World Cup: Iran beats Wales on thread and revives for qualification

Two goals from Rouzbeh Cheshmi and Ramin Rezaeian at the end of the match allowed Iran to bring down the Wales of Gareth Bale (2-0).

by Valentin Moinard

The Iranians resumed, and in beautiful way! Swept by England in their first World Cup game (6-2), the Persian Shirants (the “Lions of Persia”) could already say goodbye to their hopes of qualification in the round of 16 in the event of a defeat against the country of Wales, Friday November 25. At the end of a committed but relatively closed part, the Iranians finally found the flaw in additional time by Rouzbeh Cheshmi (90 e +8) then Ramin Rezaeian (90 e +11) to win.

A surprising victory, yet far from being undeserved. For a long time, Carlos Queiroz’s men were the most dangerous, but have suffered from a shouting lack of success in front of the Cages of the Welsh goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey. They thought they had opened the brand in the first minutes, but Ali Gholizadeh had to quickly stop the celebration of his goal, the referee signaling an offside earlier in action (15 e ).

The Iranians surely even thought cursed when Sardar Azmoun then Ali Gholizadeh each touched the post on the same action (52 e ). But by dint of being dangerous in the field part of the Red Dragons, they pushed their opponents to the fault and in particular Wayne Hennessey. Trying an outing far from his goal at the Manuel Neuer, the Welsh porter violently struck the striker Mehdi Taremi (87 e ), thus becoming the first player excluded from the competition.

The goalkeeper’s red card has changed everything

A sad first which cost his team dearly. Completely disorganized and on the defensive, Gareth Bale – also invisible during the meeting – and his teammates ended up falling in the last seconds. The hero of the day on the Iranian side is called Rouzbeh Cheshmi: the middle of the Esteghlal FC opened the scoring of a dry strike in the small net of Danny Ward (90 e +8), returned in game a little earlier.

The replacement goalkeeper of Wales even went to get a second ball at the bottom of his nets a few minutes later, when Ramin Rezaeian concluded in style, definitively validating the success of his team (90 e +11). A select of joy of the Iranian players sharp with the attitude of the Welsh, Hagards after a defeat at the end of the suspense and of a somewhat indigent performance.

With this success, Iranians can still hope to get out of the group phase of the World Cup for the first time. With three points, they return to the height in the classification of England, which plays at 8 p.m. against the United States.

On the other hand, the situation becomes much more complex for Welsh. With a single point dropped after two games, they occupy the last place in group B, and will have no other choice, if they want to continue in the round of 16, than to defeat the Three Lions on Tuesday, November 29. But even in case of success, they may be dependent on the result of the other meeting, between Iran and the United States.

/Media reports cited above.