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Belgium-Iran 0-0, Belgium Down to Ten After Red Card

6/22/2026

38 6 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Belgium and Iran played to a 0-0 draw in Group G World Cup match, leaving each team on two points.
Nathan Ngoy was red-carded in the 66th minute for fouling Mehdi Taremi, reducing Belgium to ten men.
Mehdi Taremi’s 25th-minute goal was ruled out for off-side after a VAR review.
Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand made seven saves, including a point-blank stop on Maxim De Cuyper, while Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made three saves.

History

Historical Context

When the FIFA Council approved IFAB’s March 16 2018 decision to add video-assistant referees, the 2018 World Cup in Russia became the first tournament to use VAR across all matches, with 14 interventions—including three overturned goals. That shift reduced red cards to just four—the fewest since 1978, shaping today’s Group G decision to cancel Taremi’s strike.

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Story summary

Belgium and Iran played to a 0-0 draw in Group G World Cup match, leaving each team on two points.
Nathan Ngoy was red-carded in the 66th minute for fouling Mehdi Taremi, reducing Belgium to ten men.
Mehdi Taremi’s 25th-minute goal was ruled out for off-side after a VAR review.
Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand made seven saves, including a point-blank stop on Maxim De Cuyper, while Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made three saves.

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