Iran battles to draw with 10-man Belgium
Iran used seven saves from Alireza Beiranvand and a man advantage from a Belgium red card to pull out a 0-0 draw in the second consecutive tie for both teams in World Cup Group G.
Beiranvand, 33, earned his second clean sheet in his seventh appearance across three World Cups. He also had six saves in Iran's opening 2-2 draw with New Zealand.
Iran went up a man in the 66th minute when Belgium's Nathan Ngoy was sent off with a red card for dragging an Iranian attacker down after a poorly weighted back pass to the keeper presented a goal-scoring opportunity.
Even though Iran played against 10 men for the final 30 minutes of the match, they still had just 32 percent of the possession, were outshot 7-3 in shots on target and out-passed 608-269.
Even down a man, Belgium had the best scoring chance of the remainder of the game, with Beiranvand diving to the ground to stop a shot from Maxim De Cuyper, who had four shots on goal, in the 86th minute.
The second consecutive draw leaves both Belgium and Iran on two points through two Group G matches. While each would still advance with a win on the final matchday on June 26, it leaves the door open for either New Zealand or Egypt to move atop the table should either win Sunday night's matchup in Vancouver.
Belgium face New Zealand in Vancouver on the final day of Group G play, while Iran simultaneously face Egypt in Seattle.
While Belgium controlled play in the early going, Iran had the more threatening chances. It appeared to take the lead in the 25th minute when Mehdi Taremi put a slow-rolling set-piece pass through the Belgium wall into the back of the net. VAR overturned the goal for both an offside call and encroaching by Taremi.
An earlier chance required a diving stop by Thibaut Courtois in the 14th minute.
In the 53rd minute, Taremi had a point-blank shot in the box, but ripped it right at Courtois, who caught it to keep the game scoreless.
Beiranvand made four first-half saves, but none were as threatening as Iran's early chances.
Beiranvand had to raise his level of play with his first second-half save, reaching out a hand while prone on the ground to stop a 59th-minute De Cuyper shot from close range and securing the ensuing loose ball.
