Belgium held to goalless draw by Iran in World Cup clash

Belgium and Iran played out a goalless draw in their second Group G match at the World Cup, leaving both teams with two points in the standings. The result means the group remains wide open, with Egypt and New Zealand, who both have one point, set to play each other.

Belgium dominated possession for much of the game, but Iran defended resolutely throughout. Early chances for Belgium came from Kevin De Bruyne and Maxim De Cuyper, but Iran had a strong opportunity in the 14th minute when Thibaut Courtois saved from Hossein Kanaanizadegan.

Iran thought they had taken the lead in the 25th minute when Mehdi Taremi scored, but the goal was ruled offside following a video review. The first half ended goalless, with Iran again creating a chance early in the second half through Alireza Jahanbakhsh, whose shot was weak. Taremi later had a good opportunity in the box, but Courtois was alert to the danger.

The match took a significant turn in the 67th minute when Belgium's Nathan Ngoy was shown a straight red card for a clumsy mistake. He made a poor back-pass and then fouled Taremi, who was through on goal. The game slowed considerably after the red card, with few clear chances for either side. Iran's goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand made a spectacular save in the 59th minute to deny Maxim De Cuyper, and again in the 86th minute, ensuring his team secured a valuable point.