AFC – Two second-half goals
steered Iran to a 2-0 win over Bahrain in their opening Group A match of
this year's AFC U-16 Championship at Pakhtakor Stadium on Saturday.
After a goalless first half, Iran opened the scoring in the 72nd minute
through Rayam Sadeghian before Kaveh Rezaei sealed the win with only seven
minutes left on the clock.
Iran had the first chance in the game after 12 minutes when Bahram Dabbagh
sent a cross from the right that was headed by Rayam Sadeghian past
advancing goalkeeper Ahmed Abdulrasool.
However, the ball slammed against the left upright before Bahrain midfielder
Hussain Jalil cleared the ball to safety.
Bahrain continued with their defensive tactics as they spent most of the
first half in their own area and their only chance came after 20 minutes
when Sayed Dhiya Saeed shot went directly into the hands of Iran goalkeeper
Iman Sadeghi.
Iran continued their dominance in the remaining minutes of the first half
and should have opened the scoring shortly before the half-hour mark when
Mehrdad Yeganeh sent a cross from the left that was met with a first-time
shot by Rezaei, but the ball went wide.
Afshin Esmaeilzadeh fired a powerful effort from outside the area that went
inches above the crossbar after 34 minutes and soon after Dabbagh’s shot
went wide.
Iran’s pressure carried on into the early minutes of second half and they
nearly scored after 55 minutes when Sadegh Pourmohammaddoust played a free
kick from the left that was headed over the crossbar by Dabbagh.
Iran’s pressure eventually paid off in the 72nd minute when Sadeghian made
his way past three Bahraini players before firing home from a tight angle.
Iran had a chance to double their advantage three minutes later when Rezaei
latched onto a pass from Sadeghian and lobbed the ball over goalkeeper
Abdulrassol but the ball went over the crossbar.
However, Rezaei eventually scored with seven minutes left on the clock as he
received the ball from a quick attack before beating the advancing Bahrain
goalkeeper with a shot from outside the area.
Rezaei had a chance to score his second goal of the night and the third for
Iran after 85 minutes as he had only the goalkeeper to beat but his shot
went into the side netting.
