IRAN   5 -1   AUSTRALIA

AFC U-16 Championship – Quarter Finals

Dastgerdi Stadium , Tehran

In a dazzling display of football , Iran’s U016 National Football team routed the powerful Australian team 5-1 in the quarter finals of the AFC U-16 Championship held in Dastgerdi Stadium on Sunday.

Iran lead 2-0 in the first half , from goals scored by Saeed Ezzatollahei from the penalty spot on the 31st minute , as result of a foul on Mazloom. then Keama chaab doubled the scored in the 35th minute.

The two thousands fans in the Dastegrdi stadium , including a few dignitaries and Esteghlal club players , were in for an entertaining second half where the young Iranians displayed some dazzling football. Iran started with a swift attacking run and it was the brilliance of the Aussie goalkeeper which kept the Iranians out,

The continuous barrage of attacks by Iran was eventually rewarded in the 64th minute when Mohammad Reza Bajaj made it 3-0 for the hosts, Iran kept the same rhythm and Ali Rigi scored one of the best goals of the tournament with exceptional individual skills as he slalomed through the Australian defense to score Iran;s 4th just 10 minutes before the end.

Australia managed to score a consolation goal to make it 4-1 right before the end of the regulation time , but it seems that the Iranians were not finished as KarmalaChaab scored his second and the team’s fifth in the dying seconds of the match on the 94th minute.

It was an emphatic win for Ali Doustimehr boys and the strongest display if football so far by Iran’s U-16 in this tournament. Iran remain the favorite to lift the trophy after the success of 2008 under the guidance of the same coach.