Team Melli tied Japan 1-1 in the friendly international match played at Azadi stadium on Tuesday..
A small crowd of less than 10,000 fans were in the stadium at kick with a slight increased during the first
Iran was the better team in the first half with Ashkan Dejagah bouncing from his quite disappointing performance against Oman to perform splendidly and turn into the pivotal player. Although Team Melli’s defense line was untouched, the line that suffered badly against Oman, this time a solid performance associated with Japanese lethargy in the first half prevented the visitors from creating any single goal scoring chance against Team Melli.
The many offensive attempts by Iran culminated in several scoring chances the best coming to Sardar Azmoun who lost his bearing at the crucial moment. Instead of guiding his ball into the empty net , the Rostov FC forward misfired the other way.
Ghafuri pulled a muscle midway through the half and his replacement Mehdi Torabi made a real impact. Not only did his gazelle like runs troubled the Japanese, his dribbling on the edge of the box in injury time of the first half resulted in a foul by Maya Yoshida and a penalty.
Ashkan Dejagah failed to convert the penalty as japan keeper Shusaku Nishikawa saved Dejagah’s shot, but Mehdi Torabi was on hand to pounce on the rebound and shoot into the net. That late goal ensured Iran leaves the field one goal up on the disappointing Japanese. Neither of Japan’s stars Honda or Shinji Kagawa performed at a level to talk about in this half.
In the second half, the Japanese stunned the hosts with an early goal by Yoshinori Mutō two minutes into the half. The substitutions by Caoch Vahid Halilhodžić ensured a better running and challenging Japanese team. However, even with Japan increasing the tempo and going for the offensive plan, Team Melli was still the more likely to score and better performing of the two teams.
Ashkan Dejagah continued his fine performance, with Vahid Amiri and Mehdi Torabi giving the team pace and penetration control on the flanks, not to mention and exciting flavor.
In minute 70 , a series of good interplay and quick acceleration by Dejagah ended in him shooting from long-range but the shoot was parried by Japan’s Keeper. The lonely front man was Azmoun who could not react quickly enough to convert that ball into the net.
Pouraliganji came close with a header in the 83th minute while the Japanese had their own number of chances but none that seriously worried Alireza Haghighi in Iran’s goal.
Mehdi Torabi and Maya Yoshida were lucky not to get their marching orders in the match. Both carrying a yellow card, committed bookable fouls which the excellent Omani referee elected not to show.
It was an entertaining match as both teams, playing with no real pressure, performed their best. Iran’s performance was encouraging and miles better than the disappointing draw against Oman.
The 1-1 result was a fair reflection of the match.
