Team Melli U-19 qualified for the final tournament of AFC U-19 Championship after achieving the full marks in the qualifications round.
On Saturday afternoo0n , the young boys of Iran football defeated Saudi Arabia in Kerman, in a tightly contested match. Iran needed a draw to qualify while Saudi Arabia had to win the match to stand any chance. The match was decided late in the first half when a beautifully taken free kick by Saeed Aghaye ended up in the Saudi net.
In the second half, the Saudi went for an all out attack leaving their side vulnerable to counter attacks, but neither of the teams succeeded in scoring . The host seemed to be satisfied with the result and did not venture too much in attack.
Sardar Azmoun was taken to hospital after he was substituted feeling ill.
The one goal was good enough for the qualification for Iran , while the Saudi Arabians must wait for other group results. The final tournament will be held in Myanmar next year.
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IRAN – SAUDI ARABIA
1-0 (1-0)
12.1o.2013
AFC Asian U-19 Championship – Qualifications rounds – Group D
Shahid Bahonar Stadium , Kerman
Referee : H. C. D. PERERA (SRI LANKA)
Scorer:
Iran: Saeed Aghaye (38′)
IRAN: Payam Niazmand; Meysam Joudaki (c), Mehdi Hossainzadeh, Mohammad Rowshandel, Armin Sohrabian, Hassan Dadashi (47′ Vahid Zoulghadr) , Saeed Aghaye , Siavash Hagh-Nazari (71′ MohammadReza Soleimani) , Milad Sarlak, Ali Fathian , Sardar Azmoun (78′ Babak Abdollahzadeh)
| Rank | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | notes |
| 1 | IRAN | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 8 | 9 | |
| 2 | SAUDI ARABIA | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 6 | |
| 3 | LEBANON | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 | -6 | 1 | |
| 4 | TAJIKISTAN | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7 | -7 | 1 |