Iran defeated Wales 2-0 this Friday in what was the first game of this edition of the World Cup with an exclusion.
After being thrashed 6-2 by England in the first round, Carlos Queiroz’s forwards now added the opening three points to the league in a game where Iran was almost always on top.
But the change started even before the opening whistle: on the one hand, the Portuguese coach changed the tactical system and started to line up in a 4-3-3 (against England, Iran played in 5-3-2); for someone else, The players of Iran sang the national anthemsomething that had not happened in the first round as a form of protest against the regime in Tehran.
With a split first half, the break came goalless, with the show reserved for the second half. In the 51st minute, after a counter-attack, striker Sardar Azmoun hit the post hard, and on the reload, Alireza Gholizadeh kicked from outside the area for another ball on the iron.
WHAT A CRAZY ENDING
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The decisive factor for the Iranian victory came on 86′, with the Welsh goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey was sent off after a mistimed tackle on FC Porto striker Mehdi Taremi, who was to be left alone after an Iranian counter-attack. The Welshman was therefore the first player to be excluded from this World Cup.
The dominance of Carlos Queiroz’s men grew stronger until, even as the curtain fell (90+8′), Roozbeh Cheshmi fired from range and scored a stunning goal – the first from outside the area in this edition of the competition. Three minutes later, after a counter-attack, Ramin Rezaeian scored the second Iranian goal, securing the final result. much celebrated by players and coaching staff as Carlos Queiroz was even thrown in the air by the players, a mark of recognition for Iran’s third victory in World Cups, but first against a European team.
“It was a great day for us, we are back in football and I have no words to thank our players,” Queiroz said after the game, recalling that his athletes “deserve all the attention and respect”. “Nowadays people understand that these guys like to play football and deserve to be supported. We are here to play for the fans,” the Portuguese coach stressed, warning that this win is “just the beginning, now we have to finish the job ” .
With this result, Iran is second in the group, with three points, and Wales fourth, with one. The Iranian team will now discuss qualification with the United States in the final round in what will be a hot match.
If Iran manages to reach the round of 16, it will be the first time this has happened.
The other two teams in the group, England and the United States, will play next Friday. An English victory means automatic qualification for the next round of the World Cup.
VIEW ALL GAME STATISTICS HERE.
Source: DN
