Belgium’s World Cup ambitions suffered another setback after they were held to a scoreless draw by Iran in Los Angeles, leaving their path to the knockout stage far from secure.
Having already dropped points in their opening fixture, Belgium entered the contest knowing victory was crucial. They nearly made the perfect start when Kevin De Bruyne delivered an excellent ball into the penalty area within the opening minutes, but Romelu Lukaku was unable to make the most of the opportunity.
Lukaku, making his first start since June 2025, struggled to impose himself on the match. The experienced striker appeared short of rhythm, while Belgium’s attacking play lacked the sharpness expected from a side packed with talent. Their frustrations were compounded by an inspired performance from Iranian goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand, who produced several crucial saves to keep his side in the game.
Iran briefly thought they had broken the deadlock midway through the first half when Mehdi Taremi finished off a cleverly worked set piece. However, after a lengthy VAR review, the goal was ruled out for offside.
Belgium continued to push forward after the interval and came closest to scoring in the 58th minute. De Bruyne showed a glimpse of his trademark quality with a superb piece of control before delivering a precise cross for Maxim De Cuyper. Yet Beiranvand reacted brilliantly to deny the Belgian full back from close range.
The situation became even more challenging for Belgium when young defender Nathan Ngoy received a red card, forcing his team to finish the match with ten players. Despite the numerical disadvantage, they continued creating opportunities but could not find a breakthrough.
The statistics highlighted Belgium’s dominance. They attempted 23 shots throughout the match, their highest total in a World Cup game without scoring since 1994. Yet possession and chances counted for little against a disciplined Iranian side determined to secure a valuable result.
The draw means Belgium must now defeat New Zealand in their final Group G fixture to remain in control of their qualification hopes. Anything less could leave their future dependent on results elsewhere.
For Iran, the point represents another memorable achievement. After avoiding defeat in their opening match, they have now gone unbeaten through their first two games of a World Cup campaign for the first time in the nation’s history.
Meanwhile, questions continue to surround Belgium’s ageing stars. Once viewed as a team destined for global success, the nation’s celebrated generation now faces the challenge of proving it still belongs among football’s elite.
