Match Marred By Red Card, Belgium vs Iran Ends In Draw

Belgium National Team were forced to settle for a share of the points once again, after playing out a 0-0 Draw against Iran in their second 2026 World Cup Group G match held at Los Angeles Stadium, United States of America on Monday, 22 June 2026.

This result has tightened competition within Group G. Iran currently sits top of the provisional Standings with two points, finishing ahead of equal-points Belgium on goal difference.

Right from the opening whistle, Belgium took full control and dominated the match flow. Rudi Garcia's squad dictated play, recording 77% ball possession inside the first 10 minutes.

Despite being pinned back under consistent pressure, Iran briefly silenced Belgium's supporters in the 25th minute. Mehdi Taremi beat Thibaut Courtois to find the net after collecting a through ball from Ehsan Hajsafi and rounding the Goalkeeper.

This goal was ultimately disallowed however, after VAR review confirmed Taremi had been in an offside position before receiving the pass.

Belgium continued to probe Iran's defence using the creative playmaking of Kevin De Bruyne and Youri Tielemans. But Iran's disciplined backline combined with an outstanding performance from goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand shut down every scoring attempt right up until the half time whistle.

Belgium remained the dominant side for ball possession and chance creation as the second half got underway. Manager Rudi Garcia attempted to boost attacking threat by substituting on Dodi Lukebakio and Hans Vanaken.

Match momentum shifted dramatically in the 66th minute when Belgium went down to 10 men. Nathan Ngoy was shown a straight red card for fouling Mehdi Taremi, who had broken clear for a one-on-one against Courtois after capitalising on a Belgian defensive error.

With the numerical advantage, Iran began pushing forward far more aggressively. They created multiple dangerous chances, but Courtois delivered world class saves to keep Belgium's goal unscathed.

At the opposite end, Beiranvand was Iran's key man. The 33-year old goalkeeper produced an exceptional performance with seven total saves across the full match, securing a valuable single point for his nation.

This point keeps Iran on track for progression to the knockout rounds, while Belgium now face an uphill battle to claim their first victory at the 2026 World Cup.