Iran thrashes Afghanistan 10-0

PLDC - In their first match today, 28/September/2002 (14th Asian Cup Tournament, Busan- South Korea) against the Afghanistan National Team, Iran become the undisputed winners of the match with the score of 10 – 0. The Afghan team played bravely and with much energy, presenting their best performance.

Vahedi Nikbakht (10, 33, 46, 51, 86), Nekonam (35, 65), Golmohammadi (60) and Daie (89, 90) scored the goals for Iran. Iran presented a good performance and the Afghan National Team was brave enough to face their
opponents despite the great odds. Iran slowed down their game considerably in the final minutes of the match and played a more considerate game.

Afghanistan has been absent from global sports scenes for about 20 years now (since the internal wars erupted within the country). Afghanistan’s National Team players had not played outside their country until today.

Iran played formally against Afghanistan for the first time in 1941 in Kabul, Afghanistan and the result of the match was a 0-0 draw. Afghanistan also took part in the first Asian Cup in 1951 in Delhi and became 4th at the time.

There is no mention of the country within the FIFA rankings which covers 204 countries. FIFA began to aid Afghanistan after their liberation from the Taliban regime last year in the hope that they will make progress however slight.

Iran will next face Lebanon on Tuesday, 1st October, in their second match in group five.