Iran Routs Kyrgyzstan 6-0 in Football Friendly Match

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Thursday, June 9, 2016, Khordad 20, 1395, Ramadhan 3, 1437
Iran Routs
Kyrgyzstan
6-0 in Football
Friendly Match
The national Iranian men’s soccer
team has thrashed Kyrgyzstan in a
warm-up match for the third round of
the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification tournament, which is scheduled
to start early September.
The Iranian squad, also known as
Team Melli, routed the Central Asian
side 6-0 in a friendly game staged at
Azadi Stadium in western Tehran on
Tuesday evening.
The Iranians started the match with
vim and vigor, and asserted their dom-
inance from the onset, making it difficult for the Kyrgyz outfit to maneuver.
It was in the sixth minute that
Masoud Shojaei opened up the scoring for the hosts from the penalty spot.
Mehdi Taremi took up a marvelous
opportunity in the 25th minute, and
put the ball at the back of the visitors’
net with a header.
Mehdi Torabi extended Iran’s lead
four minutes later, and scored the
third goal of the fixture.
Iranian soccer players did not pro-
Afshin Ghotbi
Impressed by Thai
Players
Iranian football coach Afshin Ghotbi said he
has been impressed with the Thai team Buriram’s players.
Ex-Iran and Persepolis coach was appointed
as the Thai football club’s coach following the
departure of Alexandre Gama on May 24.
“I was very interested in Buriram’s story ever
since I heard about the owner,” Ghotbi told
FourFourTwo. “Professional football is growing and developing and I wanted to be part of
that. I have been impressed with the Thai players. They have open hearts and open minds and
they want to do a job.”
“I am impressed with the love the fans have
for this club. I can feel how big this club is, it is
massive. When you are outside, you don’t perhaps realize how big football is in Buriram and
the owner can take the credit. He built something from nothing. He could have bought a
club in Europe but invested in his own country
and built something. That is an inspiration for
everyone,” he added.
“Our intention is to win everything domestically and then go the next stage and go where
they have never been in the Asian Champions
League,” he said. That would be going past the
quarter-final reached in 2013.
“We will be challenging for trophies and every game we will play better football. Professional football is first about winning and then
entertainment. My job is to create a team that,
regardless of which player is available or not,
sets a certain standard,” the Iranian coach added.
duce any other goal scoring opportunities in the remaining minutes of the
first half, and went into the breather
with a three-goal lead.
After the break, Iranians did not relinquish superiority and sustained momentum, and Karim Ansarifard was
on the target in the 69th minute and
made it four for the Islamic Republic.
A goal by substitute Sardar Azmoun
in the 87th minute took the score to
5-0.
Ansarifard netted a brace and the
last goal of the night just before the
end of the regular time.
Iran had landed in Group A of the
third round of the 2018 FIFA World
Cup qualification tournament, and is
pitted against South Korea, Uzbekistan, China, Qatar and Syria.
Asian powerhouse Japan is drawn
in Group B, and has joined Australia,
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq and Thailand.
The winner and runner-up of each
group (four teams in total) will
qualify for the World Cup, while the
third-placed teams of each group (two
teams in total) will head to the play-
off round of the qualifiers.
The winner of the Asian play-off
round will then face twice the fourthplaced squad in the fifth round of
the Confederation of North, Central
America and Caribbean Association
Football (CONCACAF) qualifying
games.
Iran 5-a-Side Football Team Vice
Champion in Brazil Games
Senior Iranian Wrestlers Rank First in
World Beach Wrestling Championships
National Iranian five-a-side football team has
finished as vice champion at the 5th edition of
International Blind Football Challenge in Brazil.
The Asian champions conceded a 0-3 loss to
the reigning world champion Brazil in the final
competition of the event at the Instituto Benjamin
Constant in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday.
Earlier, Iranian five-a-side football team had defeated Argentina 2-0 in a semi-final fixture to advance to the final match. “We played
a perfect game, our goalkeeper almost did not touch the ball and our offensive line was
very strong,” Brazilian coach Fabio Vasconcelos said after the final match.
“This victory has shown us that we are on the right track to win a fourth Paralympic
gold on home soil.” Jefinho, the competition’s top scorer with five goals, said, “I am
very happy for this individual award, but I am happier for contributing to the team’s
success.”
“This competition was important to get ready for September’s Paralympic Games and
to prove that we are physically and mentally prepared.”
Argentina also defeated Morocco 2-1 in the penalty shootout at the end of the thirdplace match. The 5th edition of International Blind Football Challenge started in Rio
de Janeiro on May 31 and finished on June 5. National Iranian five-a-side football team
is preparing for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, where it has been drawn with host
Brazil, Turkey and Morocco in Group A. Argentina, China, Mexico and Russia are pitted against each other in Group B.
Senior Iranian beach wrestlers have collected four gold medals and ranked first at the
2016 Beach Wrestling World Championships in
Croatia.
Mohammad Naderi recorded awe-inspiring performances in the 70-kilogram, and prevailed over
a contestant from Greece 3-1 to clinch the gold
medal of the weight division in Croatia’s western
coastal town of Fazana on Sunday evening.
In the 80-kilogram weight class, Payman Heidari downed a Russian beach wrestler
4-1 in the final encounter and picked up the second gold for Iran.
Mohammad Sadati aced in the 90-kilogram weight section, winning the gold medal.
Additionally, Iran’s Jaber Sadeghzadeh received a gold medal in the over 90-kilogram weight category.
Earlier on Saturday, Iran’s Reza Aghajani downed an opponent from Estonia in the
final bout of the junior 70-kilogram category, and claimed a beach wrestling gold
medal.
Heidari also overwhelmed a contestant from Norway in the final bout of 80-kilogram class, winning a gold medal for Iran.
Moreover, Mohsen Seir overwhelmed his Croat opponent in the final competition of
the over 80-kiloram class, and was awarded the gold medal.
The 2016 Beach Wrestling World Championships started in Fazana, Croatia, on
June 3, and wrapped up on June 5.
Iranian Runner Wins 100-Meter Race in
Hungary Tournament
Iranian athlete Hassan Taftian has displayed outstanding performances in the Kelet Kupa 100-meter running contest in Hungary, winning the first title.
The 23-year-old athlete clocked 10.15 seconds at the men’s 100-meter final in the city of Debrecen, located 195 kilometers (121 miles)
west of the capital, Budapest, on Saturday evening and stood on top of the podium.
Two representatives from the host nation registered 10.40 and 10.46 seconds respectively to land in the second and third places.
“Currently, I’m camping and training in Hungary under the tutelage of my dear coach, Ahmad Ramezanzadeh, and under the supervision of the Islamic Republic of Iran Athletics Federation,” Taftian said. “I’m satisfied with my performance and record, and am improving day by day. I hope to display a convincing performance in the Rio 2016 Olympics.”
On May 20, the Iranian sprinter competed in the men’s 100-meter race in the Golden Spike meet in Ostrava, the Czech Republic. He finished with a time of 10.25 seconds to land in the
third spot.
Six-time Olympics gold medalist Usain Bolt, who owns the 100m world record at 9.58 and the world 200m record of 19.19, finished in 9.98 seconds in the Golden Spike. The silver medal
went to Barbadian Ramon Gittens with 10.21 seconds.
Yahya Golmohammadi Extends
Contract with Iran’s Zobahan
Iranian football club Zobahan has agreed a new contract with head coach Yahya Golmohammadi and his management team.
Golmohammadi has signed a one-year extension with the Isfahan-based club
on Wednesday.
Under management of Golmohammadi, Zob Ahan claimed the title of the
Iran’s Hazfi Cup on May 30 and finished in fourth place in Iran Professional
League.
Also, Zobahan advanced to the AFC Champions League round of 16, where
the Iranian team lost to Al Ain of the UAE 3-1 on aggregate.
Golmohammadi was appointed as Zobahan coach in May 2014.
Ashkan Dejagah Lined with
Iran’s Persepolis
Iranian international midfielder Ashkan Dejagah has been linked with a move
to Persepolis football club.
According to Qatari media, Al-Arabi is going to part ways with the 29-yearold midfielder.
Former Wolfsburg player joined the Qatari club from Fulham in 2014.
Persepolis will represent Iran in the next season’s AFC Champions League and
Dejagah can strengthen the popular team in the competition.
Neither Persepolis nor Dejagah have rejected the widespread speculations so
far.Dejagah will be a key member of Team Melli in the 2018 World Cup qualifications.