Iran Coach Ghalenoei Praises Defender Ali Nemati

Iran fought bravely after going down to 10 men, soaking up the pressure with 28-year-old debutant Nemati playing a sterling role in the heart of their defense.

Two teams shared the spoils in a 0-0 draw in Tashkent’s Bunyodkor Stadium .

“We attacked even after being a man down and won a few corners,” said Ghalenoei. “The goalkeeper of Uzbekistan also saved his team in many situations.

“We witnessed a good game and I think it was the best game in the group. We have to think about the next meeting. We proved that we can defend well in Uzbekistan’s match. I congratulate Ali Nemati on his national team debut. I hope that he will play a lot more for Iran in the future,” he added.

Uzbekistan will next welcome the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday while Iran will face Qatar.