Iran 1 Ireland 0 (1-2 on aggregate)

Perhaps the neutral's eyes were far from smiling but Irish eyes were simply full of joy after they
secured their third appearance in the World Cup Finals. Iran stole a victory on the night, but it
was too little too late in a drab affair in Tehran. Golmohamadi placed a header down into the
bottom corner of the net from the six yard box in the 92nd minute. For the few Iranian
supporters who remained it was a rare opportunity to cheer, but it was merely academic as the
referee was already looking at his watch at that stage. Ireland who were rapidly becoming
labelled as the perrenial play-off losers after frustrating defeats to Holland, Belgium and Turkey
respectively made it fourth time lucky.

It was clear from the off-set that Ireland had come to Tehran with little more in mind then
holding onto their two goal advantage from the first leg. In truth the hard work had already
been done at Landsdowne road 5 days earlier with goals from Ian Harte and Robbie Keane.
Now that the onus was on Iran, they frustrated them and were able to keep the tempo of the
game down to a very low level. Iran had the majority of the possession throughout but only
began to create noteworthy chances in the second half.

The deafening roar of a near capacity 120,000 stadium was heard for a prayer and the
national anthems at the beginning but the Iranian players rarely lived up to what their
renowned partisan supporters hoped for. In fact it wasn't until the half hour mark when first Ali
Daei headed just wide from distance and then Karimi came with a few centimetres from a
close range header that Iran had shown that they could also create something for all their
possession.

The second half got off to a much quicker pace. Iran had a number of half chances and then
ten minutes into the second half Ireland produced their only real shot of the game after David
Connolly shot into the side netting from close range. Just then Iran seemed to finally realize
that if they were to have any chance of qualifying for the World Cup they would have to
prove it in the next half hour. Shay Given was under siege for a few minutes and pushed away
a shot from distance before turning the ball away from Ali Daei. Given then parried a fine effort
from Minavand. Nikbakht put a teasing cross over his head but there was no one in the area to
nudge it home.

Irish manager Mick McCarthy tried to break down the Iran rhythm by bringing on a couple of
substitutes. Clinton Morrison came on for a virtually absent Robbie Keane and five minutes
later Gary Kelly came on for Kevin Kilbane. At this stage Iran were running out of ideas with
Kavianpour relentlessly pumping in lame crosses from the right wing. An appalling free kick
from captain and former Asian player of the year Ali Daei with five minutes left seemed to sum
up their frustration. Just when it looked as if it was Iran were incapable of scoring, a free kick
was drafted in from near the corner flag and Golmohamadi headed clinically home. Explosions
from flares banged as the few supporters who remained aimed to push their rejuvenated side
that little bit further but just then the referee blew for full time. Between a mixture of babble,
McCarthy could sum up his relief as, "We're through, brilliant!", 'the face of Iran's Croatian
manager, Miroslav Blavevic was a stark contrast.

The Republic of Ireland clinched a place in the World Cup finals for the third time in their history despite losing 1-0 to Iran here on Thursday in the second leg of their European/Asian play-off.
Mick McCarthy's men went through to the finals in Japan and Korea next summer courtesy of their 2-0 first leg win in Dublin on Saturday.
Iran scored in the first minute of injury time at the end of the game when Yahya Golmohammadi headed in a free kick - to inflict the first defeat on the Irish in a competitive game since Croatia beat them in September 1999 in a Euro 2000 qualifier - but it was all too little, too late.
Once again Ireland were indebted to goalkeeper Shay Given who, just as in the first leg, pulled off a string of fine saves to deny Iran who had the lion's share of the chances to score but were found wanting in front of goal.
Ireland went into the match with their 2-0 cushion, but had to face Iran without influential skipper Roy Keane, who was ruled out through injury.
After the match, McCarthy was in tears.
"It's a dream come true for me and everyone. We've waited a long time for this. They are a wonderful group of players and staff, they deserve it.
"I am very happy because we have waited for this day for a long time. I am proud for my family, the country, the supporters.
"We have worked hard for this goal, but I want to thank the lovely Iranian people, I am sorry we eliminated them but very happy we have qualified."
Iran coach Miroslav Blazevic, who coached the Croatia side that beat the Irish back in 1999, said he was prepared to take responsibility for the defeat.
"I am very sad because my team played very well and deserved to go to the World Cup finals," said the Croatian who took his own country to the semi-finals in France in 1998.
"I did my best. If the team hasn't qualified, then I assume it is my fault," added Blazevic.
McCarthy's 57th match in charge of the national team was played in front of 120,000 passionate fans, some of whom had been in the ground six hours before the kick-off.
There were around 1000 Irish fans inside the Azadi Stadium including 20 women - the first time female spectators had been allowed to watch a match in the ground since the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
The expectations of the huge crowd eager to see Iran make it to the finals for the second time in succession weighed heavily on the home side as they found it hard to settle into any sort of pattern.
Veteran skipper Ali Daei shot wide after just ten minutes with a weak left footed effort, but the openings for the Hertha Berlin forward were few and far between as crosses found their way high and over the Ireland goal.
It was only on the half hour that Iran first threatened Given's goal but Daei, with ten goals in the earlier qualifiers, headed over the top from a right wing cross by Mehdi Mahdavakia.
Then, three minutes later, Daei allowed a long ball to bounce over him into the path of Ali Karimi but the midfielder's header was put wide of the goal with Given beaten.
Karimi was left wondering what he had to do to score - on Saturday, he had a couple of chances to give his side a vital away goal, but squandered them.
Karimi, however, did well just four minutes before the interval when he burst down Ireland's vulnerable left side to put in a neat cross.
But the ball was easily cleared by the Irish defense as Iran struggled to get enough players into the box to support the forlorn Daei.
Ireland rarely threatened although strike duo Robbie Keane and David Connolly worked hard to keep the Iran defense on their toes which meant the home side could never afford to commit too many men to attack in the opening period.
Two minutes into the second half, Mahdavakia was booked for a foul on Keane as Iranian frustration at their lack of potency began to grow and they were left to rue another missed chance when Karim Bagheri shot wide from the edge of the box after an interchange of passes by Karimi and Daei.
Keane was then booked but he made up for it with a pass that released Connolly into space, but his fellow striker shot wide with Ebrahim Mirzapour in goal well beaten.
Given was on top form again when he dived to keep out Bagheri's 54th minute strike and then pushed the rebound off the toes of Daei for a corner.
The Newcastle goalkeeper then threw himself to his right to deny a sharp volley from Hamed Kavianpour.
Mahdavakia broke down the right with 11 minutes left, but again his cross failed to find a teammate in a move which summed up Iran's afternoon.
As the fans realized that Iran's World Cup dream was about to die, they showered plastic bottles onto the pitch while Blazevic was left to cut a sad figure just four weeks after he had confidently predicted that Iran would make it to the finals.
Given played down his role in Ireland's win.
"The whole squad of players tonight gave it their all. We're absolutely shattered now, so we just have to go home and enjoy the party," the keeper told the BBC.