AFC U23 Asian Cup:
Lebanon loss sends Iran packing
Iran endured yet another dreadful campaign at the AFC U23 Asian Cup, crashing out in the group stage after a shock 1-0 defeat against Lebanon in Riyadh on Tuesday.
Leonardo Shahin sent Iranian goalkeeper Mohammad Khalifeh the wrong way from the spot 11 minutes into the second half at the Al Shabab Club Stadium – after Reza Ghandipour handled the ball in the box – as Iran finished bottom of the Group C table with two points, despite decent performances against 2020 champion South Korea and Uzbekistan, which had made it to the final showpiece in the previous two editions.
Uzbekistan won the group with seven points, two clear of second-placed South Korea, while Lebanon, which had nothing to play for after back-to-back defeats, found a bit of consolation with a third-place finish.
With Uzbekistan defeating South Korea 2-0 in the simultaneous fixture, a victory would have seen Iran progress beyond the group stage for only a second time in the competition. However, Omid Ravankhah’s men failed to capitalize on their dominance in possession, though they were unlucky to find the net for a third successive game after hitting the woodwork on four occasions.
Tuesday’s result meant Iran has managed four victories in 16 matches across five appearances in the finals, since the biennial tournament was first introduced in 2013.
Elsewhere, Japan defeated 2-0 Qatar to complete a clean sweep of three wins in Group B. The United Arab Emirates also advanced to the quarterfinals with four points, thanks to superior goal difference over Syria after the two sides shared the spoils in a 1-1 stalemate.