Belgium vs. IR Iran: Both Teams to Score

Analysis

Iran's entire identity at major tournaments is built around a deep, compact block designed to frustrate and contain. They don't come to games like this to trade goals — they come to survive, nick a counter, and hope. That's a very thin path to finding the net against a Belgian side that will dominate territory and possession from the first whistle. Belgium scoring is barely worth debating. De Bruyne and company have the quality to break down stubborn defences, and the moment they go ahead, the match settles into Iran absorbing pressure and Belgium managing the tempo. That's a pattern that kills both-teams-to-score stone dead. Iran's own preparation hasn't helped — visa-related disruption heading into this camp is not the ideal runway for fluent attacking football. Cast your mind back to Qatar 2022: Iran drew a blank against Wales and the USA, and only scored against England once the game was already gone. That's the template against quality opponents. The neutral venue in Los Angeles strips away any crowd lift, and early-tournament caution only amplifies Iran's instinct to protect first and attack second. A scoreline like 2-0 or 3-0 to Belgium looks far more natural than anything that requires Iran to find the net. Back No on both teams to score — the structural mismatch here is too obvious to ignore.