In a thrilling showdown on November 14, Iran defeated North Korea 3-2 in their fifth Group A match of the third Asian qualifying round for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The match took place at Vientiane’s New National Stadium in Laos.
Iran adopted a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Sardar Azmoun as the lead striker and Mehdi Taremi supporting just behind him. Ehsan Ghaeydi and Sadegh Mohebbi played on the left and right flanks, respectively, while Saeid Ezatollahi and Ali Karimi took on defensive midfield roles. The back line featured Rouzbeh Cheshmi and Shoja Khalilzadeh as central defenders, with Omid Mohammadi and Mohammad Youssefi positioned as left and right fullbacks. Alireza Beiranvand guarded the goal.
North Korea, in a 4-4-2 formation, had forwards Han Kwang-sung and Ri Jo-guk leading their attack. Kang Kook-chul anchored the midfield with support from Choi Joo-sung and Baek Chung-sung on the flanks. The defensive lineup included Kim Beom-hyuk and Choi Ok-chul as fullbacks, with Kim Yu-sung and Jang Kook-chul as central defenders. Kang Joo-hyuk stood as the goalkeeper.
First Half: Iran’s Dominance
Iran dominated the first half, applying consistent pressure that eventually yielded their opening goal. In the 28th minute, Taremi threaded a perfect pass into the box for Ghaeydi, who fired a right-footed shot past the North Korean keeper.
Iran’s offense continued to press, and in the 40th minute, Mohebbi doubled the lead with a powerful strike from the edge of the penalty area. Just before the halftime whistle, Taremi found Mohebbi again, threading a pass behind the North Korean defense. Mohebbi calmly slotted the ball home, putting Iran up 3-0 and completing Taremi’s hat-trick of assists.
Second Half: A Shift in Momentum
A crucial turning point came early in the second half. Iran’s Khalilzadeh was shown a red card in the 50th minute for a last-man foul on a North Korean forward charging towards goal. This forced Iran to play with ten men, and North Korea quickly capitalized on their numerical advantage.
In the 55th minute, a North Korean corner led to a chaotic scramble in Iran’s penalty area, resulting in an own goal by Taremi. Just three minutes later, North Korea’s Kim Yoo-sung took advantage of Iran’s disrupted defense, slotting a shot into the bottom left corner, narrowing Iran’s lead to 3-2.
Iran’s Defensive Stand
Sensing North Korea’s momentum, Iran shifted focus to defend their lead, substituting key attacking players, including Taremi, Azmoun, and Ghaeydi, to stabilize the backline. Despite North Korea’s relentless attempts to equalize, Iran held firm, demonstrating late-game concentration to secure the 3-2 victory.
Group A Standings
With this win, Iran remains at the top of Group A, boasting four wins and one draw (13 points) in five matches in the third qualifying round. North Korea, meanwhile, sits at the bottom of the group, with two draws and three losses (2 points).