Iran Advances to AFC Asian Cup Quarters


Iran Advances to AFC Asian Cup Quarters

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran national football team booked a place in the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 quarter-finals on Sunday thanks to a 2-0 win over Oman at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

Alireza Jahanbakhsh’s smart finish and an Ashkan Dejagah spot-kick - both in the first half - helped secure Iran’s passage through to the last eight, while Oman was left to rue an early penalty miss.

Oman was awarded a penalty in the early minutes of the match when Majid Hosseini brought down the rampaging Muhsen Al Ghassani, only for Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand to superbly tip Ahmed Al Mahaijri’s effort from 12 yards around the post.

Team Melli broke the deadlock in the 32nd minute, Alireza Jahanbakhsh firing home after Mohammed Al Musallami had failed to cut out Milad Mohammadi’s speculative long ball.

One was to become two for Iran just nine minutes later. Saad Al Mukhaini brought Mehdi Taremi down in the area and captain Ashkan Dejagah stepped up to convert the resulting penalty with ease and double Iran’s advantage.

The victory leaves Carlos Queiroz’s charges still on track to win the nation’s first continental title since 1976, and looking ahead to Thursday’s meeting with China in the next round after the East Asian beat Thailand earlier in the day.

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