INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
TEHRAN - Iran put in another commanding performance in defeating Afghanistan 14-0 on Sunday to reserve their area in the quarter-finals of
AFC Beach Soccer Asian Cup Thailand 2025
This their second straight win at Thailand 2025 meant that they - together with United Arab Emirates - are in an unassailable position in
the group with the two to fulfill on Tuesday to decide the Group C winners.Iran set the stage for a dominant match when Ali Nazem cut inside
of Morteza Jafari in the second minute to drive home the opening goal for the reigning champions.Movahed Mohammadpour then doubled Irans
advantage a minute later on with an acrobatic overhead kick from a severe angle.Afghanistan succeeded to recuperate and required Iran
goalkeeper Seyedmahdi Mirjalili to make a sprawling conserve to reject Akbar Bahaduris free-kick before Irans Mohammad Masoumizadehs effort
rattled the bar.Iran were not to be denied a third when Abbas Rezaei powered in an overhead start the last minute of the opening
period.Rezaei repeated his task in the 17th minute, this time the ball skidding off the sandy surface beyond the reach of Afghanistan
custodian Omid Haidari.Ali Mirshekari participated in the act a minute later to make it 5-0 before efforts from Mahdi Shirmohammadi (20th)
and Masoumizadeh (24th) even more increased Irans advantage.There was little respite for Afghanistan in the final period as Iran kept
pouring forward with objectives from Mishekari (29th, 33rd), Masoumizadeh (30th), Shirmohammadi (31st, 35th, 36th) and Reza Amiri (32nd)
topping a remarkable proving.
