The pivotal moment of the match undoubtedly belonged to Iran, who could look back on it fondly if they manage to advance to the World Cup knockout stage for the first time. Alireza Beiranvand’s stunning save, which denied Belgium a goal just before the hour mark, was nothing short of miraculous. In a remarkable display, Beiranvand, after diving left to intercept Kevin De Bruyne’s pass into the six-yard box, managed to stretch out his left glove and block a close-range effort from Maxim De Cuyper. Belgium ended the match with ten players after Nathan Ngoy received a red card for bringing down Mehdi Taremi.
If Iran progresses to the Round of 32, Beiranvand’s incredible intervention will be a key moment they remember. De Bruyne had some shining moments, particularly when he expertly controlled Leandro Trossard’s lifted pass on the byline. Beiranvand’s focus was evident as he aimed to reach De Bruyne’s delivery before Romelu Lukaku, who became the third-most capped Belgian player by starting the match. Ultimately, Ali Nemati managed to intercept the cross, while Beiranvand was on hand to stop De Cuyper’s follow-up.
In their previous outing at this venue, following their Group G opener against New Zealand, Iran had been essentially escorted off the premises, facing restrictions on their overnight stay and being instructed to return to their base in Tijuana, Mexico.
In an effort to alleviate their concerns, Gianni Infantino visited their locker room. During a discussion with head coach Amir Ghalenoei, Infantino humorously suggested that he could step in as a forward against Belgium if necessary, as Belgium struggled to find their attacking rhythm. Iran returned to Los Angeles less than a day before their kickoff after being denied earlier entry, a situation they cited as part of the oppressive treatment they feel they have experienced at the tournament.
Ghalenoei indicated that due to their late arrival in Tijuana—where they hastily arranged their base after 11 officials were denied entry to the U.S.—the team had trained significantly less than he had hoped, which added to their challenges.
Compounding their difficulties, 40 minutes prior to the match, tensions between Iran and co-hosts USA escalated. Iran’s football federation (FFIRI) accused U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin, of spreading misinformation regarding a member of their staff, who allegedly was blocked from boarding a flight to Los Angeles due to supposed connections with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The FFIRI stated that “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 faced their own set of issues, with Manchester City’s Jérémy Doku sidelined due to illness and on antibiotics following a deterioration of his condition since their opening draw with Egypt in Seattle. Coach Rudi Garcia opted for four changes in the lineup, notably bringing Lukaku in for Charles De Ketelaere. Lukaku’s presence off the bench in the previous match had helped Belgium secure an equalizer, but he found himself booked within the first few minutes for inadvertently catching Beiranvand with his boot as he attempted to connect with De Bruyne’s cross.
Surprisingly, Lukaku started the match despite having played only 40 minutes for Napoli last season due to hamstring injuries, with his last appearance for Belgium dating back over a year to a thrilling 4-3 victory against Wales. His presence kept Iran’s defenders alert, yet Beiranvand’s first save was against De Bruyne, followed by a block of De Cuyper’s shot from the rebound.
Thibaut Courtois was quick to deny a bouncing effort from Hossein Kanaanizadegan, and midway through the first half, Taremi had a goal disallowed for offside after a clever free-kick routine initiated by Ehsan Hajsafi. The ball beat Courtois in slow motion, but the Video Assistant Referee intervened to flag Taremi’s position.
Courtois made a sharp save to thwart another powerful attempt from Taremi following an Iran long throw, but the standout save came as the hour approached when Beiranvand remarkably parried De Cuyper’s shot from close range after Nemati had earlier halted De Bruyne’s cross with a brilliant defensive play. The large screen displayed the stats: Belgium had 15 shots compared to Iran’s four. However, a few moments later, the balance shifted when Ngoy, the Lille defender, received a red card for taking down Taremi as he tried to recover from a misplaced pass.
Belgium appeared shaken, with even their most composed players losing their touch. De Bruyne lost possession deep in his half, allowing Saeid Ezatolahi the opportunity to unleash a powerful shot at Courtois. But Beiranvand remained vigilant, saving another effort from De Cuyper as stoppage time approached.
