Iran 1 DPR Korea 0

FIFA 2006 World Cup – Asian Qualifiers Final Round
Group B
Azadi Stadium, Tehran

TEHRAN – Samsung Man of the Match Rahman Rezaei scored with a header late in the first half as Iran edged DPR Korea 1-0 at the Azadi Stadium on Friday to take a giant step towards the 2006 World Cup finals.

The 30-year-old defender, who plays for Italian Serie A side Messina, headed in his second international goal off the underside of the crossbar shortly before half time to give his side their third victory in four matches in the FIFA 2006 World Cup Asian Qualifiers.

The victory kept the Iranians in first place in Group B with 10 points, six ahead of third-placed Bahrain, who lost 1-0 to Japan later on Friday. They need only need a point from their last two group matches to seal their spot in Germany.

DPR Korea are all but out of the reckoning after suffering their fourth straight defeat which leaves them rooted to the bottom of the group.

Playing in front of a reduced crowd of 50,000 at the Azadi Stadium, Iran began the match strongly and created an opening after just two minutes as Ferydoon Zandi worked a free-kick to an unmarked Mehdi Mahdavikia, who blazed well over from the edge of the DPR Korea box.

The Iranians kept up the pressure in the opening 15 minutes with striker Vahid Hashemian shooting wide after bringing the ball down in the penalty area, Javad Nekounam firing a long-range effort straight at goalkeeper Kim Myong-gil and Zandi volleying a Mahdavikia cross into the ground and just over the crossbar.

The North Koreans rarely got out of their own half but nearly shocked their hosts on 17 minutes as Ri Han-jae gathered in a poor clearance and launched a shot from 25 metres just over the goal guarded by Ebrahim Mirzapour.

The visitors squandered an even better opportunity just minutes later when they were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the Iranian box. Ri Han-jae hit the wall with his shot but his second attempt found its way to an unmarked Sin Long-nam, who miscued his shot wide from just six yards out.

It was to prove a mere respite for the Koreans, who were on the back foot for much of the half. Kim Myong-gil had to be sharp to keep out efforts by Hashemian, Zandi and Kaebi, while Iran skipper Ali Daei headed a deep cross from Yahya Golmohammadi just wide of the target.

The match appeared headed for a stalemate at halftime but the deadlock was finally broken three minutes into added time after the Iranians were awarded a free kick on the right flank for Pak Chol-jin’s foul on Ali Karimi.

Mahdavikia sent in a deep ball that was headed back by Golmohammadi to the onrushing Rezaei who nodded the ball past Kim Myong-gil in the final action of the half.

Bouyed by the goal, the Iranians turned up the pressure early in the second half and could have increased their lead three minutes after the break as Golmohammadi flashed a header just wide of the target.

Daei went close to adding to his tally of 104 international goals when his shot from distance on 55 minutes flew just over and the Iranian captain just failed to set up Hashemian shortly afterwards as his centering header flew over the head of his striking partner.

Despite trailing by only a goal, DPR Korea offered little in attack with their best second-half efforts falling to Sin Long-nam, who volleyed wide from the edge of the Iranian box, and Pak Chol-jin, who also missed the target after a mistake by Ali Karimi.

The home fans may not have been too pleased with their team’s inability to turn their pressure into more goals but the three points should go a long way to ensuring