Beiranvand Stars as Iran Hold 10-Man Belgium to Goalless Draw

A standout performance from goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand kept Iran's hopes alive of reaching the knockout stage of a World Cup for the first time, as the team battled to a point against a Belgium side that finished the match with ten men.

Beiranvand, 33, was the difference for Iran throughout the match. He made several key stops in the first half, including a near post block to stop Aston Villa's Youri Tielemans. Then, five minutes into the second half, he came up with what might be the save of the tournament so far, throwing himself across goal to keep out a low shot from Maxim de Cuyper.

Belgium's chances of picking up their first win of the tournament took a hit 24 minutes before the end when defender Nathan Ngoy was shown a red card for fouling Mehdi Taremi to stop a clear goal-scoring chance. The dismissal made Ngoy the youngest player sent off at a World Cup since 2014.

The draw puts real pressure on Belgium, the side that reached the semi-finals back in 2018. Having now drawn two matches in a row in Group G, they risk crashing out at the group stage for just the second time in 28 years.

For Iran, the result means something different. The team has had to fly into the United States only a day before each of their matches, yet they have now avoided defeat through their first two games of a World Cup for the first time ever.

The opening 45 minutes offered little in the way of quality football. Belgium controlled possession and fired off 11 shots, but couldn't find a breakthrough. Tielemans came closest to scoring for the Red Devils.

Iran actually thought they had taken the lead in the 25th minute, when Taremi turned in the ball after a clever free-kick routine. The goal was eventually chalked off for offside, but only after officials spent several minutes reviewing it on VAR.

That meant Belgium had now gone four straight World Cup matches without scoring before half-time.

The second half started better for the Belgians. In the 58th minute, only a brilliant reaction save from Beiranvand stopped them from going ahead, after Kevin de Bruyne set up De Cuyper with a slick touch and cross.

Iran kept pushing back, too. At the other end, Thibaut Courtois, playing his 17th World Cup match for Belgium (a new record), denied Taremi what would have been his first goal of the competition.

The result means Iran have now avoided losing in just three of their last 11 World Cup meetings with European opposition.