10-man Iran draw Oman [VIDEO]

PFDC – AMMAN, Team Melli came back from a goal down to draw Oman in the final match of WAFF 2010’s Group A on Tuesday, despite playing with a man less after Mohammad Nouri’s red card, early in second half.

Afshin Ghotbi sticked to the 4-2-3-1 formation, but replaced seven players in comparison to the 3-0 win over Bahrain on Friday.

Iran took the lead 17 minutes into the game when Milad Meydavoudi tried to inscene Karim Ansarifard with a throughball, but the goalkeeper could tackle the ball away. However, the rebound became the perfect serving for Meydavoudi, who sliced the ball over the complete defense and into the empty net.

Hadi Aghily had to go out injured after 23 minutes, and Ghotbi had to reorganize his backline, which was all but stable from then on.

Oman took advantage of that and equalized in minute 40, when Khosro Heydari lost his duel against a Mekhaini who smacked the ball past Ebrahim Mirzapour.

Al Qasmi brought Oman in front in the first minute of first half’s injury time, after Jalal Hosseini had lost an areal battle and Hashem Beikzadeh and Hanif Omranzadeh were caught off guard.

Things turned from bad to worse early in second half when Mohammad Nouri received his marching orders for rightfully earning his second booking for a dive.

But Andranik Teymourian put Iran on level again with a thunderous shot from far outside the box, eight minutes after the restart.

The draw was more than enough for Iran to finish on top of Group A, ahead of Bahrain and Oman, who are both eliminated from the competition.

Team Melli will next face the winner of Group C, who will be determined in the match between Iraq and Palestine on Wednesday, in semifinals on Friday.

In the other game on Tuesday, hosts Jordan conceded a late 2-2 equalizer from Kuwait in Broup B and therefore are out of the tournament. Kuwait will take on Group C’s second placed team in the second semifinal, also on Friday.

Iran – Oman 2-2 (1-2)

WAFF Championship 2010, Group A

Goals:
1-0 Meydavoudi (17′)
1-1 Mekhani (40′)
1-2 Al Qasmi (45′)
2-2 Teymourian (53′ / assist by Zanidpour)

Expulsion: Mohammad Nouri (51′ / second booking)

Iran: Mirzapour – Heydari, Aghily (23′ Teymourian), Hosseini, Beikzadeh – Ashoubi (84′ Mobali), Omranzadeh – Meydavoudi, M. Nouri, Zanidpour – Ansarifard (55′ Oladi)

You can view the goals on irangoals.com.