Iranian Trio Nominated for AFC National Team Player of the Week

Tasnim News – TEHRAN, Sardar Azmoun, Mehdi Taremi and Ali Gholizadeh have been nominated for AFC National Team Player of the Week.

With a handful of Asia’s top national sides in action for the first time in 2020, attention this week has turned to the international game, where some of the continent’s biggest names reminded us of what we’ve been missing.

*Sardar Azmoun
75 minutes, 1 goal (2-1 v Uzbekistan)

One of Asia’s top strikers celebrated his return to the international stage by finding the back of net, with Iran’s Azmoun playing a key role in his side’s 2-1 win over Uzbekistan last Thursday.

The Zenit Saint-Petersburg star was arguably the best known of the Iranian arrivals in Tashkent, and he lived up to his billing when he rocketed the ball past Eldor Suyunov from 25 yards just before half-time, helping Team Melli to a first win under new head coach Dragan Skočić.

*Ali Gholizadeh
75 minutes, 1 assist (2-1 v Uzbekistan)

Supplying the pass for Azmoun’s strike was Gholizadeh, who continued his terrific recent club form with a fine display for his country.

The Belgium-based attacking midfielder emerged as one of the best performers on the night and would have had two assists had Azmoun not missed an even better chance in the early stages of the clash.

*Mehdi Taremi
72 minutes, 1 goal (2-1 v Uzbekistan)

He may be yet to open his account at new club FC Porto, but Taremi added to his international tally while on Iran duty, converting a penalty kick he won himself against Uzbekistan.

Taremi easily skipped around Uzbekistan’s Suyunov to draw the foul, before sending the shot-stopper the wrong way to make it 2-0 on the night, and three goals in his last four matches for the national team.

The Iranian trio will vie with Almoez Ali (Qatar), Eldor Shomurodov and Igor Sergeev (Uzbekistan) as well as Takehiro Tomiyasu Gaku Shibasaki from Japan.