick routine, only for VAR to rule the goal out for offside.
The second half followed a similar pattern. Belgium dominated possession, but Iran remained dangerous on the counterattack. Courtois produced another important save to deny Taremi before Belgium suffered a major setback.
Nathan Ngoy received a straight red card after bringing down Taremi following a misplaced back pass, reducing Belgium to 10 men for the final stages.
Despite the numerical advantage, Iran could not find a breakthrough, while Beiranvand continued his outstanding performance with several late saves to preserve the draw.
The result leaves both nations on two points from two matches heading into the decisive final round of group fixtures.
What’s Being Said
“The players showed great character and discipline. Against a team of Belgium’s quality, every point matters,” Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei said after the match.
“We created chances but failed to convert them. That is something we have to address quickly,” Belgium captain Kevin De Bruyne said.
What’s Next
- Belgium face New Zealand in Vancouver in a must-win fixture.
- Iran will take on Egypt in Seattle with qualification still within reach.
- Both teams may need victory in their final group game to secure progression to the knockout stage.
The Bottom Line: Iran’s disciplined display underlined their growing competitiveness on the global stage. For Belgium, the lack of attacking efficiency is becoming a concern as their winless World Cup run stretches to four matches.
