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New Delhi, Oct 20 (IANS) Indian eves defeated
Iran 3-1 in first round qualifier of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC)
Cup at the Tau Devi Lal Sports Complex in Gurgaon here Saturday.
Goals from Bembem Devi (14th), Bala Devi (28th) and Lalvarmoi Hmar (78th)
helped Indians trounce the visitors. Fereshteh Karimi scored the solitary
goal for Iran in the eighth minute.
The scoreline wasn't a clear reflection of the match, as the visitors, who
are newcomers in the international circuit, showed enough class and
determination to impress the Indians. They also sent a strong message that
in the return leg Oct 27 in Tehran, India will have to face some tough
opposition.
It was the visitors who surprised everyone by scoring the first goal as
early as in the eighth minute through Fereshteh. The Indian defenders were
caught napping, when a through ball from the centre half found an unmarked
Fereshteh. The Iranian forward unleashed her powerful right footer from the
edge of the box and slammed it past the Indian goalie.
The Indians didn't have to wait long as the equaliser came six minutes later
from Bembem. The striker, who was lurking in Iranian defence, pounced on an
angular cross in the box from the left side and found the top corner of the
far post, to even the score in the 14th minute.
Both the teams made some good moves trying to break the deadlock but failed
to do so. The match was locked in the midfield and the duo of Bala and
Bembem kept on making regular inroads in to the Iranian citadel.
The duo's efforts bore fruits in the 28th minute, when Bala's measured
header disturbed the net. Sasmita Mailk's precise cross from a corner kick
found an unmarked Bala, who headed the ball in to break the deadlock.
Indian went into half time with a 2-1 lead and extended it in the 78th
minute of the game through Lalvarmoi's solo effort.
TEAMS:
India: Ronibala Devi (goalkeeper), Madhu Kumari, Romi Devi, Thoi Devi
(Ansha, 52), Gitanjali Khuntia, Bem Bem Devi, Geetarai Chanu, Bala Devi,
Sasmita Malik, Lalvarmoi Hmar (Vasanth Somu, 90+) and Pinky Magar
Iran: Zohreh Koudaei (goalkeeper), Seyedeh Azar, Koueistan Khosravi, Sohella
Lorestani, Fatemah Arzhangi, Fereshteh Karimi, Nasimeh Golami (Neda
Abdollahzadeh, 48), Masoomeh Jahanchi (Bayan Mahmoudi, 46), Sohila Molmole,
Zahra Ghanbari, Katayoun Khosrowyar
Referee: Huijun Niu (China)
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