Iran defeat Macedonia thanks to Azmoun hat-trick [VIDEO]

Persianfootball.com – SKOPJE, Iran defeated Macedonia 3-1 in a football friendly on Thursday, thanks to three goals from gem Sardar Azmoun.

Iran, who had to do without influential defensive midfield duo Andranik Teymourian and Omid Ebrahimi as well as goalkeeper Alireza Haghighi, were the better side, but wasted many high-class opportunities, especially in second half and thereby failed to achieve an even better result.

Azmoun, who had helped Rostov to a sensational second league position in Russia, should have opened the scoreline after six minutes when one on one with the goalkeeper, but made up for it when he tapped in the following Alireza Jahanbakhsh corner at the far post.

Macedonia, led by veteran skipper Goran Pandev, responded within two minutes when Trajkovski’s shot from just outside the area beat Alireza Beiranvand.

But another ten minutes later, Azmoun stole the ball from the last defender and this time made no mistake in front of the goalkeeper to make it 2-1.

The 20-year-old completed his hat-trick right at the hourmark thanks to a perfect throughball by Saeid Ezatollahi and a cool head in front of goal.

Iran should have scored a couple of more goals, but Mehdi Taremi alone wasted three excellent opportunities, while Masoud Shojaei, Milad Mohammadi as well as Karim Ansarifard with an offside goal were also unlucky.

Team Melli will next take on Kyrgizstan in Tehran on Tuesday.

Macedonia – Iran 1-3 (1-2)
Friendly match, Skopje

Goals:
0-1 Sardar Azmoun (7′ / assist by Alireza Jahanbakhsh)
1-1 Aleksandar Trajkovski (10′)
1-2 Sardar Azmoun (20′)
1-3 Sardar Azmoun (60′ / Saeid Ezatollahi)

Iran: Beiranvand – Rezaeian, Montazeri, Pouraliganji, Hajsafi (Mohammadi) – Ezatollahi, Shojaeian – Jahanbakhsh (Taremi), Dejagah (Shojaei), Amiri (Torabi) – Azmoun (Ansarifard)