Iran Completes 2022 World Cup Qualification in Style
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran national football team completed the 2022 World Cup qualification schedule in style on Tuesday.
Team Melli eliminated Lebanon from playoff contention with a 2-0 victory at the Imam Reza Stadium in Mashhad.
Goals from Sardar Azmoun and Alireza Jahanbakhsh continued Team Melli’s superb form on home soil and ensured it will go into Friday’s FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 draw full of confidence after an outstanding campaign.
Dragan Skocic’s men monopolised early possession, while Lebanon looked to minimize clear cut chances for its opponent, but the visiting side’s resistance was broken by a goal of beautiful simplicity, with Hossein Kanani dissecting the defence to find Azmoun's perfectly timed run, with the Bayer Leverkusen forward easing the ball home from 12 yards in the 35th minute.
Again, it was a Kanani pass that unlocked the Lebanese defence, with his lofted ball catching out a much higher defensive line before Jahanbakhsh beat Lebanon goalie Mostafa Matar with a cultured side-footed effort which sent the bouncing ball floating into the net from 15 yards.
It is Iran's third successive FIFA World Cup appearance.