Iran frustrated a star-studded Belgian side to earn a hard-fought 0-0 draw at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California on Sunday, leaving the Red Devils facing the possibility of early elimination for a second consecutive World Cup. The result means all three matches played so far in Group G have ended in draws, with Belgium and Iran both sitting on two points.

Belgium dominated possession throughout, with a veteran lineup featuring Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku failing to carve out clear-cut chances against a disciplined Iranian defence that sat deep in a back five. Iran, by contrast, produced the game's most dangerous moments entirely against the run of play. Star striker Mehdi Taremi appeared to put the ball in the net from a cleverly worked first-half free kick — spinning away from the Belgian wall before swivelling and finishing — but VAR ruled the effort offside. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois also had to be alert to deny Hossein Kanani from a long throw. Belgium's best opportunity came after coach Rudi Garcia made a triple substitution around the hour mark, with Maxim De Cuyper's point-blank effort from a De Bruyne cut-back well saved. Any remaining Belgian momentum was halted when centre-back Nathan Ngoy was sent off for raising his arm into Taremi after badly under-hitting a back-pass, leaving his side to play out the final stages with ten men.

Off the pitch, the match was played against a charged political backdrop. Los Angeles is home to one of the world's largest Iranian diaspora communities, and protesters gathered outside the stadium to demonstrate against Iran's government for the second consecutive match there. Inside, Iran's national anthem was met with boos and whistles, though the players themselves were loudly cheered by the pro-Iran crowd. In a gesture that drew widespread attention after the final whistle, Iran's squad left a handwritten note in their SoFi Stadium locker room thanking Los Angeles for its hospitality.