The standout moment of the match came from Iran’s goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand, whose remarkable save kept Belgium from taking the lead as the game approached the hour mark. He deflected Maxim De Cuyper’s close-range effort with a left glove, even after initially shifting to intercept a low cross from Kevin De Bruyne. Belgium was left with ten men after Nathan Ngoy received a red card for bringing down Mehdi Taremi.
If Iran manages to reach the knockout stage, they will undoubtedly look back on Beiranvand’s extraordinary save as a pivotal moment. De Bruyne showcased his skills throughout the match, including a deft touch to control a lifted pass by Leandro Trossard. Beiranvand’s determination allowed him to interrupt De Bruyne’s cross before Romelu Lukaku could capitalize. With this appearance, Lukaku became the third-most capped player for Belgium. Iran is filled with hope, while Belgium, who faced an early exit four years ago, finds itself in a challenging position.
The last occasion Iran played at this venue, they were unceremoniously told to leave after their Group G opener against New Zealand, unable to stay overnight and forced to return to their base in Tijuana, Mexico.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino visited their locker room to address their concerns. However, during head coach Amir Ghalenoei’s plea for more support, Infantino joked that he could step in as a forward against Belgium if necessary. Iran returned to Los Angeles less than a day before the match after being denied earlier entry, further illustrating their feeling of being the most oppressed team in the tournament.
Ghalenoei noted that Iran’s training schedule suffered significantly due to their late arrival in Tijuana, where they had to hastily set up their base after 11 officials were denied entry into the United States, forcing them to commute from Mexico.
As if their challenges weren’t enough, just 40 minutes before the match, tensions flared between Iran and the USA. The Iranian football federation (FFIRI) accused Markwayne Mullin, the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, of spreading misinformation about an FFIRI member being barred from boarding their flight to Los Angeles due to supposed connections with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The FFIRI responded by stating, “fabricated statements have been made with the aim of damaging the reputation of Iranian football and disrupting the national team’s participation” in the World Cup.
Belgium also faced their own issues, with Manchester City winger Jérémy Doku absent due to an illness that had worsened since their opening draw against Egypt in Seattle. Rudi Garcia made four adjustments to the lineup, most notably adding Lukaku in place of Charles De Ketelaere. Lukaku had previously come off the bench to help Belgium secure an equalizer, but his first action in this match resulted in a yellow card for accidentally stepping on Beiranvand’s foot.
Surprisingly, Lukaku’s inclusion was notable since he had played only 40 minutes for Napoli the previous season due to hamstring injuries, with his last start being over a year ago in Belgium’s thrilling 4-3 victory against Wales. His presence kept Iran’s defenders alert, but Beiranvand’s first significant save came against a shot from De Bruyne, followed by a rebound attempt from De Cuyper, who was also newly promoted to the starting lineup.
Thibaut Courtois was quick to deny Hossein Kanaanizadegan’s bouncing shot, and midway through the first half, Taremi’s precise attempt—similar to Wout Weghorst’s goal against Argentina four years earlier—was ruled out for offside after a clever free-kick routine started by Ehsan Hajsafi. Although the ball appeared to beat Courtois, a VAR review confirmed Taremi was offside.
Courtois made a quick reflex save against another powerful effort from Taremi after an Iran long throw. The best save, however, came just before the hour mark when Beiranvand miraculously stopped De Cuyper’s shot from close range after Nemati initially blocked De Bruyne’s cross with exceptional skill. The large screen displayed the statistics: Belgium led with 15 shots to four. Shortly after, Iran gained a numerical advantage when Ngoy fouled Taremi in an attempt to rectify a prior mistake.
Belgium appeared shaken, with even their most composed players losing their touch. De Bruyne lost possession deep in his half, allowing Saeid Ezatolahi to take a powerful shot at Courtois. Beiranvand, however, remained vigilant, making yet another critical save as stoppage time approached.
