Belgium vs Iran result: 0-0 draw at 2026 World Cup Group G
Belgium and Iran played out a 0-0 draw on Sunday, June 21 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. Kick-off was 12:00 PM PDT. It was Group G Matchday 2 at the 2026 World Cup. Alireza Beiranvand made 7 saves and kept Iran in it.
Belgium had 68% possession and 23 shots but could not score. Mehdi Taremi thought he scored for Iran in the 27th minute but VAR ruled it out for offside. Nathan Ngoy got sent off in the 66th minute. That changed everything. Both teams now sit on 2 points from 2 games. Group G is wide open.
Belgium vs Iran: Match Intro
Belgium vs Iran finished goalless on Sunday afternoon in Los Angeles. Belgium controlled the ball. They pushed high. They created chances. But they could not beat Beiranvand. Iran sat deep in a 5-4-1 and waited. The game turned when Nathan Ngoy saw red in the 66th minute.
Belgium were down to 10 for the last 25 minutes. Momentum died right there. Belgium missed Jérémy Doku too. He was out sick. Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei praised his keeper after. He called Beiranvand one of Iran’s greatest ever. Fair shout. Both teams leave with a point and everything still to play for.
First Half Summary
Belgium started on the front foot. They used a high line and pinned Iran back. Possession was all theirs. 68% by the end. But the final ball was missing. Romelu Lukaku picked up a yellow in the 2nd minute. Set the tone. He looked frustrated all half. Iran barely had the ball. They played a tight low block. 5 defenders, 4 midfielders, Taremi up top. Then the best chance came.
Taremi scored in the 27th minute. The Iranian bench went up. But VAR checked it. Offside. Goal gone. Belgium had 12 shots before half. None found the net. Beiranvand was already busy. Saeid Ezatolahi got booked in the 32nd minute for Iran. The pace was slow. Belgium lacked sharpness. Iran looked happy with 0-0.
Belgium vs Iran: Turning Point
The red card flipped the game. 66th minute. Nathan Ngoy pulled down a runner. Last man. Professional foul. Clear denial of a goalscoring opportunity. The ref showed red. No VAR drama. Belgium down to 10 men with 25 minutes left. That killed their push for a winner. They had been building pressure. De Cuyper was getting forward. Shots were coming.
Then boom, numerical disadvantage. Belgium dropped deeper. They had to defend more. Iran could not use it properly though. They still sat back. The game got frantic late on. Both teams chased it. But quality in the final third was poor. Ngoy cost Belgium the numerical edge right when they needed it most.
Goals and Key Moments
0-0 final score. But plenty happened.
2’ Lukaku booked early for Belgium. Frustration started fast.
27’ Taremi scores for Iran. VAR rules it out. Offside. No goal.
32’ Ezatolahi yellow for Iran. Midfield battle got physical.
66’ Red for Nathan Ngoy. Professional foul. Belgium down to 10.
Belgium kept firing shots after. 23 total. 7 on target.
Beiranvand saved everything. Seven big saves. Point blank stops too.
Late on both teams pushed. No one had the composure to finish.
Player Performance Section
Man of the match: Alireza Beiranvand. 9/10. Seven saves. He stood tall. Shot after shot came in. He blocked them all. Kept Iran alive single-handedly. That is what great keepers do at World Cups.
Best for Belgium: Maxim De Cuyper. 7.5/10. Energetic down the left. Four shots on target. He kept trying. Always moving. Always looking for space. Belgium’s brightest outlet without Doku.
Weakest: Nathan Ngoy. 3/10. Red card in the 66th. Cost Belgium 25 minutes with 10 men. Lukaku also struggled. 2nd minute yellow and subbed off early. Barely impacted the game.
For Iran, Saman Ghoddos had a quiet day. 4.77 rating. Could not get into it offensively.
What It Means
Belgium vs Iran ended 0-0. Both teams have 2 points from 2 games in Group G. No one qualified. No one is out. Everything goes to Matchday 3. Belgium now faces New Zealand on June 26. Iran plays Egypt the same day. Belgium needs a win and goals. Their goal difference is zero. Iran will back Beiranvand again. One clean sheet is good. Two gets them close to knockouts. Group G is messy and wide open. The next game decides it.
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