World Cup 2026: 10-man Belgium held to 0-0 draw by Iran
Belgium drew 0-0 with Iran in Los Angeles on Sunday evening in the second match of their World Cup campaign. The Red Devils had to play the final half-hour of a frustrating game with 10 men after Nathan Ngoy's red card.
Record scorer Romelu Lukaku was unexpectedly recalled to the starting line-up after injury had confined him to substitute appearances in recent matches. Fellow striker Jeremy Doku missed out through illness.
Belgium dominated the early stages but it was Iran who had the ball in the net on 25 minutes. They were denied a shock lead, however, when VAR ruled that striker Mehdi Taremi was offside. The Red Devils continued to have the majority of the possession in the first half but couldn’t find a way through the stubborn Iran defence.
The second half saw continued Belgian pressure without a breakthrough. Coach Rudi Garcia made a triple substitution on the hour and his team began to step up the intensity.
But Belgium were reduced to 10 men on 66 minutes when young defender Nathan Ngoy was shown the red card for pulling down Taremi on the counter-attack. Lukaku was taken off and replaced with defender Arthur Theate as Garcia reshuffled his team.
The game began to open up, with spaces appearing in the Belgium defence. At the other end, goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand denied Maxim De Cuyper before Dodi Lukebakio sent a fine long-range shot just over the bar in the final minute, and the game finished goalless.
The draw follows a 1-1 draw against Egypt in the Group G opening match and leaves Belgium on 2 points with one group game left to play, against New Zealand at 5:00 on Saturday morning Belgian time. Ngoy will miss the game through suspension.
© PHOTO HARRY HOW/ GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / VIA AFP