Iran U16 team finished in style after defeating the UAE 3-0 to assure qualification to the final rounds of the AFC U-17 Championship, while UAE has to wait for the rest of the sub-group results.
While the UAE were considered to be the toughest opponents in the group, the match on Sunday was far from a severe teat for the young Iranians as they scored what looked like an easy win. Two goals in the first half , first by Shekari on the half an hour mark , then by the prolific Mokhatri in the injury time, ensure a good margin for Iran at the end of the half.
With only a couple of minutes into the second half, the fate of the Arab team was sealed after Mokhatri added his second and Iran’s third. The Iranian never looked back while UAE despite their efforts were left cursing their luck.
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Iran vs. UAE
3 – 0 ( 2-0)
GOALS: Reza Shekarighezelghayeh (30′) Nima Mokhtari (45+1′ , 47′)
29-09-2013
Punjab Stadium, Lahore,
Referee Jameel Jumaa (Bahrain)
Iran: Farid Nejatpashaki, Mahdi Abdollahvand, Nima Daghestani, Fathollah Darzi, Saeed Hasseinpour, Vahid Aftari (c) (62′ Mohammad Shamsi), Reza Shekarighezelghayeh Bagher Niari (81′ Reza Karimipiraghoom ), Nima Mokhtari (71′ Hesam Soltanpour), Reza Dehghani, Mehran Derakhshanmehr
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AFC U-16 Asian Championship
Qualifying rounds
Group E
| Rank | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | IRAN | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 13 | 9 |
| 2 | UAE | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 6 |
| 3 | PAKISTAN | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | -4 | 1 |
| 4 | SRI LANKA | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 14 | -14 | 1 |
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| Goals | Players Name |
| 5 | Nima Mokhtari |
| 2 | Reza Shekarighezelghayeh |
| 2 | Reza Karimipiraghoom |
| 1 | Fathollah Darzi |
| 1 | Ali Khodadadi |
| 1 | Reza Dehghani |
| 1 | Mohammad Shamsi |