AFC U17 Asian Cup:
Iran crashes out after Tajikistan humiliation
A 3-1 loss to Tajikistan saw Iran finish bottom of the Group D table at the AFC U17 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia.
Both teams needed victory to stand a chance of progressing to the last eight, and Tajikistan took it to Iran from the get-go, finding the net in the 12th minute through Mekhrubon Odilzoda, who drilled in a shot that took a deflection before going past a hapless Abolfazl Khalilian.
Champion in 2008 and a semifinalist in the previous edition, Iran was given a lifeline seven minutes after the break, when Omid Qarechomaqlou found space on the right before slotting home past Tajik keeper Abubakr Rahmonqulov.
Ahmadjon Shoev restored the lead for Tajikistan in the 67th minute, and Abdullo Ibragimzoda put the match beyond doubt when he picked up the ball on the edge of the box and sent a low shot past a rooted Khalilian in the 89th minute.
“We didn’t have a good start,” said Iran head coach Abbas Chamanian. “We drew level and then tried our best to get back into the game but Tajikistan scored when we were on the offensive.”
“The tournament has ended but not for our players because football doesn’t stop,” he added. “They’ve gained experience here which will help them in the future, which I think is the philosophy of this tournament.”
Iran began its campaign with a 1-1 draw against North Korea and then suffered a 3-2 defeat against Oman.
North Korea, which beat Tajikistan 3-0 in their second outing, shared the spoils with Oman in a 2-2 draw to finish behind the Central Asian side in the table, while Oman joined Iran in missing out on a place in November’s U17 World Cup in Qatar.