Belgium vs Iran

Two sides let down by matchday one, now chasing goals! In Group G at the 2026 World Cup nobody started smiling, and Belgium vs Iran already feels like a crossroads. The Red Devils, still the best-equipped side in the group, were caught out by Egypt: after Emam Ashour's superb effort from distance on 19 minutes, under the searing Seattle sun, it took Lukaku's introduction to drag the game back. Just 22 seconds after coming on, the striker forced a Mohamed Hany own goal from Meunier's cross on 66 minutes. A bitter point, but also proof of a team that creates plenty once it shifts through the gears: across their last five games Belgium racked up 49 shots to Iran's 17, and shortly before the tournament they hammered Tunisia 5-1. Iran, for their part, drew 2-2 with New Zealand in a wild game: twice behind to Elijah Just's brace, twice able to come back, with Rezaeian scoring and then teeing up Mohebbi's header off the post. A side that can hurt you, but one that gave up more than expected at the back. Both arrive on a single point, and a win here would smooth the path to the last 16: all the more reason not to hold back. A meeting with almost no history Belgium and Iran have barely ever met: at a World Cup it is an outright first, and their overall meetings are so rare that they offer nothing useful to lean on. With no history to cling to, the read is all about the present: Belgium's quality and attacking volume on one side, on the other an Iran sound in shape but coming off a defence that struggled against New Zealand. De Bruyne and Lukaku, Belgium's big guns Rudi Garcia's Belgium revolves around Kevin De Bruyne, back after March surgery and used as a deep playmaker, with Doku tearing down the flank and Trossard drifting between the lines. The question mark is Lukaku: managing a hip problem, he has limited minutes and started on the bench against Egypt, yet still proved decisive in the equaliser. Iran lean on their usual 4-2-3-1, with Mehdi Taremi leading the line and posing the clearest threat on the counter; the fitness of Ezatolahi and Ghoddos, the midfield shields, is still being worked on by the medical staff. The final lineups will need checking close to kick-off. The verdict: why goals can come The line under review is a game with at least two goals, and the signs point that way. Belgium create relentlessly, and those 49 shots across five games are no fluke: against Egypt they paid more for wastefulness than a lack of chances. Iran have just scored twice against New Zealand, but also showed a back line that is anything but watertight. If the Red Devils push as they can and the Iranians break with Taremi, two goals becomes the natural outcome: I'd put the probability around 70%. The main risk has a clear name, an ultra-cautious Iran dropping deep and turning the match into a low-scoring tactical battle, understandable against a stronger opponent. Even so, Belgium are the team with the most attacking potential in the group, which is why the confidence here is good.