IRN 2-0 YEM: Iran end on a high note

AFC - Iran ended their AFC Under-19 Championship campaign on a high note as a goal in each half sealed a 2-0 win against Yemen at Prince Saud bin Jalawi Stadium on Tuesday.

Seyediman Moosavi gave Iran the lead with 19 minutes of the Group A clash gone before Jalalaldin Alimohammad sealed his side’s first points of the tournament after two previous defeats in stoppage-time.

Both sides finished the game with 10 men as Ahmad Amirkamdar was sent off for Iran after 26 minutes while Yemen player Mohammed Fuad was also dismissed after collecting his second booking of the match in the 66th minute.

Iran started the better of the two sides and their first chance came after eight minutes when Shahryar Shirvand’s cross from the left was headed wide by Shojae Khalilzadeh.

However, their early pressure told 11 minutes later when they took the lead.
Saeid Khalafi saw a powerful strike inside the box punched away by Yemen goalkeeper Ali Al Ansi but the ball fell to Moosavi and he found the back of the net with a first-time finish.

Yemen looked to hit back and went close after 24 minutes when Mohammed Al Anbari’s effort from the edge of the area flew just past the post.

And Iran were reduced to 10 men two minutes later when Amirkamdar’s robust challenge on Yemen midfielder Hussein Al Ghazi forced Korean referee Kim Dong-jin to produce a straight red card.

Yemen enjoyed greater superiority as the half wore on but were unable to breach the Iranian backline before the break.

Yemen continued to keep up the pressure during the second-half until they too had a man sent off in the 66th minute as defender Fuad picked up a second booking following a foul on Iran striker Khalafi.

Khalafi almost doubled his side’s advantage immediately but his snapshot smacked the bar.

Iran again went close in the 71st minute through Ali Derakhshan’s fierce free-kick before Ammar Al Blay tested Iran goalkeeper Mohammadsaleh Khalilazad from distance with time almost up.

Iran then made sure of victory in the first minute of stoppage time when second-half substitute Alimohammad beat two defenders on the edge of the area and unleashed a powerful drive that found the back of the net.