Iran blows hole in China's World Cup bid
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E-mail Shanghai Daily, March 29, 2017
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Islamic Republic of Iran took another step towards confirming their participation in the finals of the FIFA World Cup in Russia 2018 with a 1-0 win over China at the Azadi Stadium on Tuesday. |
Mehdi Taremi's second-half strike condemned China to a 1-0 defeat to Iran yesterday in a major blow to its hopes of qualifying for next year's World Cup in Russia.
Marcello Lippi's team raised Chinese hopes by upsetting South Korea last week, but it was just not able to overturn Iran's flawless home record in Group A.
While Iran, Asia's top-ranked team, maintains its four-point cushion at the top of the group, China is second from bottom with only three games to go.
A tepid first half came alive near the break when Taremi's miskick let China off the hook and Chinese goalkeeper Zeng Cheng saved well from both Milad Mohammadi and Masoud Shojaei, who then blazed a bicycle kick over the bar.
After keeping Iran at bay in the first half, China will be cursing itself for the way it conceded immediately after the resumption, when a howler of a defensive header was directed into the middle of the penalty area.
Shojaei went up for the high ball and the rebound fell to Taremi, who gratefully swept home the chance to put Iran 1-0 ahead and lift the noisy Azadi Stadium crowd in Tehran.
The Chinese looked stunned but they finally gathered themselves with Yu Dabao, who scored in last week's 1-0 win over South Korea, going close with a similar chance at the near post on 64 minutes.
Defender Mei Fang put another header over from a corner on 78 minutes but despite more encouraging signs from China, Russia 2018 again looks remote.
Elsewhere, Australia defeated United Arab Emirates 2-0 in Sydney, ending a run of four games without a win to put itself back on track.
However, UAE's second loss in five days prompted coach Mahdi Ali to announce his resignation at the news conference. He'd been in charge since 2012.
Goals in each half from Jackson Irvine and Mathew Leckie sealed a vital win for the Socceroos, who had slipped into third place in Group B behind Saudi Arabia and Japan after four successive draws.
Japan won a third game in succession — 4-0 — at the expense of the bottom team Thailand in Group B. First-half goals at Saitama Stadium from Shinji Kagawa and Shinji Okazaki gave Japan a solid foundation.
Yuya Kubo added a third just before the hour, and defender Maya Yoshida headed in a fourth just before fulltime. There was still time for Eiji Kawashima to save a Teerasil Dangda penalty.
In Seoul, South Korea stayed second in Group A thanks to a fourth-minute goal from defender Hong Jeong-ho against Syria. After losing in China five days earlier, South Korea returned to winning ways for under-pressure coach Uli Stielike in Seoul.
Syria, fourth in the group, had chances through Alaa Al Shbli in the first half, and Firas Al Khatib hitting the crossbar in injury time.
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