Goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand produced a series of outstanding saves as Iran kept their hopes of reaching the FIFA World Cup knockout stage alive for the first time with a hard-fought goalless draw against 10-man Belgium in Los Angeles.
The 33-year-old shot-stopper was the standout performer for Team Melli, frustrating Belgium throughout the contest with several crucial interventions. He first denied Youri Tielemans at his near post in the opening half before making one of the saves of the tournament shortly after the restart, scrambling across goal to keep out Maxim De Cuyper’s low effort.
Belgium’s chances of securing their first victory of the tournament suffered a major setback in the 66th minute when defender Nathan Ngoy was shown a straight red card for a professional foul on Mehdi Taremi. The 23-year-old became the youngest player to be sent off at a World Cup since 2014.
The result leaves the 2018 World Cup semi-finalists facing the prospect of an early exit, having drawn their opening two Group G matches. Belgium must now secure a positive result in their final group fixture to keep their qualification hopes alive.
For Iran, the draw marked a significant milestone. Despite logistical challenges that have restricted them to arriving in the United States only a day before each match, they have avoided defeat in their first two World Cup games for the first time in their history.
Belgium dominated possession for long periods and registered 11 shots in a first half that lacked quality in the final third. However, they were unable to find a way past the inspired Beiranvand.
Iran thought they had taken the lead in the 25th minute when Taremi converted from a cleverly worked free-kick routine. Celebrations were cut short, however, after a lengthy VAR review ruled the Olympiacos striker offside.
Neither side could find a breakthrough in the closing stages, as Iran held firm to earn a valuable point while Belgium were left to rue missed opportunities in a match that could prove decisive in the battle for qualification.
