Team Melli Advances to World Cup for Successive Time (+Photos)
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian national football team (also known as Team Melli) qualified for the 2018 World Cup in Moscow for the second time in a row.
Team Melli defeated Uzbekistan 2-0 in Tehran’s Azadi Stadium.
The two teams observed one minute of silence as a mark of respect to those who lost their lives in terror attacks in Tehran.
Sardar Azmoun, who was chosen as the Man of the Match, opened the scoring for Carlos Queiroz’s team in the 23rd minute. The Rostov striker has scored 19 goals in 26 matches for Team Melli.
Iran could have scored the second goal in the 48th minute but Masoud Shojaei missed penalty kick.
Mehdi Taremi finished off Uzbekistan in the 88th minute, finding the back of the net from inside the area.
Iran cemented its position at the top of Group A with 20 points.
South Korea is second with 13 points with one game in hands.
Uzbekistan sits third with 12 points.
