New Delhi: Goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand delivered a standout performance as Iran held Belgium to a hard-fought 0-0 draw in their FIFA World Cup 2026 Group G match in Los Angeles on Monday.
In a contest dominated by goalkeeping excellence, Beiranvand and Belgian captain Thibaut Courtois produced a series of crucial saves to deny both sides and ensure the match ended without a goal.
Belgium created several promising opportunities through striker Romelu Lukaku and midfielder Youri Tielemans, who repeatedly tested the Iranian defense with dangerous attacks and shots from outside the box. However, Beiranvand remained composed throughout, making a number of key interventions to frustrate the Belgian forwards.
At the other end, Courtois was equally impressive. The experienced goalkeeper denied Hossein Kanani from a long throw-in situation and later watched as Iran thought they had taken the lead through Mehdi Taremi. The striker found the net after receiving a pass from Ehsan Hajsafi, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
Belgium also came close through Maxim De Cuyper, only to be denied by another sharp save from Beiranvand. The European side’s task became even more difficult when defender Zeno Debast was shown a red card for a foul on Taremi inside the penalty area, reducing Belgium to ten men for the closing stages.
Despite the numerical advantage, Iran could not find a breakthrough, and both teams settled for a point.
Belgium coach Rudi Garcia admitted his side lacked precision in front of goal. “We created chances and delivered several crosses, but our finishing was not good enough. We failed to properly test Beiranvand on many occasions, and playing with ten men made things more difficult,” he said.
Iran head coach Amir Ghalenoei praised his team’s effort and reserved special appreciation for his goalkeeper. “It was an entertaining match, and either team could have won. I want to thank all my players, especially Beiranvand, whose performance was outstanding,” he said.
The draw leaves both teams with important points as Group G remains finely balanced heading into the next round of fixtures.
