New Delhi, June 21 (IANS) Belgium will face a determined Iran side in a crucial FIFA World Cup Group G encounter, with both teams aiming to secure their first victory and take a major step towards the knockout stages.

Group G remains one of the most evenly balanced groups in the tournament after all four teams Belgium, Iran, Egypt and New Zealand began their campaigns with draws. With every side sitting on one point, the upcoming round of fixtures could prove decisive in shaping the qualification battle.

For Belgium, the match presents another opportunity for their celebrated ‘Golden Generation’ to make a statement on football’s biggest stage. Led by experienced stars Kevin De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois and Romelu Lukaku, the Red Devils possess one of the most talented squads in the competition and are still chasing the major international trophy that has eluded them despite years of success at club level.

Belgium came close to opening their World Cup campaign with a win against Egypt but were forced to settle for a draw. De Bruyne was particularly influential and nearly found the breakthrough when his free-kick struck the woodwork. Having navigated what many considered their toughest group fixture, Belgium will be eager to convert their dominance into three valuable points against Iran.

However, Iran have built a reputation as one of Asia’s most resilient teams and are unlikely to make life easy for the European giants. Known for their disciplined defensive structure, physical approach and dangerous counter-attacks, Iran have consistently troubled higher-ranked opponents at major tournaments.

The Asian side will once again look towards striker Mehdi Taremi to provide the attacking spark. Backed by experienced goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand and veteran defender Ramin Rezaeian, Iran possess the experience and organisation required to frustrate Belgium and capitalise on any opportunities that come their way.

The match will be live-streamed in different regional languages on the Zee5 app and United Sports channels.

–IANS

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