Coaches:
UAE Mehdi Ali (UAE)
Iran: Carlos Queiroz (Portugal)
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19 January 2015 WSG
Brisbane: Reza Ghoochannejhad's last-gasp header gave Iran a 1-0 victory over the United Arab Emirates as Carlos Queiroz's men won Group C of the AFC Asian Cup on Monday.
Samsung Player of the Match Ghoochannejhad's 91st-minute strike - his first goal of the tournament - dealt UAE their first defeat of Australia 2015 and allowed Iran to finish the group phase with the maximum nine points, three points ahead of Mahdi Ali's side.
Iran will face the runners-up of Group D in the quarter-finals on Friday in Canberra while UAE play the Group D winners in Sydney - widely expected to be defending champions Japan.
Queiroz had predicted a day earlier that neither team would be content with a draw, and the Gulf rivals proved the Portuguese tactician right by staging a cagey match at Brisbane Stadium.
On the coolest evening here since the Asian Cup started, the game was marked by Iran's defensive resolve that almost produced a clean-sheet against Argentina at the 2014 FIFA World Cup and suffocated UAE for the most part.
UAE did not have a single shot on target for the whole game.
Alireza Jahanbakhsh should have done better with a free header from the centre of the penalty area in the 18th minute but the Dutch-based striker fired over the crossbar towards the stands.
The Iranians went close again in the final minute of the half yet Sardar Azmoun's header at the right-hand post was cleared wide in the nick of time by Mohanad Al Enezi as the two teams headed into the intermission on equal terms.
The second half was more of the same, with UAE playmaker Omar Abdulrahman unable to find the touches to get his team going. Despite the pressure from Iran, Abdulrahman set up Abdulaziz Sanqour for an angular shot from the right but the Al Ahli man failed to keep his effort on goal.
Queiroz tried to inject some steam into the Iranian attack by bringing Ghoochannejhad and Ashkan Dejagah off the bench, but UAE also held firm at the back to frustrate their opponents.
But Iran would have the last laugh as midfielder Andranik Teymourian unintentionally hit a half-clearance back into the box for Ghoochannejhad, who nodded in from close range as the predominantly Iranian crowd went wild. |