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IRAN finished their Asian Cup preparations on a high note with a gritty 1-0 win over Middle Eastern rivals Iraq at WIN Stadium on Sunday.
Battling wet and windy conditions, the Group C powerhouse used a second half strike from Sardar Azmoun to tentatively confirm their status as a contender for the tournament.
Sardar pounched first on a loose ball near the centre circle ten minutes after the break to race away and poke home the winner.
It was a cruel blow for Iraq, who put in a spirited display and could have got more from the game.
Their skipper Younus Mahmood had a chance to level the scores from the penalty spot just minutes after the goal but tried to be too cute from 12-yards and chipped his attempt over the top.
He almost made amends shortly after but fired his effort into the post.
It punctuated a frenetic second half for both sides, who could have very well delighted the 5,745 people in attendance with another goal.
It wasn’t the case for much of the opening half, which looked to be plotting a similar course to the 0-0 between the Newcastle Jets and Sydney FC 24-hours earlier at the same venue.
Chances were available at both ends of the pitch but neither found the telling blow.
Iraq had most of the ball throughout the opening quarter of an hour but rarely crafted any major opportunites. Striker Alaa Abdulzehra was the only player who really tested Iranian keeper Ali Reza Beiranvand but his tame header was easily dealt with between the sticks.
Their early dominance quickly faded as the higher FIFA-ranked outfit began to impose themselves of the match.
Vahid Amiry should have opened the scoring for Iran following a swift counter attack on 20-minutes. When the ball broke on halfway, Sardar latched onto the counter on the right and found Amiry, who somehow managed to fire over from close range.
He looked to make up for the miss before the half when he was allowed to cruise towards goal by some standoffish Iraqi defence. His long range attempt was eventually parried away into the path of Vorya Ghafouri, but again the chance was put over the top.
Amiry’s night was summed up in the final seconds of the match when he again put his attempt over the top when it seemed easier to score
