|
IRNA - Iran`s national football team
arrived here Tuesday to play the second-leg preliminary match of the Asian
Nations Cup against Jordan.
The team was welcomed by the members of Iranian Embassy and some Iranian
people residing in Amman.
Iran and Jordan will play the return match in the Jordanian capital`s
stadium Friday.
In the first leg, the host Iran fought back to crush Jordan 4-1 in the
100,000-seater Azadi Stadium, west of Tehran, on September 5.
Resurgent Iran found finishing touch to humble Jordan.
Over 55,000 partisan fans were silenced in the second minute when Jordanian
midfielder Moyed Mansour unleashed a 30-yard shot, kissing the right corner
of the net after hitting the hands of the diving goalkeeper Ebrahim
Mirzapour.
Not to be outdone, the Iranian side made scores of attacks on the visitor`s
woodwork.
Iran`s midfielder Javad Nekounam headed an Alireza Vahedi-Nikbakht corner in
the sixth minute that was rebounded by a Jordanian defender in the
goalmouth.
Nikbakht fired a low kick just inside the box on 20 minutes that dangerously
passed the near post.
Daei buried his head in his hands as his goal-bound header was bounced back
by the hands of Jordan`s goalie Amer Sabbah and the crossbar in the 30th
minute.
The Iranian captain was not lucky enough seven minutes later when his
left-foot shot in the six-yard area was brought back to the field by the
in-form Sabbah.
But Daei finally celebrated his goal three minutes into the injury time.
The new signing of Persepolis received a superb cross from the injury-dogged
playmaker Ali Karimi, rounded the defender, and fired an angled shot,
finding the right side of Jordan`s net.
Mansour blamed his hoodoo in the 48th minute when a carbon copy of his
second-minute shot was sent into corner by the out-of-sort Mirzapour.
Daei came close to his own and Iran`s double four minutes later when he
headed a Nikbakht cross inches away from the far post.
The golden substitute Iman Mob`ali scored one and set up another goal to
lead Iran past Jordan.
In the 74th minute, manager Homayoun Shahrokhi fielded Mob`ali, who played a
curling free kick as his first touch, forcing Sabbah to outstretch and send
the ball out with trouble.
Mob`ali himself sent the corner that found Nikbakht, who nodded in just from
behind the six-yard area.
The fast-paced nimble Mob`ali triggered celebration in the 100,000-seater
Azadi Stadium eight minutes from the normal time. He fired a sudden 25-yard
left drive, ricocheting off the near post and putting Iran 3-1 ahead.
Former striker of the UAE`s Al Shabab, Daei, went the boisterous spectators
wild with applause in the 89th minute as he dived to head home a loose ball
from close range.
Iran, Jordan, North Korea, and Lebanon are in Group D.
Lebanon managed to beat North Korea 1-0 in Pyongyang on September
|
