Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand produced an incredible masterclass to deny Belgium in a tense 0-0 draw at SoFi Stadium. His brilliant saves frustrated the European giants throughout the match.
Both nations wanted to start their World Cup campaign with a statement victory in Los Angeles. Belgium entered the tournament with high expectations, while Iran looked to cause a major upset in Group B.
The game started with high physical drama. Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku received a yellow card in just the third minute after a clumsy challenge on an Iranian defender.
Belgium dominated the ball early on and pushed Iran deep into their own half. Leandro Trossard pulled the strings in midfield, creating six key chances with his clever passing.
Iran defended with great discipline and looked to break on the counter-attack. Midfielder Saeid Ezatolahi picked up a yellow card in the 33rd minute to stop a dangerous Belgian break.
Despite having most of the ball, Belgium could not find a way past the stubborn Iranian defense before the whistle. Both managers needed to inspire their teams during the break.
Belgium resumed their attack immediately after the restart. Youri Tielemans drilled a powerful shot from distance, but Beiranvand reacted quickly to parry the ball away from danger.
The match took a dramatic turn in the 66th minute. Belgium defender Nathan Ngoy received a straight red card, which forced the Red Devils to play with ten men.
Iran tried to make their numerical advantage count. Defender Shoja Khalilzadeh led the backline superbly with four tackles and even fired a rare shot toward the Belgian goal.
At the other end, Belgium still pushed for a late winner. However, Beiranvand stood firm in the closing stages, making seven crucial saves to keep a clean sheet.
Belgium finished the match with 71 percent possession and fired 21 total shots. They recorded an expected goals rating of 1.77, while Iran managed an expected goals rating of 0.61.
The hard-earned draw leaves Iran second in the group standings with one point. Belgium sits in fourth place but remains confident of qualifying for the next round.
