Alireza Beiranvand proved why he is regarded as one of the tournament’s elite goalkeepers with a string of outstanding saves that secured Iran a hard-fought draw against Belgium. The Iranian shot-stopper was in inspired form throughout the encounter, producing what many are already calling the save of the tournament to deny Belgium a certain goal. His heroics came despite Belgium enjoying periods of dominance, particularly after they were reduced to 10 men following Nathan Ngoy’s dismissal.

The result leaves Belgium winless in their World Cup campaign and facing an uphill battle to progress from the group stage. Meanwhile, Iran will take great encouragement from this performance as they continue their push to reach the knockout rounds for the first time in their history. Beiranvand’s commanding presence and ability to bail out his defense proved decisive in a tense affair that could prove crucial come the end of the group stage. Belgium must now regroup quickly if they are to salvage their tournament ambitions, while Iran have demonstrated they possess the defensive resilience needed to compete at this level.

Kaynaklar: The Guardian Football · BBC Sport Football