Iranian Trio Nominated for AFC International Player of Week
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Three Iranian players were shortlisted for the AFC International Player of the Week.
With many of the continent’s brightest women’s stars on international duty, Asia’s men stepped up with last minute winners, super solo goals, and iron-clad defensive displays, and it’s up to the fans to determine this week’s best performer, the-afc.com wrote.
Mehdi Taremi (FC Porto, Iran)
90 minutes, 73% pass accuracy, 2 shots (0-0 v Atletico Madrid)
90 minutes, 2 goals, 100% pass accuracy (5-0 v Moreirense)
Having endured a difficult night for strikers when Porto held Atletico Madrid to a midweek UEFA Champions League draw, Taremi was at his lethal best in league action on Sunday, converting a penalty then adding a terrific second as Sérgio Conceição’s side ran riot.
Karim Ansarifard (AEK Athens, Iran)
34 minutes, 1 goal, 78% pass accuracy (3-3 v OFI Crete)
One of several Iranian forwards thriving for European clubs, Ansarifard scored an excellent goal just minutes after coming on as a substitute to put AEK Athens three goals ahead at OFI Crete. Unfortunately for Ansarifard, his side conceded three goals in the final 12 minutes in what became a remarkable 3-3 draw.
Allahyar Sayyadmanesh (Zorya Luhansk, Iran)
70 minutes, 1 shot assist, 8 duels won (1-3 v FK Bodø/Glimt)
25 minutes, 1 goal (3-0 v Chernomorets)
Shrugging off the disappointment of a midweek UEFA Europa Conference League defeat in Norway, Allahyar Sayyadmanesh laid down another marker of his seemingly limitless potential with a fabulous solo goal in the Ukrainian Premier League; his third in his last four matches.
Takehiro Tomiyasu (Arsenal, Japan), Eldor Shomurodov (AS Roma, Uzbekistan), Oday Dabbagh (Arouca, Palestine), Hwang Ui-jo (Bordeaux, Korea Republic), Aziz Behich (Giresunspor, Australia), Shakhboz Umarov (BATE Borisov, Uzbekistan) and Bassel Jradi (Apollon Limassol, Lebanon) are the other contenders for the accolade.
