Iran etched their name in World Cup history with a resolute defensive performance in a goalless draw against Belgium in the 2026 World Cup Group G match at the Los Angeles Stadium on Sunday (local time).The Iranian starting lineup has set an astonishing record, becoming the oldest team to start a World Cup game since 1966, with an average age of 32 years and 181 days. The experienced side used that maturity to good effect, absorbing Belgium’s sustained pressure and frustrating one of Europe’s top teams throughout the match. Belgium came into the game looking for a first win of the tournament and dominated much of the possession from the start. Maxim De Cuyper tested goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand with a long-range shot early on, but the Iran stopper was more than up to the task.Midway through the first half, Mehdi Taremi nearly surprised Belgium when he scored with a clever free-kick. However, the celebrations were cut short as a VAR review ruled the forward was slightly offside.The Belgian continued to push forward and created several openings before the break. However, Beiranvand remained invincible, making several important saves to ensure the score remained level at half-time.A major turning point came in the 66th minute when Belgium were reduced to 10 men. Nathan Ngoy was sent off directly after bringing down Taremi, who broke through and shot after a defensive error. This is the eighth red card sent off at the 2026 World Cup.With their numerical advantage, Iran became increasingly adventurous in attack and introduced new options on the bench in an attempt to find a final winner. Despite applying pressure and creating chances in the closing stages, they were unable to break through.Belgium’s offensive frustrations continued throughout the game. The European side ended up with 23 shots on target, their highest total without a goal in a World Cup match since 1994. According to Opta, Belgium has attempted 69 shots in the World Cup final since a Belgian player last scored.After two rounds of Group G matches, the two sides were tied. Iran tops the standings with two points and is tied for second with Belgium. The competition between New Zealand and Egypt was also fierce, with each side scoring one point.
