Iran's World Cup campaign has been marked by turmoil, but their 0-0 draw with Belgium on Sunday, thanks to goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand's incredible performance, has kept their dreams of advancing to the knockout round alive.
Beiranvand made seven saves, including a highlight-reel stop from a prone position, to deny Belgium's scoring chances. His teammates, however, couldn't capitalize on the opportunities they created, despite Belgium being reduced to 10 men in the second half.
Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei praised Beiranvand, calling him one of the greatest goalkeepers in Iranian football history. The team's midfielder, Alireza Jahanbakhsh, said they were happy with the performance and felt they could have gotten more out of the game.
Belgium, meanwhile, dominated possession but couldn't find the back of the net, with their striker, Romelu Lukaku, saying they were not efficient enough and were a bit emotional.
The draw leaves both teams with their second consecutive draw in group play, but Iran will be encouraged by their performance and the fact that they have kept their World Cup hopes alive.
