AFP - Iranian goalkeeper Ibrahim Mirzapour
played a blinder to see the Asian giants to a 0-0 draw against Bahrain
in their opening 2006 World Cup finals second stage qualifier.
In a generally scrappy encounter Iran will be pleased to have come away
with a point as it was on this ground in the last match of the 2002
World Cup qualifiers that they were beaten 3-1 and saw their chances of
automatic qualification disappear.
Saudi Arabia took that spot while Iran went on to lose to Ireland in the
play-off.
Bahrain could field the excuse of not scoring because their main
marksman Alaa Hobeil, joint-leading scorer in the last Asian Cup, was
suspended for this match.
However Iran could not use that defence as Ali Karimi, the Asian
Footballer of the Year in 2004, and Ali Daei, the all-time record
leading scorer in the world, both played up front.
The first-half was a scrappy affair as nobody tried hard to attack.
Such was their indolence that the first corner wasn't until the 27th
minute.
The best chance of the half fell to Bahrain in the 40th minute when Daij
Nasser dribbled past two defenders on the right hand side and he crossed
the ball which went behind Mirzapour on the goalline but nobody was on
hand to tap the ball into the net.
The second-half was a bit better with the hosts going all out in attack
but the Iranians used their extra experience and handled it pretty well.
Mohammed Hobeil, brother of Alaa, tried a 30 metres effort but Mirzapour
was equal to it in the 55th minute and the Iranian keeper was on hand
again to pull off a great save from a header by Abdullah Marzouki.
