Team Melli U-19 scored a convining win against Lebanon in the second match of Group D AFC qualifiers in Kerman.
Earlier on in the same group , Saudi Arabia managed to scored a 5 goals past Tajikistan without reply to put Iran team under immense pressure. With 6 points and plus 6 goals margin , Saudi Arabia was comfortably sitting on the top of the group. With this in mind, Iran’s U-19 team started the match with the objective of scoring a large number of goals top reduce their deficit. It only took 2 minutes for Iran to take the lead when Ali Fathian scored. Lebanon , not an easily team to play against as their previous match against Saudi Arabia showed, scored the equalizer within a few minutes from the penalty spot.
Armin Sohrabian restored Iran’s lead on minute 21 , before the star of the team Sardar Azmoun , scored a third on 37th minute. Azamoun started this match while he was on the bench in the Tajikistan match to enable him some rest after a series of long flights.
In the second half, Iran U-19 continued playing the same style and pressurizing the Lebanese to retreat into a defensive shell.
As soon as the 2nd half started, Milad Sarlak scored. With Iran seeking more, a penalty was awarded and Azamoun scored his second of the match Iran’s fifth in the 74th minute. Finally Sohrabian also scored his second with minutes to the end.
With this convincing victory, Iran regains the lead of Group D , while Saudi Arabia drops t o second on goal difference. Both Lebanon and Tajikistan are already eliminated after today’s results.
Sardar Azmoun was selected the match’s Most Valuable Player.
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IRAN – LEBANON
6-1 (3-1)
19.oCT.2013AFC Asian U-19 Championship – Qualifications rounds – Group D
Shahid Bahonar Stadium , Kerman
Scoreres
Iran: Ali Fathian (2′) , Armin Sohrabian (21′, 86′), Sardar Azmoun(37′ , 74′ [p]) , Milad Sarlak (46′)
Labanon :
IRAN: Payam Niazmand; Meysam Joudaki (c), Mehdi Hossainzadeh, Mohammad Rowshandel, Armin Sohrabian, Hassan Dadashi (70′ Mobin Ezzati) , Saeed Aghaye , Siavash Hagh-Nazari (60′ MohammadReza Soleimani) , Milad Sarlak, Ali Fathian (80′ Babak Abdollahzadeh) , Sardar Azmoun
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| Rank | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | notes |
| 1 | IRAN | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 6 | |
| 2 | SAUDI ARABIA | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 6 | |
| 3 | LEBANON | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 | -6 | 0 | |
| 4 | TAJIKISTAN | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | -7 | 0 |