Iran down Afghanistan in 2025 AFC Beach Soccer Asian Cup [VIDEO]
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Loading...TT – TEHRAN, Iran put in another commanding performance in defeating Afghanistan 14-0 on Sunday to book their spot in the quarter-finals of AFC Beach Soccer Asian Cup Thailand 2025.
This their second straight win at Thailand 2025 meant that they – together with United Arab Emirates – are in an unassailable position in the group with the two to meet on Tuesday to decide the Group C winners.
Iran set the stage for a dominant match when Ali Nazem cut inside of Morteza Jafari in the second minute to drive home the opening goal for the reigning champions.
Movahed Mohammadpour then doubled Iran’s advantage a minute later with an acrobatic overhead kick from an acute angle.
Afghanistan did well to recover and forced Iran goalkeeper Seyedmahdi Mirjalili to make a sprawling save to deny Akbar Bahaduri’s free-kick before Iran’s Mohammad Masoumizadeh’s effort rattled the bar.
Iran were not to be denied a third when Abbas Rezaei powered in an overhead kick in the final minute of the opening period.
Rezaei repeated his feat in the 17th minute, this time the ball skidding off the sandy surface beyond the reach of Afghanistan custodian Omid Haidari.
Ali Mirshekari joined in the act a minute later to make it 5-0 before efforts from Mahdi Shirmohammadi (20th) and Masoumizadeh (24th) further increased Iran’s advantage.
There was little respite for Afghanistan in the final period as Iran kept pouring forward with goals from Mishekari (29th, 33rd), Masoumizadeh (30th), Shirmohammadi (31st, 35th, 36th) and Reza Amiri (32nd) capping an impressive showing.
