INGLEWOOD, California — Belgium’s World Cup hopes suffered a significant blow on Sunday as they were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by a resilient Iran side, with the Red Devils reduced to 10 men for the final half-hour of their second Group G encounter at SoFi Stadium.
Belgium dominated possession throughout the contest but struggled to break down a disciplined Iranian defence that sat deep and absorbed wave after wave of pressure. Record scorer Romelu Lukaku, recalled to the starting lineup after recovering from injury, managed only a solitary headed effort in the 36th minute that sailed over the bar.
Iran, despite conceding the bulk of possession, created the game’s clearest opportunities. Mehdi Taremi had the ball in the net midway through the first half from a cleverly worked free-kick, but the effort was correctly ruled offside following a video assistant referee review. The former Inter Milan striker also forced a fine save from Thibaut Courtois after Hossein Kanani had flicked on a long throw.
Belgium coach Rudi Garcia made a triple substitution around the hour mark in search of a breakthrough, and his side immediately came close when Maxim De Cuyper’s point-blank effort from Kevin De Bruyne’s cut-back was well saved by Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand. However, disaster struck for the Red Devils in the 66th minute when young defender Nathan Ngoy received a straight red card. Ngoy had badly mis-hit a back-pass to Courtois and then hauled down Taremi as the striker raced through on goal, denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity.
Despite being a man down, Belgium actually generated better scoring chances down the stretch. De Cuyper was denied again by Beiranvand in the 86th minute, and Dodi Lukebakio sent a fine long-range shot just over the bar in the final minute. The Iranian goalkeeper made seven saves throughout the match to secure a valuable point for his team.
The result means both sides have drawn their opening two matches in Group G, leaving the group wide open. Belgium, who drew 1-1 with Egypt in their opener, now sit on two points and face New Zealand in their final group game. Iran also have two points following their 2-2 draw with New Zealand and will need at least a point against Egypt in their decisive match.
The match took place against a backdrop of political tension, with protesters from Los Angeles’ large Persian exile community gathering outside the stadium to chant against Iran’s hardline regime. Iran’s national anthem again drew a chorus of boos and whistles, though the players themselves were loudly cheered. Iran’s World Cup campaign has been complicated by US travel restrictions and visa issues, forcing the team to operate from a base in Mexico.
Belgium, once considered one of the world’s elite teams, now face the real possibility of group-stage elimination for a second consecutive World Cup. The Red Devils are unbeaten in their last 15 competitive matches but have not scored on 53 consecutive shots at the World Cup dating back to their dismal 2022 campaign in Qatar. For Iran, the draw keeps their hopes of reaching the knockout stages alive as they prepare for a crucial showdown with Egypt.
