2025 AFC Beach Soccer Asian Cup: Iran defeats UAE, will face Bahrain in quarterfinals [VIDEO]
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Loading...Tehran Times – PATTAYA, Iran clinched pole position in Group C of the AFC Beach Soccer Asian Cup Thailand 2025 with a 4-3 defeat of United Arab Emirates at the Jomtien Beach Arena on Tuesday.
With a third straight win, defending champions Iran, seeking a fourth title, will meet Bahrain in the quarter-finals while Oman play UAE.
Iran took the lead in the third minute, goalkeeper Seyedmahdi Mirjalili finding Reza Amiri Zadeh, who finished with an impressive bicycle kick, the-afc.com reported.
UAE, however, were not behind for long with Ali Mohammad restoring parity in the fifth minute from Waleed Beshr Salem’s pass from the right flank.
Masoumi restored Iran’s lead back when he converted with a free-kick from the centre, leaving UAE custodian Humaid Jamal with little scope to make a save.
After the break, Iran nearly extended their lead with Seyed Ali Nazem’s long-range attempt, but it was thwarted by a determined Humaid at the UAE goalmouth.
Four minutes before the second period ended, UAE’s Abdulla Abbas Alblooshi levelled the scoreline, cleverly receiving goalkeeper Humaid’s cross and burying the ball into the Iran net.
Both sides survived close shaves at the beginning of the final period, with UAE’s Walid Mohammad’s effort just poked away by goalkeeper Seyed while Iran’s Ahmed Beshr Salem’s acrobatic shot was hurriedly collected by the UAE custodian.
The reigning champions took the lead halfway through the third period, with Ali Mirshekari’s free-kick from the opposite side of the pitch finding the bottom right corner of the net with precision.
A free-kick in the second-to-last minute saw Movahed Mohammadpout score the fourth goal for Iran, but UAE’s Waleed pulled one back in the final seconds to reduce the deficit.
