AFC Asian Cup: Iran Smashes Yemen
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – An eye-catching display from start to finish saw Iran national football team beat Yemen 5-0 on Monday at its AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 opener.
Mehdi Taremi opened his side’s account in the 12th minute in the competition’s Group D when he converted the rebound after Yemen goalkeeper Saoud Al Sowadi could only push Sardar Azmoun’s long-range effort back into his path.
Ashkan Dejagah doubled Team Melli’s tally on 23 minutes, the midfielder’s free-kick finding the back of the net via a combination of both woodwork and Al Sowadi, before Taremi bagged his second of the night by heading home Ramin Rezaeian’s pinpoint cross moments later.
There was to be little change to the pattern of the game in the second half, and after Al Sowadi had superbly repelled two Azmoun headers, the Rubin Kazan forward finished from close-range on 53 minutes to further extend Iran’s lead.
Substitute Saman Ghoddos added a fifth from the edge of the area in the 78th minute, while Mahdi Torabi’s fierce drive struck a post in added time.
Iran will now seek to build on its victory when it faces Vietnam at Abu Dhabi’s Al Nahyan Stadium on Saturday, with Yemen set to face Iraq in Sharjah on the same day.
