Macedonia eclipses Iran stars

IRNA - Macedonia gave Iran a bitter pill to swallow, beating it 2-1 in a four-team football tournament in Azadi Stadium in western Tehran Friday.

Iran's embattled Croat manager Branko Ivankovic, who has called up all internationals and league aces, has now targeted by staunch critics for the humiliating defeat.

Iran possessed the ball and field, but it was Macedonia, which opened the scoring in the ninth minute. Nikola Karsef unmarked in the box headed home a corner.

Hanover 96 striker Vahid Hashemian leveled the match five minutes later as he poked home a deflected kick from skipper Ali Daei from behind the penalty area.

However in a rare attack on 41 minutes, Macedonia retook the lead when Ardijan Nuhiji's angled volley kissed the net.

Bayern Munich midfielder Ali Karimi should have grabbed the equalizer nine minutes after the break. The Bundesliga-bound playmaker receiving a perfect pass from Hashemian saw his lob hit keeper Sasha Ilich's hand and shave the crossbar.

Ilich, who is guarding the woodwork of Iranian First Division side Pegah, spectacularly parried a ferocious drive from midfielder Sattar Zare' on 64 minutes.

Pushing for equalizer, Ivankovic fielded top scorer Gholam-Reza Enayati and Arash Borhani.

Enayati fed with a superb through ball from Hamburg right winger Mehdi Mahdavikia 10 minutes from time spoiled the scoring chance.

Earlier in the day, Paraguay came from 2-1 down to defeat Togo 4-2.

Iran receives the South African team Togo in the third-place clash and Macedonia takes on Paraguay in the final Sunday.