the-afc.com
Kuwait City 04 Oct. 2022
Just as Iran head coach Vahid Shamsaee had predicted, Vietnam adopted a defensive approach but the defending champions wasted no time in testing goalkeeper Ho Van Y through Salar Aghapour and Hossein Tayebi’s early efforts.
The Vietnam keeper, however, could do little to stop Tayebi’s incredible strike in the seventh minute, with the Iran skipper volleying home Moslem Oladghobad’s corner-kick for a deserved lead.
Vietnam could have been further adrift in the 11th minute after committing their sixth foul, but Alireza Javan failed to convert from the second penalty spot.
Desperate to stay in the game, Vietnam initiated power play in the 11th minute but found no openings to exploit.
Vietnam, forced to play on the counter-attack, had a golden opportunity to reduce the deficit in the 24th minute when Rafiei Pour was penalised for handling the ball at the edge of the box, but the Southeast Asians failed to capitalise.
Vietnam tried to limit the damage by pressing the Iranians with man-to-man marking, but Tayebi completed his hat-trick in the 33rd minute after Abbasi’s initial shot deflected off the upright.