Iran frustrate 10-man Belgium in World Cup stalemate as Nathan Ngoy sees red

There was simply no debate over the moment of the match and it is one that Iran will cherish, even more so if they are to progress to the World Cup knockout stages for the first time. Every angle of Alireza Beiranvand’s preposterous save to prevent Belgium taking the lead approaching the hour added to the miraculousness of it all. Perhaps the most ludicrous element was that Beiranvand appeared to have been eliminated from the game when the ball dropped at the feet of Maxim De Cuyper inside the six-yard box, the goal gaping. Yet, while scrambling on the turf after seesawing to his left in an attempt to intercept Kevin De Bruyne’s rolled cross, Beiranvand stuck out a strong left hand to shut the door in the face of De Cuyper, before smothering the ball.

Presumably, given this summer’s apparent appetite for a goalkeeping cult hero, this all means Beiranvand’s following might now increase tenfold, though as Iran’s longtime No 1 who saved Cristiano Ronaldo’s penalty at the 2018 World Cup, he is no unknown. Just ask Vozinha and Eloy Room how their outstanding performances for Cape Verde and Curaçao respectively have done wonders for their profile. At 33, Beiranvand is a youngster compared to those guys.

Iran believes. They have refused to wilt under the restrictions imposed on them by Fifa and the US and have earned creditable draws in their two matches, both of which have been played in Los Angeles. Meanwhile Belgium, who went out at the group stage four years ago, are in a spot of bother. Rudi Garcia, their head coach, accepts the pressure on their final Group G match against New Zealand is clear. “Sometimes when you have to win, sometimes that’s the best situation,” he said. “Obviously we had wished to start better. But, just like cyclists, we have to keep pedalling on and on and show we deserve to move on to the round of 32.”

Belgium were reduced to 10 men midway through the second half after Nathan Ngoy wiped out Mehdi Taremi and the inquest into another disappointing result has begun. Their record at major tournaments now reads two wins from their past nine matches, one from their past six, against Romania at Euro 2024. They have had a total of 38 shots in their opening two games in the US without scoring themselves, their sole goal coming courtesy of the Egypt defender Mohamed Hany. They missed the energy of Jérémy Doku, who was absent through illness, while Romelu Lukaku, making his first start for club or country for more than 12 months, huffed and puffed in attack.

De Bruyne glittered in moments, none more so than when graciously bringing down Leandro Trossard’s lifted pass on the byline. Beiranvand made it his mission to reach De Bruyne’s pass before Lukaku, who became the third-most capped Belgium player. In the end Ali Nemati stopped the cross, his legs splayed as Beiranvand thwarted De Cuyper. Lukaku could only put his hands on his head in disbelief. “Beiranvand is one of our greatest goalkeepers in the history of Iranian football,” said Iran’s head coach, Amir Ghalenoei. “He is extremely experienced, intelligent and he had one of his best days. He had the right concentration and he gave us one very valuable point – even though we could have had three points.”

The last time Iran were at this stadium, they were not so much frogmarched off the premises but advised they were not welcome to stick around, informed they would have to fly back to their base in Tijuana, Mexico. Gianni Infantino visited their dressing room in an attempt to assuage their concerns, though amid Ghalenoei’s plea for more help Fifa’s president ended up riffing that, if required, he could fill in up front against Belgium. In the end, it was Belgium who were blunt in attack.

Thibaut Courtois was alert to thwart a bouncing effort by Hossein Kanaanizadegan and midway through the first half Taremi saw a precise finish, reminiscent of Wout Weghorst’s strike against Argentina four years ago after a free-kick routine initiated by Ehsan Hajsafi disallowed for offside. The ball beat Courtois in slow motion but a video assistant referee review flagged Taremi offside.

Courtois made an instinctive save from Taremi after an Iran long throw but the best stop was undeniably at the other end approaching the hour. Beiranvand somehow pawed De Cuyper’s shot from inside the six-yard box after Nemati initially halted De Bruyne’s cross after a touch of brilliance on the byline. The huge wraparound screen then showed the raw numbers: 15 shots to four in Belgium’s favour. But a few minutes later it was Iran with a numerical advantage when the Lille defender Ngoy wiped out Taremi trying to make amends for a poor pass.

Belgium were rattled, even the most tidy players now unkempt. De Bruyne gave the ball away deep inside his own half, presenting Saeid Ezatolahi with the chance to send a full-throttle shot at Courtois. Beiranvand, though, was not finished and with stoppage time looming he was alert to another De Cuyper effort. “Sixteen hours [to prepare in LA], two flights and a heavy game, I don’t think any team in the world could sustain such conditions and play like this,” Ghalenoei said.