Four Iranians Nominated for International Player of Week
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Team Melli’s European-based stars were unstoppable this week, with Mehdi Taremi and Sardar Azmoun both piling on the goals for their respective clubs. Ali Gholizadeh and Allahyar Sayyadmanesh also were on target.
Some of Asia’s top players outside of the continent were at their brilliant best this week, lighting up league and continental competitions alike. But who was Asia’s best player outside of the continent for the week just passed?
Based on performances from October 19 to 25, there are 10 Asian stars who have been nominated for the International Player of the Week.
Mehdi Taremi (FC Porto, Iran)
86 minutes, 6 shots, 1 shot assist, 11 duels won (1-0 v AC Milan)
90 minutes, 3 goals, 83% pass accuracy (3-1 v Tondela)
Fresh from an UEFA Champions League victory over AC Milan, Taremi was at his sensational best in league action against Tondela, scoring in the 19th, 43rd and 79th minutes to register a stunning hat-trick.
Sardar Azmoun (Zenit, Iran)
36 minutes, 67% pass accuracy (0-1 v Juventus)
90 minutes, 2 goals, 1 secondary assist (7-1 v Spartak Moscow)
Under pressure to deliver in one of Russian football’s biggest fixtures after nine matches without a goal for club and country, Sardar Azmoun was electric on Sunday, scoring two early goals and winning a penalty kick as Zenit inflicted a historic thrashing on rivals Spartak.
Ali Gholizadeh (RSC Charleroi, Iran)
65 minutes, 1 goal, 1 assist, 86% duels won (3-1 v RFC Searing)
Iranian star Gholizadeh starred for Charleroi, delivering a goal and an assist and making it three successive league matches where he has got his name on the scoresheet.
Allahyar Sayyadmanesh (Zorya Luhansk, Iran)
90 minutes, 1 goal, 15 duels won (1-0 v CSKA Sofia)
90 minutes, 1 goal, 5 interceptions (1-0 Kolos Kovalivka)
Playing two full games in the space of 72 hours is a challenge for any footballer, but to score the winning goal in both is an immensely satisfying outcome for a 20-year-old forward like Sayyadmanesh, whose star continues to rise in Ukrainian football.
Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton Wanderers, Korea Republic), Jackson Irvine (St. Pauli, Australia), Takuma Asano (VfL Bochum, Japan), Ryota Morioka (RSC Charleroi, Japan), Kyogo Furuhashi (Celtic, Japan) and Aias Aosman (Ionikos, Syria) are also shortlisted for the accolade.
