Iran hold Belgium to a clean sheet and the group opens up

A clean sheet that changes everything

Iran 0–0 Belgium, and your team are two points from two games in Group G (1). That is a genuine shot at the knockout stage. After the opening 1–1 with Egypt, Ghalenoei's side held a Belgian attack featuring De Bruyne and Doku to nothing. No goals conceded. The defensive structure held for 90 minutes.

Tielemans: "We have to be very happy if we qualify"

Belgium's captain did not sugarcoat it. A day after the draw, Youri Tielemans told HLN: "We moeten heel blij zijn als we ons kwalificeren", we have to be very happy if we qualify (2). That is the sound of a team rattled. Your team did that.

Doku missed the match

Jérémy Doku was not on the pitch. He left the World Cup briefly for the birth of his son and was then ruled out by a virus (7). Belgium were missing one of their sharpest attackers, and Iran made the absence count.

Racist comment by Serbian pundit overshadows the night

Serbian TV pundit Rade Bogdanovic said during the Belgium–Iran broadcast that "black players cannot maintain concentration for more than 60–80 minutes," referring to Belgium's Nathan Ngoy (3) (5). The remark has triggered widespread condemnation and an investigation.

Fan poll: one third fear Belgium are out

A Nieuwsblad poll after the Iran draw shows 33% of Belgian fans do not believe their team will survive the group (4). Iran, Egypt, and New Zealand, and the fear is real.

Fan-reaktioner

The reaction online is a mix of pride and a little disbelief. One World Cup thread called Iran's performance a "masterclass in composure", high praise for Ghalenoei's setup. Arsenal fans watching Trossard struggled to find positives on the Belgian side, with one poster noting KDB and Lukaku looked a step off the pace. See the full discussion.