Asian Cup 2015: Iran defeat Qatar thanks to sublime skill from Sardar Azmoun

A SUBLIME piece of skill from Sardar Azmoun booked Iran’s passage into the Asian Cup football quarter-finals and condemned Qatar to an early exit.

Iran celebrates scoring the opening goal with their fans against Qatar in their Group C football match in the AFC Asian Cup in Sydney on January 15, 2015. AFP PHOTO/Peter PARKS --IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE

A SUBLIME piece of skill from Sardar Azmoun booked Iran’s passage into the Asian Cup football quarter-finals and condemned Gulf Cup champions Qatar to an early exit.

Sardar’s slick turn and clinical shot in the 52nd minute at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium on Thursday earned Iran a 1-0 win, their second victory from as many games.

It leaves them second in their group on goal difference behind the United Arab Emirates, who earlier in the day defeated Bahrain 2-1 in Canberra, and will now meet Iran in Brisbane next Monday.

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Sardar Azmoun, the “Iranian Messi”, produced a moment of magic.

Qatar, who were coming off a 4-1 opening game loss to the UAE, had a decent share of possession, but struggled to create good chances.

Russian-based Sardar’s goal delighted the vast majority of the 22,672 fans in attendance in Sydney, with Iran’s passionate and colourful fans ramping up the noise level of support to the max each time their team got close to Qatar’s penalty area.

Iran one of the pre-tournament favourites, were more consistently dangerous than Qatar and were good value for the win, which they achieved with a second straight clean sheet.

Qatar, who entered the tournament on a long unbeaten run, lacked penetration and didn’t get a single shot on target in the first half.

Just before half-time, Morteza Pouraliganji’s flying header from an Iran corner was headed off the line by Ahmed Elsayed, while Sardar had a firm fourth minute header saved by Qatar goalkeeper Qasem Burhan.

Qatar goalkeeper Qasem Burhan jumps for the ball in a crowd of bodies.

It was a similar story in the second half, even after an apparently injured Sardar came off just after the hour.

His substitute Reza Ghoochannejhad had four shots at goal, three of them saved, as Iran sought the cushion of a second goal.

The Qatar goalkeeper also had to push away a shot from Ehsan Haji Safi.

The Iranian crowd in Sydney made the game a great event.

Qatar Substitute Meshaal Abdullah hit a post with a header in stoppage time, but he was judged offside.

Iran midfielder Andranik Teymourian was named man of the match.

FULL-TIME IRAN 1 (Sardar Azmoun 52) QATAR 0 at ANZ Stadium.

Crowd: 22,672 Referee: Ravshan Irmatov

Originally published as Asian Cup 2015: Iran defeat Qatar thanks to sublime skill from Sardar Azmoun