ع
Ten-Man Belgium Held to Goalless Draw by Iran in World Cup Group G
Belgium and Iran battled to a 0-0 draw in a Group G clash at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on June 21 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, with the Belgians reduced to 10 men following a red card to Nathan Ngoy in the 66th minute for fouling Mehdi Taremi. Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand’s heroics, including seven saves, ensured the stalemate as both sides stayed on two points apiece, leaving the group wide open according to FIFA standings.
According to Reuters, the match saw Belgium dominate possession without reward while Iran defended resolutely and threatened on the break. Beiranvand was the standout performer with multiple key stops, denying efforts from Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne among others. The sending off of Ngoy changed the dynamic, allowing Iran to push for a winner in the latter stages though neither side could find the net.
FIFA match data places the attendance at 70,317 for the fixture refereed by Darío Herrera. A potential goal for Iran was disallowed for offside in the opening period, maintaining parity at the interval. Belgium made several substitutions in response to the red card, introducing fresh legs in midfield and attack to try and force an opening.
A report from France 24 highlighted that this marked Belgium’s second draw in as many group games, indicating an underwhelming start to their campaign. The group features strong competition from Egypt and New Zealand, both of whom have also collected points in their opening fixtures. With two matches completed, no team has yet secured a victory in Group G.
The New York Times described the encounter as entertaining despite the scoreline, crediting the goalkeeping displays from both Beiranvand and Belgium’s Thibaut Courtois. Courtois was called upon frequently in the first half to preserve the clean sheet. Post-match analysis suggests the result sets up a tense final round of group games for all four teams.
World Cup 2026 marks the first time the tournament has expanded to 48 teams, co-hosted across North America, FIFA records show. This has resulted in 12 groups of four, with the top two from each plus the eight best third-placed sides advancing. The format increases the importance of every point earned in the group stage.
Iran’s defensive organization proved effective even when facing a numerically superior opponent for much of the second half. Belgium will look to bounce back against New Zealand in their concluding group match in Vancouver. Iran face Egypt in Seattle, where a positive result could seal their progress to the knockout rounds.
