Guam topping the group ahead of Iran and oozing with confidence with dreams of upsetting the powerful Team Melli, was suddenly put down to earth with a 6-0 drubbing in Azadi today. This was Guam first drop of points of their 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign.
Team Melli jumped on the Matao almost immediately with a goal in the opening 10 minutes off a penalty kick from Ashkan Dejagah. The hosts went into halftime up by three goals as Mehdi Taremi and Sardar Azmoun scored before halftime. Taremi and Azmoun found the back of the net again in the second half before Mehdi Torabi rounded the scoring with a tally in the dying minutes of the match.
Despite the result, Guam remain atop Group D with six points while Iran are in second with four but holding a match in hand.
Queiroz put his confidence in his youngsters’, who put a wide smile on his face after the emphatic win against the group leaders.
Although Sardar Azmoun continued his prolific scoring records with Team Melli , it was Mehdi Taremi , the player from Bushehr , currently starring for Persepolis , who attracted most of the attentions. Azmoun run on the flank was stopped by a foul from keeper Doug Herrick. The referee had no hesitation to blow for a penalty which Ashakan Dejagah slotted comfortably into the net in the 10th minute.
The early goal opened Team Melli appetite as both Ando Teymourian and Taremi came close to adding to the tally. The latter then scored when Azmoun sent a neat pass for Taremi to slot in the goal with a side touch for his first goal and Iran’s second in the 31st minute. Azmoun added one more before half time from a slide rule cross by Ashkan Dejagah for the young forward who plays for the Russian club Rostov to outjump the Guam defenders and head into the net. Azmoun has scored several goals in such style and beginning to acquire a reputation for splendid heading goals.
Azmoun scored again on the 41st from a neat cross by Vahid Amiri to finish the half with 4-0 margin for Team Melli.
The second half was much the same as what the fans witnessed in the first. Guam hardly venturing into Iranian territory while Team Melli players putting a siege round the Guam box.
Further goals came from Taremi who headed home Ramin Rezaeian’s cross and then a late goal by Torabi, his second for Team Melli in as many matches.
The second half was not more than a damage limitation exercise by Guam who defended in numbers and managed to limit the scoring to no more than two.
Team Melli will now face India next while Guam will play Oman who beat Turkmenistan 3-1 in Muscat.
