Iran plays 10-man Belgium to 0-0 draw at World Cup

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Alireza Beiranvand made seven saves while Iran and Belgium played to a 0-0 draw at the World Cup on Sunday, with Team Melli unable to break through after the Red Devils went down to 10 men in the second half.

Belgium defender Nathan Ngoy received a straight red card in the 66th minute when he miskicked a ball backward and then fouled Mehdi Taremi to prevent the Iran star from getting a clean breakaway scoring chance.

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Iran's Saleh Hardani (2), left, fights for the ball with Belgium's Leandro Trossard (10) during the World Cup Group G soccer match between Belgium and Iran in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Iran’s Saleh Hardani (2), left, fights for the ball with Belgium’s Leandro Trossard (10) during the World Cup Group G soccer match between Belgium and Iran in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Belgium's Thomas Meunier, left, and Iran's Mehdi Taremi fight for the ball during the World Cup Group G soccer match in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Belgium’s Thomas Meunier, left, and Iran’s Mehdi Taremi fight for the ball during the World Cup Group G soccer match in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Belgium's Thomas Meunier, left, heads the ball past Iran's Mohammad Mohebbi during the World Cup Group G soccer match between Belgium and Iran in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)

Belgium’s Thomas Meunier, left, heads the ball past Iran’s Mohammad Mohebbi during the World Cup Group G soccer match between Belgium and Iran in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)

Referee Dario Herrera shows a red card to Belgium's Nathan Ngoy (25) during the World Cup Group G soccer match between Belgium and Iran in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea)

Referee Dario Herrera shows a red card to Belgium’s Nathan Ngoy (25) during the World Cup Group G soccer match between Belgium and Iran in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea)

Belgium's Kevin De Bruyne, front, tries control the ball past Iran's Hossein Kanani during the World Cup Group G soccer match between Belgium and Iran in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)

Belgium’s Kevin De Bruyne, front, tries control the ball past Iran’s Hossein Kanani during the World Cup Group G soccer match between Belgium and Iran in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)

Iran couldn’t capitalize, and Belgium actually generated better scoring chances down the stretch — but both teams left with their second straight draw in group play.

Neither team will feel good about the result at SoFi Stadium.

During a tumultuous World Cup trip affected by travel restrictions and visa denials from the U.S., Iran will regret missing a golden opportunity to beat a European powerhouse sitting 10th in FIFA’s world rankings while playing before a loud, supportive crowd.

Iran returned to the Los Angeles area for its second straight match in front of a crowd packed with fans from the diaspora both supporting Team Melli and decrying the Iranian government with boos of the anthem and hundreds of Lion and Sun flags displayed.

Iran’s World Cup cycle has been chaotic ever since the U.S. began a war on Feb. 28. The Iranians moved their training base from Arizona to Mexico, and the team is operating under travel restrictions requiring them to leave Los Angeles only hours after both matches, infuriating coach Amir Ghalenoei.

Meanwhile, star-studded Belgium has yet to score in two matches at the World Cup, getting on the scoreboard only through an own goal in its opening draw with Egypt.

Belgium is unbeaten in its last 15 competitive matches, but it has not scored on 53 consecutive shots at the World Cup dating back to its one goal scored in its three mostly dismal games in Qatar four years ago.

Belgium dominated possession in the first 60 minutes, but Iran had a handful of strong chances stopped by goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who matched Beiranvand’s excellence. Team Melli had the best scoring chances early, including a beautiful set piece for a goal by Taremi — who was ruled offside by video review.

Maxim De Cuyper was denied twice in the second half by Beiranvand, including a golden opportunity in the 86th minute.

With so many preparation obstacles, Ghalenoei leaned on experience against Belgium, sending out the oldest starting 11 at a World Cup match since 1966, according to Opta.

Romelu Lukaku was a surprise addition to Belgium’s starting lineup, playing the first 73 minutes and recording one shot. The Red Devils’ career goals leader missed nearly all of his club season at Napoli with a hamstring injury, and he played as a substitute against Egypt last Monday.

Standout Belgian winger Jérémy Doku missed the match with an illness.

AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/FIFA-World-Cup

It’s been talked about ever since Serena Williams announced nearly three weeks ago that she was returning to professional tennis after almost four years away from the sport.

Still, seeing the single-sentence announcement from The All England Club that the 23-time Grand Slam champion will play singles at Wimbledon was stunning nonetheless.

“Serena Williams (USA) receives the final ladies’ singles wild card,” read the key line in Sunday’s announcement, which was issued eight days before the grass-court Grand Slam begins.

At age 44, Williams will actually play both singles and doubles at Wimbledon after already accepting a wild card for the doubles competition with older sister Venus.

“This is not a drill,” Wimbledon said on its social media accounts Sunday.

Commented the WTA Tour, “Name a more iconic return…we’ll wait.”

Wimbledon held open the eighth and final women’s singles wild card spot until Williams made up her mind. As recently as earlier this week after losing a doubles match in Berlin, she appeared to be waffling over the decision.

“Oh my gosh, there are some left?” she replied when she was told there was still a wild card spot open. Wild cards are special invitations handed out by tournament organizers, which allow former champions and others access to the main draw without the necessary entry qualifications. But then she mused about her readiness for it.

“Do you think I’m ready for singles?” she asked a reporter and then turned to doubles partner Karolina Muchova to ask what she thought.

“I think I would be interested in it,” the Czech player responded.

“That’s the question of the hour, right?” Williams said. “I don’t know. I don’t know. I wonder why there’s — I don’t know.”

Well, now that Williams has made up her mind, the big remaining question is how she can physically handle singles play after so long.

Serena’s most-recent singles match was a loss to Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round of the 2022 U.S. Open. At the time, she said she didn’t want to use the word “retiring” and instead declared that she was “evolving” away from tennis. Her second daughter was born in 2023.

“Just finished a mean game of duck duck goose,” Williams said on X after the wild card announcement.

Of Williams’ 23 Grand Slam titles in singles, seven have come at Wimbledon: in 2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015 and 2016. She’s also won 14 Grand Slams in doubles, all with Venus, and six of them at Wimbledon.

Serena also swept the singles and doubles (with Venus) titles at the 2012 London Olympics, when the tennis competition was held on the hallowed grass of the All England Club.

At her last Wimbledon appearance in 2022, Serena was beaten in the opening round by 115th-ranked Harmony Tan in her first match since having to stop less than a set into her opening contest at the All England Club because of an injury the year before.

Serena won a doubles match with partner Victoria Mboko at Queen’s Club last week but then the pair had to withdraw after Mboko injured her knee in a singles match.

In another doubles match at the Berlin Open on Tuesday, Serena and Muchova were beaten by Giuliana Olmos and Erin Routliffe.

As of Sunday, Serena had not entered the singles draws of any grass-court tuneup tournaments before Wimbledon.

She will learn who her first-round opponent is on Friday when the singles draws for Wimbledon are held.

While she’s No. 593 in the doubles rankings courtesy of her victory last week, Serena has no singles ranking after being away for so long.

Iga Swiatek is the defending Wimbledon champion, while Aryna Sabalenka is ranked No. 1.

Because Serena has no ranking, she could potentially face Swiatek, Sabalenka or any other top-ranked player in the opening rounds.

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Iran plays 10-man Belgium to 0-0 draw at World Cup

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