Football
Associated Press 9y

Iran claim top spot in Asian Cup Group C after dramatic 1-0 win against UAE

Substitute striker Reza Ghoochannejhad scored a controversial injury time goal to lift Iran to a 1-0 win over UAE and claim top spot in Group C at the Asian Cup on Monday.

Iran wound up their group assignments with the maximum of nine points following three successive wins. The UAE finished runners-up with six points following wins against fellow West Asians Qatar and Bahrain.

In the other Group C game in Sydney, Bahrain beat Qatar 2-1 to finish third in a match between two already eliminated teams.

Midfielder Sayed Dhiya gave Bahrain the lead in the 35th minute only for Qatar to equalise in the 68th through forward Hasan Al Haydos. Bahrain midfielder Sayed Jaafar scored the winner in the 82nd minute.  

The clash between Iran and the UAE for group supremacy produced free-flowing football and a virtuoso performance by UAE playmaker Omar Abdulrahman, 

However, neither side could find a breakthrough until Ghoochannejhad's late strike helped Asia's top-ranked team avoid a likely quarterfinal showdown with Japan.

Former Charlton Athletic striker Ghoochannejhad appeared to be off-side when he pounced on a ball, which had ricocheted off teammate Andranik Teymourian, and directed his header into the top corner from close range. However, television replays indicated the striker had just about stayed onside.

Iran will play their quarterfinal on Jan. 23 in Canberra against the second placed team in Group D. The UAE will take on the winners of Group D -- most likely defending champions Japan -- in their quarterfinal in Sydney on the same day.

UAE were unlucky to not get the draw it needed to top the group from Iran on goal difference. Their chief playmaker Abdulrahman created several chances in the best individual performance of the tournament so far as he frequently skipped past bemused Iranian defenders and picked out teammates with his wide range of passing.

Both teams played with little caution as they looked for the crucial opening goal and UAE's Khamis Esmaeel almost delivered it with a powerful long-range strike that went just past the post with Iran goalkeeper Alireza Haghighi beaten in the fifth minute.

Iran quickly recovered from UAE's bright start and had a chance to take the lead in the 17th minute but defender Morteza Pouraliganji missed the target with his header.

Abdulrahman then produced a teasing run from the edge of the box and beat four Iranian defenders before the diminutive midfielder was tackled by Vahid Amiri as he honed in on goal.

Just before half-time Iran's Sardar Azmoun raced to the backpost to meet a corner kick, which had been flicked on by Teymourian, and his goal-bound header hit the chest of a UAE defender and deflected wide.

The game stretched further in the second half with UAE's Ali Mabkhout missing a couple of good chances to add to his three tournament goals so far, including one in 14 seconds against Bahrain.

Iran grew increasingly desperate and coach Carlos Quieroz introduced stars Ashkan Dejagah and Ghoochannejhad late in the second half in search of a breakthrough.

With full-time closing in, Ghoochannejhad popped up to clinch the win for Iran, despite the pleas of the UAE defense for off-side.

On Tuesday, Japan will top Group D if it avoids defeat against Jordan at Melbourne, while Iraq plays Palestine at Canberra also looking to confirm its quarterfinal spot.

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