Iran 2-1 Iraq

Iran 2-1 Iraq

Wednesday, 12 January 2011 03:44

Doha: Iran came from a goal down to beat defending champions Iraq 2-1 at Al Rayyan Stadium on Tuesday and get their AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2011™ Group D campaign off to a winning start. Skipper Younus Mahmood, MVP at the last AFC Asian Cup, had given Iraq the lead after 13 minutes but Gholam Reza Rezaei levelled just before the break before Iman Mobali claimed a late winner six minutes from full time. A minute’s silence was observed before the kickoff  as a mark of respect for the victims of Sunday’s aircrash in Iran in which nearly 80 people died after an Iran Air jet carrying 106 people attempted an emergency landing in a snowstorm in the northwestern Iranian city of Orumiyeh. Iraq looked the more lively in the opening exchanges and had the first chance of the night after four minutes when Mahmood sprang the offside trap but his shot was saved by Mahdi Rahmati. The early pressure paid off nine minutes later, though, when Emad Mohammed headed a cross from the left back across goal and with Rahmati out of position, Qatar-based striker Mahmood was able to slide home the opener from virtually on the line. Iran could have levelled in the 24th minute when Mobali's free-kick was met by the head of Hadi Aghili but Iraq goalkeeper Mohammed Kassid was equal to the effort. Iran continued to press forward and had another chance in the 39th minute when, after Jalal Hosseini and Javad Nekonam failed to reach a ball into the area, Mohammad Gholami fired an effort over the crossbar. However, Afshin Ghotbi's side finally equalised three minutes before the interval when Andranik Teymourian provided a neat pass for Rezaei to fire past Kassid and into the back of the net. Iraq almost regained the lead immediately when Hawar Mohammed's free kick was headed goalwards by Ala'a Abdulzahra but the ball was tipped over by Rahmati for a corner. Iraq began the second half in the same vein as the first and nearly retook the lead four minutes after the break but Salam Saeed's attempt was too high. Iran, though, began to reassert their authority and threatened to go in front when Gholami capitalised on a defensive mistake by Iraq before feeding Rezaei but he could only fire into the side netting. The Iranians were rewarded six minutes before the final whistle when Iraq's Samer Saeed gave away an unnecessary foul by pulling Zob Ahan forward Mohammad Reza Khalatbari's shirt and Mobali found the back of the net with the resultant free-kick. Iran could then have extended their lead shortly afterwards when Pejman Nouri's free-kick from the left picked out Aghili but his powerful header was too high and flew over the crossbar.