the-afc-com
Bangkok: Unbeaten Syria qualified for a fourth consecutive AFC U-16 Championship quarter-finals after goals from Mohammad Jaddoua and Naeim Naem secured a 2-1 victory over Group D winners Iran at Muangthong Stadium on Thursday.
Syria knew a win would guarantee second place in the group behind Iran and Mohamed Al Attar’s side took the lead midway through the first half following a neat finish from midfielder Jaddoua before striker Naem crucially doubled the advantage five minutes before half-time.
Midfielder Mohammad Soltanimehr reduced the deficit in first-half stoppage time, but with Iran having a goal disallowed for offside in stoppage time, Syria will now face Group C winners and defending champions Uzbekistan in Sunday’s quarter-final.
“It was a very difficult game and complicated because of the points situation in the group,” said Syria coach Al Attar.
“We played to win, but instructed our players to keep a solid formation and not allow the Iran players space.
“I was very nervous about conceding at the end, but it finished up in our favour.”
Former winners Iran made nine changes to their starting line-up following Tuesday’s 2-1 win over Saudi Arabia which secured top spot in Group D with a game to spare, and it was Syria who had the first sight on goal after 15 minutes as Jaddoua’s header from Anas Aji’s corner was cleared to safety.
Jaddoua then saw his left-footed volley from the resulting corner drift just wide of Ali Akbar Ahmadi’s left post.
But after Aji volleyed over soon after, Syria made their dominance count as Jaddoua latched onto a through pass and coolly tucked the ball under Iran goalkeeper Ahmadi to open the scoring in the 26th minute.
Iran midfielder Amir Hossein Yahyazadeh then headed his side’s first chance of note over the crossbar just after the half hour mark.
Syria, though, should have doubled their lead seven minutes before the interval only for the unmarked Mohamad Kawakbi to volley Mohamad Loulou’s deflected cross high over the crossbar from 10 yards.
But Syria did double their lead a minute later as Naem latched onto a long ball before lobbing over outrushing custodian Ahmadi.
Iran, though, pulled a goal back against the run of play on the stroke of half-time courtesy of a beautiful 20-yard free-kick by Soltanimehr which curled into the top right-hand corner.
And Iran started the second half the brighter and captain Nima Mokhtari curled just over shortly after the restart.
Then midway through the second half, Hesam Soltanpour’s fizzing shot from distance was well held by Syria goalkeeper William Ghannam as the Iran strikers closed in.
A minute later Syria could have given themselves some breathing space after a mix-up in the Iran defence, but striker Abdullah Barakat shot directly at goalkeeper Ahmadi.
Iran, though, continued to push and had the ball in the net in stoppage time following a goalmouth scramble, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.
“We had already qualified so I wanted to rest some of my key players and give others a chance,” said Iran coach Mostafa Ghanbar Pour, who must now prepare his side for Sunday’s quarter-final with 2010 champions DPR Korea.
“At half-time I told my players to concentrate more and we played much better after that.”