World Cup Report: Wales 0 - 2 Iran
Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium Credit: David Ramos - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images
Iran recorded the most dramatic of victories in this year’s World Cup with two goals in the 99th and 101st minute of added time to seal a historic win over Wales in their second game in Group D.
This was a thoroughly deserved win over a very lack lustre Wales side and Rob Page’s side are now in grave danger of exiting the competition unless they can somehow muster a performance against England next Tuesday
The sweltering 30-degree heat in the Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium certainly impacted on the quality of play in the first half as both sides struggled to get any fluidity in their play. Iran adapted the better of the two sides and they showed much more attacking intent, knowing obviously that another defeat after their hammering by England would put an end to any hopes of qualification.
Manager Carlos Querioz went with two strikers for this game and the two-goal hero from the England game, Mehdi Taremi certainly benefited from the presence of Sardar Azmoun up front.
Iran did have the ball in the net in the 15thn minute when Azmoun set up Ali Gholizadeh for a well worked goal but the latter was fractionally offside.
Wales had Kieffer Moore on from the start in this match, after his highly effective second half performance against the USA, but Wales failed to get any telling crosses into the box to make use of his six- foot four -inch frame.
Welsh stars Aaron Ramsey and Gareth Bale also failed to make much of an impact in the first half and Wales were lucky to be on even terms at the half time break.
Iran’s desire to win was even more evident in the second half and they almost took the lead in the 51st minute. They hit the post twice in the space of 20 seconds, first Azmoun hit the right post and then Gholizadeh curled an exquisite left foot shot off the left post with the Welsh defence in disarray.
Wales were hanging on and were thankful to Wayne Hennessey for bringing off a fingertip save from Saeid Ezatolahi in the 73rd minute but their luck finally ran out in the 84th minute when they were reduced to 10 players. Hennessey came off his line to intercept a long through ball to Taremi but he missed the ball and flattened the Iranian striker in the process.
Referee Mario Escobar initially issued a yellow card but reversed his decision after consultation with VAR and then flashed the red card at Hennessy.
Iran smelt blood at this stage and they took full advantage of a visibly wilting Welsh side to score two dramatic goals in the 12 minutes of added time.
Roozbeh Cheshmi struck a sweet shot from the edge of the box that flew into the bottom right-hand corner of the net in the 109th minute, it was game over at that stage but Iran put the icing on the cake two minutes later when Ramin Rezaein was on the end of a flowing move to coolly chip the ball over substitute keeper Danny Ward.
It was no more than they Iran deserved and they now face into what will be a highly charged final group match against the USA next Tuesday with qualification for the final 16 stage very much a possibility.
Wales; Wayne Hennessey; Chris Mepham, Joe Rodon, Ben Davies; Connor Roberts (Brennan Johnson 57), Ethan Ampadu (Joe Allen 77) Aaron Ramsey (Danny Ward 87), Harry Wilson (Daniel James 57), Nico Williams; Gareth Bale (C), Kiefer Moore.
Subs not used: Adam Davies, Chris Gunter, Tom Lockyer, Jonny Williams, Mark Harris, Sorba Thomas, Dylan Levitt, Ben Cabango, Rubin Colwill, Matthew Smith.
Booked: Joe Rodon (47)
Red Card: Wayne Hennessy (86)
Iran: H.Hosseini; Milad Mohammedi, Morteza Pouraliganji, Ramin Rezaein , Majid Hosseini, Saeid Ezatolahi ( Alim Karimi 83), Ahmad Nourollahi (Roozbeh Cheshmi 77) Ehsan Hajsafi (Mehdi Torabi 77), Ali Gholizadeh (Alireza Jahanbakhsh 77), Mehdi Taremi, Sardar Azmoun (Karim Ansarifard 67)
Subs not used: Ameir Abedzadeh (GK); Payem Niazmand, Sadegh Moharrami,Shoja Khalilizadeh, Ehsan Hajsafi, Shojae Hkalilzadeh, Abolfazi Jalali, Vahid Amiri, Saman Ghddos, Alireza Jahanbakhsh
Booked: Ramin Rezaein (93), Alireza Jahanbakhsh (95)
Referee: Mario Escobar (Guatemala)
Attendance: 40,875
Extratime.com Player of the Match: Sardar Azmoun (Iran)
