\u201cIf offside were just feet,\u201d says Andy Flintoff, \u201cthen I wonder if there would be specialist pogoing coaches to get players moving just as quickly as running, but with both feet absolutely together and directly under their torsos. I\u2019m not being entirely serious, but players would still try to find some way around it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Absolutely \u2013 and rightly so. I too have been thinking about why that idea mightn\u2019t work but, though I\u2019m not sure there\u2019d be much practical difference, I\u2019m struggling to come up with one.<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI feel like the Belgians wasted Lukaku, says K\u00e1ri Tulinius. \u201cHe\u2019s been the target of just a handful of crosses. Even if his main task is to tire out the Iranian defence before De Ketelaere comes on, he didn\u2019t really give his minders a workout. The Red Devils aren\u2019t the force of yesteryear, but Rudi Garcia isn\u2019t maximizing his resources.\u201d<\/p>\n I agree, though for a man of his dimensions, Lukaku isn\u2019t great in the air. He\u2019s also coming back from injury having not played in a long time, so it makes that he\u2019s not sharp.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n I can\u2019t say I really understand this move. Sure, Chalobah can cover on the right and in the middle, but I can\u2019t think of a situation in which you use him, and certainly not in one you\u2019d have used Tino Livramento, whom he replaced.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n It\u2019s heating up at Shinnecock Hills\u2026<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWhile we\u2019re about celebrating football voices which wouldn\u2019t have previously been heard on big-event mainstream shows,\u201d emails Charles Antaki, \u201cshout out to Lucy Ward on co-comms in the UK. Low on the smug anecdote and high on the no-nonsense insight. Readers are invited to compare that with the old boys of their choice.\u201d<\/p>\n I agree \u2013 she\u2019s really good and, while we\u2019re here, I\u2019m also enjoying Andros Townsend.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Group table and fixtures Photograph: GuardianShare<\/a><\/p>\n ANDITDONTSTOP. The blog of our next game is already under way.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI see no problem with the \u2018Crouch caber\u2019 tactic,\u201d returns Craig Scott. \u201cIt\u2019s the sort of innovation that could get you a chapter in Jonathan Wilson\u2019s next book.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s the kind of thing I\u2019d have expected to see in a Hot-Shot Hamish and Mighty Mouse story<\/a>.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>FULL TIME: Belgium 0-0 Iran<\/p>\n That was pretty enjoyable for a game with no goals and not too many chances. Belgium<\/a> continue to underwhelm, while Iran were excellent in defence; so far in the group, we\u2019ve had three matches and three draws.<\/p>\n Iran’s Alireza Beiranvand and Shoja Khalilzadeh celebrate after the match. Photograph: Kiyoshi Mio\/IMAGN IMAGES\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a017.07 EDT<\/p>\n 90+5 min Lukabakio, who\u2019s also looked lively, flows in off the right and also tries a curler, seeking the far corner, but the ball flies over the angle and that might be it.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 90+4 min Belgium push for the win, Fernandez-Pardo, who\u2019s making an impression, opening a shooting lane with quick feet only to bang a curler wide. I wonder, though, if, against New Zealand, he can supply the sharp edge that\u2019s so far been lacking.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a017.18 EDT<\/p>\n 90+2 min Fernandez-Pardo oozes towards the box, but attempting a cute pass into it, he can\u2019t quite find Luekbakio. Belgium<\/a>, though, sustain the attack, a poor cross form Castagne giving Mechele little with which to play, his header flying wide.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 90+1 min Nemati crosses from the left and Jahabkhsh is in the box \u2026 but the ball is fractionally high.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 90 min We\u2019ll have five additional minutes.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 90 min \u201cAs a long suffering Blackburn Rovers fan,\u201d says Christppher Lee, \u201cone of my favourite memories is Andrew proving that ol Diamond Lights sometimes talks rubbish (as if more proof were needed) by scoring a wonderful improvised finish to win us the League Cup over Hoddle\u2019s Spurs.\u201d<\/p>\n Yup, I apologise for not flagging it, somehow distracting myself in the process.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 89 min It\u2019s Belgium<\/a> trying to win it, Fernandez-Pardo making space in centrefield before Lukebakio\u2019s cross sails just beyond the far post, Tielemans unable to catch up with it.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.56 EDT<\/p>\n 87 min Change for Belgium<\/a>, Fernandez-Pardo \u2013 who I believe is properly talented \u2013 replacing De Bruyne.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 86 min But here come Belgium<\/a>, De Bruyne sending the ball wide to Castagne, whose low cross is excellent. Tielemans slides at it but can only divert sideways \u2026 to De Cuyper, 15 yards out and in space! He hits hit well enough, but without requisite precision, Beiranvand again doing well to push away.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 85 min Another Iran<\/a> change, and another forward for a defender, Hosseinzadeh replacing Ezatolahi. A win here qualifies Iran for the last 32, so it makes sense to pick the attacking option \u2013 but actually, it almost always does, in life as well as football.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 83 min \u201cIs it just recency bias or is this World Cup<\/a> especially goalkeeper-heroics heavy?\u201d wonders Joshua Reynolds.<\/p>\n I think you\u2019re right. the save Beiranvand made off the ground was sensational, and we\u2019ve seen plenty of other fine efforts and performances.<\/p>\n Meantime, De Bruyne prepares to swing over a free-kick from wide on them right, the kind of opportunity that allows Belgium<\/a> to load the box \u2026 then he picks out the keeper, who punches clear.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 81 min De Bruyne gives it away in midfield, so Ezatolahi shoves the ball forward then explodes into a long-ranger which Courtois cant hold; he\u2019s lucky no one\u2019s following in, because otherwise that was 1-0.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 79 min Belgium are sitting back and perhaps that\u2019ll help them \u2013 in the process of going for the win, Iran will leave more space at the back.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 78 min Another change as Iran<\/a> chase the game, Moghanloo, a striker, replacing Ghoddos, a defender.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 77 min \u201cI agree it\u2019s time for a shift to offside being determined by position of the feet,\u201d says Craig Scott. In pre-VAR times it might have been unreasonable to ask assistant referees to judge anything other than \u2018part of the body\u2019 being offside. But with the semi-automated tech now we could judge it on feet and avoid people being offside because they have bigger hair, a fatter arse or knobblier knees than the defender.\u201d<\/p>\n I\u2019ve now got a mental image of a team holding a horizontal Peter Crouch and using him as a lance to attack headers.<\/p>\n Share<\/a> 76 min Our man on the ground says:<\/p>\n double quotation markThe pro-Iran crowd here at Los Angeles Stadium has sprung to life after that red card. There is spreading a real belief that Iran can get something, maybe even a famous win, out of this game.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 75 min A ball into the box from Ghoddos and Jahanbakhsh is up \u2026 but his header is tame.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 73 min Belgium send on Theate for the exhausted Lukaku. They can probably afford to lose this because they should sort New Zealand in their final game, but they\u2019re struggling to build momentum.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 71 min So, do Iran<\/a> go for the win, potentially exposing themselves, or do they keep doing what they\u2019re doing, hoping for a point, then go for Egypt in the final game? My sense is the latter, but if I was caught up in the game, I\u2019m sure I\u2019d say the former.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 69 min What a chance this is for Iran. In Ngoy\u2019s defence, once he\u2019s made the error I don\u2019t think he has a choice \u2013 with 21 minutes to go, Belgium<\/a> have a better chance of a point at 0-0 with 10 menthan at 0-1 with 11.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>BELGIUM’S NGOY IS SENT OFF!<\/p>\n 68 min There can\u2019t be any argument here. Forty or so yards out, Ngoy looks to roll back to the keeper but underhits it to such extent that, when Taremi seizes upon it, he\u2019s still within reach, so is quickly tugged back by the shoulder. There was a long way to goal, but Taremi was in, so the ref has no choice.<\/p>\n Iran’s Mehdi Taremi reacts after a foul by Belgium’s Nathan Ngoy. Photograph: Jayne Kamin-Oncea\/APBelgium\u2019s Nathan Ngoy is shown a red card by referee Dario Herrera. Photograph: Kirby Lee\/IMAGN IMAGES\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.57 EDT<\/p>\n 66 min Two more changes for Iran<\/a>, Mohebi and Hajisafi off with Torabi and Mohammadi on.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 65 min Lukebakio tries a curler, seeking the far corner, and again, Beiranvend is equal to the effort, palming away, then Iran<\/a> win a corner, send it to the back stick, and Khalilzadeh is up \u2026 but heads wide.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 63 min \u201cPoor old Andrew Cole always got harshly judged,\u201d reckons Dennis Hamer. \u201cI think because he was an efficient but unpretty finisher, really good at toe poke type shots and the like \u2013 Ronaldo 1 was the same, of course, but people never seemed to mind as much.\u201d<\/p>\n He did have a slightly fidgety style, but he really suffered form Glenn Hoddle saying he needed six or seven chances to score a single goal. Which, if true, told us he had brilliant movement and anticipation \u2013 he did \u2013 and it\u2019s worth bearing in mind his numbers were always high, without penalties.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 59 min HOW DO BELGIUM FAIL TO SCORE?! A lovely pass over the top from Trosard is gorgeously controlled by De Bruyne, a single caress taming it close to the by-line. He crosses low and hard, but somehow, Nemati blocks then, when De Cuyper shoots from close range, Beirenvand somehow leaps from the ground to palm away. That is ludicrous behaviour from the keeper, who\u2019s having a stormer.<\/p>\n Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand makes a save from Belgium’s Maxim De Cuyper. Photograph: Mark J Terrill\/APShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.55 EDT<\/p>\n 58 min Changes for Belgium<\/a>, Meunier, Raskin and Saelemaekers going off with Castagne, Lukebakio and Vanaken replacing them.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 57 min I see the Courtois save again, a beat away from a Taremi swivel-and-shot.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 55 min \u201cIt is absolutely ridiculous that your butt can be offside,\u201d reckons Robin Griller. \u201cThe rule should be simplified to: if neither of your feet are offside, you are not offside, in which case GOOOOAAALLLL!!!!!\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s always been any part of your body with which you can legally play the ball, which I think is fair in concept, but perhaps feet would simplify things. It\u2019d be a better tweak to the law than Wenger\u2019s, I think.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 53 min Courtois saves Belgium<\/a> again! I don\u2019t actually see what happens because my coverage jumps, we\u2019ve not been allowed a replay, and there\u2019s no option to take coverage backwards, but I see the ball hit the keeper, hard.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 51 min How Belgium<\/a> wish they still had Marouane Fellaini; at 38, I reckon he could still do a job off the bench but, alas, he\u2019s retired. Back in the now, Tielemans cleverly allows the ball through his legs and De Bruyne crosses for Trossard who can\u2019t quite get his head around it, sending an effort over \u2026 then the flag goes up for offside.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 50 min This time, he raises both arms and drills a ridiculous pass over the Saelemaekers at the back post, who makes decent connection with his volley but doesn\u2019t have enough angle with which to play, lashing into the near-post side-netting.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 49 min De Bruyne\u2019s delivery is good, but when the ball is headed behind for a corner, his next effort is poor \u2026 but it wins him a further opportunity.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 47 min Trossard is down and looks in pain, head down and body shaking. I didn\u2019t quite see what happened, but just as I\u2019m fearing for him he begins the long ascent to uprightness, then we see studs raked down his calf, a huge hole ripped in his sock. Free-kick Belgium<\/a>, deep inside the Iran half, out on the right.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 47 min Nice from Trossard, who moves infield then feeds De Bruyne outside him; the eventuating shot is blocked by Kanani.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 46 min We go again, Iran<\/a> replacing Hardani with Jahanbakhsh. I wonder if they\u2019re moving to four at the back, because nominally, that\u2019s an attacker for a defender.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Half-time email: Dave Estherby has some thoughts on our prolific scorer\/poor finisher conversation: Averaged a goal every two games across his career but couldn\u2019t hit a barn door at Man Utd (or Inter, thinking about it).\u201d<\/p>\n Harsh, I\u2019d say \u2013 he wasn\u2019t quite good enough for United, but without him they don\u2019t win the title in 2002-03. He had an unusual ability either to make things happen or turn up as they were happening, but he couldn\u2019t always take advantage. See also: Nu\u00f1ez, Darwin.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Share<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Key events Aha, our match report is here: Thus all that remains is for me to bid you…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":718043,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[69],"tags":[403,99],"class_list":["post-718042","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-soccer","tag-soccer","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/718042","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=718042"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/718042\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/718043"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=718042"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=718042"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=718042"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Alexander](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1782077779_683_Alexander_Abnos.png\")
Alexander Abnos<\/p>\n