Iran Earns Fourth Straight Victory in AFC Beach Soccer Championship
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Iran defeated Bahrain to earn its fourth successive victory in the AFC Beach Soccer Championship Malaysia 2017 Group Stage.
On Wednesday, Team Melli defeated Persian Gulf country 5-2 in Kuala Terengganu.
The Iranian team will face Japan, who earlier lost to eventual Group C winners the United Arab Emirates 5-4, in semi-final on Friday.
Bahrain strongly opened the account through a hard strike by Abdulla Al Abdulla during a melee on four minutes before keeper Sayed Abbas delivered an impressive strike from his post into Iran’s goal to double its advantage.
Iran then almost cut the deficit when a Mohammadali Mokhtari volley hit the bar and then cut the deficit it did when skipper Mohammad Ahmadzadeh struck home a free-kick before the buzzer.
It is then Iran’s turn to make the keeper’s goal through Saleh Mohamed’s unstoppable strike from his area at the restart before Iran took over the lead with Ahmadzadeh’s second after a neat interplay.
Iran added to its tally with a beautiful Seyed Nazem volley.
Iran keeper Peyman Hosseini then gave Bahrain a scare as his end-to-end throw caught his opposite number unaware but it hit the woodwork as the second period ended.
Mohamed Ashoor then opened the third period with a mighty bicycle kick but missed as the Bahrainis desperately looked to cut their deficit.
Mohamadali Mokhtari’s short-range strike then narrowly missed before his header later scored Iran’s fifth to put the closely fought match to bed.
The top three finishers at the AFC Beach Soccer Championship will represent Asia at the 2017 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, which is scheduled to be held in in Nassau, Bahamas from April 27 to May 7.
