World Cup: Belgium held to 0-0 draw by Iran, sets two embarrassing records

Belgium's World Cup campaign hit a new low on Sunday as they were held to a goalless draw by Iran, extending their frustrating streak of scoring droughts. The stalemate means both teams have drawn their opening two matches, accumulating two points each in Group G. Belgium's inability to find the back of the net has become a major concern, with the team now having gone 406 minutes without a World Cup goal. This match saw them register 23 shots, the most without scoring in a single World Cup game since 1994, a new ignominious record for the Red Devils. Despite enjoying 57% possession and launching wave after wave of attacks, Belgium's forwards were repeatedly thwarted by Iran's resolute defense and the heroics of goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand. Beiranvand made several crucial saves throughout the match, denying Belgium any breakthrough. The second half saw a further complication for Belgium when Ngoy received a red card after a defensive error, leaving the team a man down. Even with the numerical advantage, Iran could not capitalize, and the match ultimately ended scoreless. Belgium's last World Cup goal dates back to Michy Batshuayi's strike against Canada in their 2022 group stage opener, with their previous match against Egypt ending in a 1-1 draw thanks to an own goal. The team's offensive struggles are starkly highlighted by these statistics, raising serious questions about their ability to advance in the tournament.

“

If we can understand which genes are responsible for organisms to withstand higher temperatures … we could try to introduce variations in those [genetic] regions to boost thermal tolerance.