After wasting a string of chances, Iran finally took the lead through Omid Noorafkan’s 87th-minute penalty, but it wasn’t enough to extend its stay in AFC U-23 Championship, with Uzbekistan advancing on goal difference despite its 2-1 loss to the Korea Republic in Pathum Thani

While Iran claimed a somewhat hollow first win of the competition, China PR’s defeat meant they finished Group C without a point or goal after three matches.

After a draw and a loss in its opening two matches, Iran’s hopes of staying in Thailand beyond Thursday relied on a change of fortunes, but Hamid Estili’s side endured another wasteful first half which ended scoreless despite 14 Iranian shots at goal to China’s three.

Impressive Chinese custodian Chen Wei made a point-blank save from a Jafar Salmani header within three minutes, and it proved to be a sign of things to come as Iran created, then squandered, chance after chance.

Allahyar Sayyadmanesh twice forced Chen into fine reflex saves, and Ali Shojaei narrowly missed the target with a header, before Mehdi Mehdikani ended the first half by failing to find the back of the net from a distance of just three yards in stoppage time, the-afc.com reported.

With the Uzbekistan level with Korea Republic at the interval in Pathum Thani, Iran emerged from the dressing room in need of a significant turnaround on both sides of the country, and Estili looked to boost its attacking stocks with the introduction of Mehdi Ghaedi.

A four-pronged frontline meant Iran continued to threaten, but Team Melli Omid came close to falling behind itself when a thunderous Chen Pu drive rattled the crossbar in the 66th minute.

But most of the chances came in Iran’s attacking third, and they were given a lifeline when they awarded a late penalty, with captain Noorafkan stepping up to stroke them into the lead.

Estili’s side poured forward in search of the all-important second, but Ghaedi headed wide when Chen had left an open net, squandering one of the last opportunities of the game as Iran’s Olympic dream after 44-year was dashed.

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According To Iran News, Iran head coach Hamid Estili says his players fell asleep and forgot the rules in the match against South Korea.

Iran lost to the Korean team 2-1 in Group C of the AFC U-23 Championship on Sunday.

Team Melli Omid created early chances, but the Koreans took full control of the first half from the 20-minute mark onwards, controlling proceedings and scoring goals through Lee Dong-jun and Cho Gue-sung to take a 2-0 half-time lead.

Reza Shekari pulled a goal back after the interval, but it was a case of too little, too late for Iran, who must now overturn a three-point deficit to second placed Uzbekistan on Matchday Three if it is to salvage a place in the knockout stage.

“This was a really difficult match for us,” reflected former senior national team stalwart Estili.

“I think we started the game very well. The first 20 minutes we played well, didn’t make many mistakes, made a great chance for Mehdi Ghaedi and could have had the first goal, but after that I think some of the players fell asleep and forgot the rules (of the team),” he added.

“In those minutes (at the end of the first half) Korea Republic scored two goals. Some of the players didn’t run enough for us at that time. We had to make some changes for the second half, and in the second half everything was different. We had more control of the game and more of the ball. We made chances, we scored a goal and we could have scored others,” Estili stated.

“I think we deserved to take a point from this match. I think we played well in the second half.”

The loss comes as a blow to Iran’s hopes of ending their 44-year Olympic football qualification drought.

They will now need to win against already-eliminated China on Wednesday to stand any chance of advancing in the tournament, but despite the damaging result suffered against the Koreans, Estili wasn’t wholly dissatisfied with his team’s performance.

“Between two matches we had just three days, and maybe our players were a little tired, but you need 23 ready players for this competition,” said Estili.

“Korea Republic changed many players and had a really ready team, but my players were tired in the second half. They did their very best to come back and get the result, but unfortunately we finished the match with this defeat,” the Iran coach concluded.

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According To Iran News, Korea Republic became the first team to qualify for the AFC U-23 Championship Thailand 2020 knockout stage after it claimed a 2-1 win over Iran at Tinsulanon Stadium in Songkhla, Thailand on Sunday.

First half goals from Lee Dong-jun and Cho Gue-sung gave Kim Hak-bum’s side a two-goal half-time buffer, but Reza Shekari’s effort nine minutes after the interval meant the Koreans had to negotiate a difficult period in order to extend its winning start to the competition.

The team’s perfect tally of six points from two matches means it is sure to advance to the knockout stage no matter what happens in Wednesday’s match against Uzbekistan, while Iran’s hopes of ending a 44-year Olympic qualification drought now weighs heavily on its final group stage fixture against China.

Iran had started the campaign with a 1-1 draw against defending champion Uzbekistan on Thursday.

Thailand 2020 also serves as qualification to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where the top three teams, aside from host nation Japan, will represent Asia.

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According To Iran News, Iran head coach Hamid Estili believes his side will arrive for Sunday’s AFC U-23 Championship Thailand 2020 clash with Korea Republic armed with all the information they need to get a positive result.

Having impressed in a 1-1 draw against defending champion Uzbekistan on Thursday, Team Melli Omid can take a major step towards the knockout stage as well as their ultimate goal of a first Olympic football qualification since 1976, with a win against the Koreans.

In stark contrast to Iran’s Olympic drought, Korea Republic hasn’t missed out on the Games since 1984, but Estili is confident his staff have pinpointed a path to victory at Tinsulanon Stadium.

“My analysis team is really great,” said the former Persepolis star. We had great analyses about Uzbekistan and Korea Republic is the same. (Korea Republic) is a good team but we know them very well and we have good information about them. We will go to the second match with more power to win,” Estili said.

Iran created a wealth of scoring opportunities in its opening match, conjuring 16 shots at goal, with 18-year-old Allahyar Sayyadmanesh and half-time substitute Mehdi Ghayedi both able to regularly unlock Uzbekistan’s defense.

Wastefulness in front of goal prevented Iran from starting its campaign with a win, but Estili believes cutting out defensive errors – like the once which allowed Islmonjon Kobilov to put Uzbekistan ahead from the penalty spot – is just as crucial.

“I think we played well against Uzbekistan and if it was not for a few personal mistakes, we would not have allowed them any chance,” Estili reflected.

“But unfortunately, it was our mistake that gave them the chance to score from a penalty. We will go to win in the second match because we want to qualify for the next round,” he concluded.

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According To Iran News, Iran’s second-half revival helped them to a 1-1 draw with reigning champion Uzbekistan in its opening AFC U-23 Championship Group C clash on Thursday.

Uzbekistan went ahead through an Islomjon Kobilov penalty kick just before half-time, but Iran drew with Reza Dehghani’s 58th minute equalizer to claim a share of the spoils at Tinsulanon Stadium in Songkhla, Thailand.

The holder arrived confident of making a winning start to its title defense, but found itself hemmed inside its own half early on, and – despite enjoying more than 60 per cent of first half possession – found occasional difficulty in dealing with an Iranian side eager to put an end to a 44-year Olympic absence.

Iran should have been a goal ahead when Allahyar Sayyadmanesh’s excellent low cross gave Ali Shojaei an empty net to aim at in the 24th minute, but the forward inexplicably misfired to let Ljubinko Drulovic’s side off the hook.

Uzbekistan Bobir Abdixolikov was brought down by Iran’s Mojtaba Najarian, with captain Kobilov sending Habib Farabbasi the wrong way from the subsequent spot kick to make it 1-0 in the 40th minute.

Their equalizer duly arrived two minutes before the hour mark, when Reza Dehghani poked the ball home from close range after his persistent pressing had prevented Uzbekistan from effectively clearing the ball during a penalty area scramble.

An incisive counterattack involving both Ghaedi and Sayyadmanesh gave Mohammaed Mohebbi the chance to put Iran ahead just six minutes later, but he skied his effort at goal, with Uzbekistan substitute Oybek Bozorv guilty of the same offence from an even better position at the other end of the pitch as the sides took a point each from a hard-fought opening encounter.

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According To Iran News, Iran U-23 football team coach Hamid Estili says that unity is their most important strategy in the Asian championship.

Iran has been drawn in Group C of the AFC U-23 Championship Thailand 2020 along with defending champion Uzbekistan, Korea Republic and China PR.

The competition will be held in Thailand from January 8 to 26.

“Iran has been drawn in a tough group but we will do our best to make our people happy. Our strategy in the competition is our unity,” Estili told the reporters on Wednesday.

“We have some problems in our defensive line and must solve the problem. In the friendly match against Qatar, we wasted a two-goal lead in the last minutes,” he added.

“I would like to thank Mr. Salehi Amiri (Iran’s NOC head) and Soltanifar (sports minister) because of their supports. I hope we have a good start in our first match against Uzbekistan,” Estili concluded.

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Host Thailand, who will be making its third appearance in the tournament, has been grouped with Iraq, Australia and Bahrain in Group A.

Group B will feature Qatar, Japan, Saudi Arabia and Syria.

Vietnam is in Group D with DPR Korea, Jordan and United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The 2020 AFC U-23 Championship is set to be held in Thailand from January 8 to 26, 2020.

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Iran started the campaign in Tehran with a 3-1 win over Turkmenistan and defeated Yemen 3-0.

The biennial tournament attracted 44 teams which were divided into 11 groups of four.

The top 11 teams and four best runners-up as well as host Thailand qualified for the finals in next year.

This AFC U-23 Championship will act as the AFC qualifiers for the Olympic football tournament. The top three teams of the tournament will qualify for the 2020 Summer Olympics men’s football tournament in Japan as the AFC representatives.

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