Belgium 0-0 Iran: Alireza Beiranvand produce one of the saves of the tournament to deny Maxim De Cuyper

A match that promised so much delivered very little in the final ledger, as Belgium and Iran played out a tense, absorbing goalless draw at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, a result that leaves both nations still searching for their first victory at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

It was a game defined not by goals, but by the moments that surrounded them. A disallowed strike of jaw-dropping quality, a dismissal of stunning recklessness and approximately 29 minutes of siege football that Iran ultimately could not convert.

This was the kind of 0-0 that will linger long in the memory, even if neither side will feel particularly satisfied with their share of the spoils.

Belgium 0-0 Iran: Taremi denied by VAR

The match's most talked-about moment arrived as early as the 11th minute, and it never actually counted. 

Iran striker Mehdi Taremi, exploiting a brilliantly disguised free-kick routine orchestrated by Ehsan Hajsafi, who faked the shot before threading a pass through the heart of the Belgian wall, placed his finish coolly past Thibaut Courtois. 

The veteran striker was penalised for being offside and for encroachment, denying what would have been one of the more jaw-dropping goals of the tournament.

It was a gut-punch for Amir Ghalenoei's side, and one which, with the benefit of hindsight, may yet prove decisive in how this group unfolds.

Belgium 0-0 Iran: Ngoy's moment of madness

Belgium had been the more dominant side for much of the contest, with Kevin De Bruyne directing traffic and Romelu Lukaku, who was handed a starting berth by head coach Rudi Garcia after his vital involvement in Belgium's equaliser against Egypt leading the line with his customary physicality, but the complexion of the game changed irrevocably in the 66th minute.

Nathan Ngoy made a poor touch which allowed Taremi to pounce on the error, and the Belgian defender brought him down to receive a straight red card from referee Darío Herrera - dismissed for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity as the last man. 

It was an act of carelessness that the Red Devils could simply not afford at this stage of the tournament.

From that moment on, the game resembled a completely different contest - Belgium camped inside their own defensive third as Iran pushed and probed for openings across the remaining approximately 29 minutes. 

Iran pressed, creating chances but Courtois when called upon was imperious - the world-class goalkeeper earned his keep, and Belgium held on.

Belgium 0-0 Iran: The goalkeepers steal the show

Alireza Beiranvand was the standout performer in a goalless draw that owed everything to two world-class goalkeepers. 

While Thibaut Courtois produced several crucial saves for Belgium, including a full-stretch stop to deny Hossein Kanani, a reaction save from Mehdi Taremi's volley, and a strong parry to keep out Saeid Ezatolahi’s long-range effort, Beiranvand ultimately stole the spotlight with a man-of-the-match display that preserved Iran’s clean sheet.

The Iranian goalkeeper made a string of outstanding interventions throughout the contest, denying Youri Tielemans with a sharp reflex save, keeping out a dangerous Kevin De Bruyne effort, and repeatedly frustrating Belgium’s attack. 

His defining moment came in the 85th minute when he somehow clawed away Maxim De Cuyper’s close-range effort from just three yards out after brilliant work by De Bruyne. 

The remarkable stop capped an exceptional performance from Beiranvand, whose heroics ensured Iran left Los Angeles with a valuable point despite Courtois’ excellence at the other end.

2026 World Cup: A tournament running red

Ngoy's dismissal adds to what is already a remarkable disciplinary record at this tournament.

After just 28 matches, the 2026 World Cup had already produced six red cards, two more than the combined total recorded at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups combined. 

Those six dismissals had been spread across South Africa's Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane, Mexico's Cesar Montes, Bosnia and Herzegovina's Tarik Muharemovic, and Qatar's Homam Ahmed and Assim Madibo.

With Ngoy's red card, the tally rises to seven dismissals in 39 matches and the tournament is not yet through the group stage. 

The all-time record of 28 red cards set at Germany 2006 still stands, but the pace of dismissals at this edition suggests it could be under threat by the final whistle in July.

What happens next?

Group G remains one of the most evenly balanced in the tournament, all four teams - Belgium, Iran, Egypt and New Zealand began matchday two on one point each, making this encounter in Los Angeles, for all intents and purposes, an early group final and two points apiece from two matches, however, settles little.

Belgium, who drew 1-1 with Egypt in their opener, now face New Zealand in their final group match knowing that only a win will be sufficient. 

Even then, a defeat to New Zealand could leave them monitoring results from other groups and hoping two points proves enough to be one of the eight best third-place teams in the expanded tournament.

Iran, meanwhile, face Egypt in what now has the feel of a knockout match, a win would put Ghalenoei's side in prime position to advance; a defeat will also have them looking at the results elsewhere.

The final round of Group G fixtures will be decisive, in a group where no team has yet won a match, everything remains to play for.