IRN 2-1 UZB: Two out of two for Iran

Iran's Omid Kharaji (left) and Bahram Dabbagh double up on Uzbekistan's Davronbek Khashimov.

TASHKENT – Iran maintained their perfect record in Group A at the AFC U-16 Championship with a 2-1 win over hosts Uzbekistan at Pakhtakor Stadium on Monday.

Mehrdad Yeganeh opened the scoring for the Iranians with a 27th minute strike and Kaveh Rezaei extended their lead 10 minutes into the second half before Oyatullahon Muhiddinov pulled back a consolation goal for the home side with 10 minutes remaining.

The Uzbeks were looking to build on their 7-0 demolition of Singapore in their opening match on Saturday and created the first opportunity of the game after 13 minutes as Maksim Utkin rose to meet a free-kick by Egor Krimets but sent his header wide.

But it was the Iranians that went ahead shortly before the half-hour mark when Yeganeh received a pass on the right edge of the Uzbek box and fired a left-footed shot past Oybek Talipov into the far corner of the net.

They nearly added a second two minutes later when Mehrgan Golbarg beat the Uzbek offside trap but was unable to put the ball past Talipov in a one-on-one showdown.

Uzbekistan turned on the pressure in the closing minutes of the half and should have equalised in the 37th minute as Akramjon Bahritdinov’s neat pass picked out an unmarked Abdumutallib Abdullaev who put his attempt over the crossbar.

Bahritdinov thought that he had equalised three minutes before the break when he bundled the ball past Iran goalkeeper Iman Sadeghi at the second attempt only to see the effort disallowed for offside.

In stoppage time, Abdullaev found himself with only the goalkeeper to beat only for Sadeghi to come to Iran’s rescue once again.

The hosts continued to press in the second half and went close eight minutes after the break when Abdullaev’s cross from the left was headed powerfully on target by Bahritdinov only for Sadeghi to make another remarkable save to keep his side in front.

Iran took full advantage of Sadeghi’s heroics, extending their advantage in the 55th minute when Talipov came out of his box in an attempt to make a clearance but lost possession to Mehrdad Yeganeh who put the ball into the crowded box where Kaveh Rezaei was on hand to score into the unguarded net.

Iran could have added a third goal seven minutes as Rayam Sadeghian launched a powerful shot from outside the box which rocked the Uzbek crossbar.

Uzbekistan pulled a goal back when substitute Oyatullahon Muhiddinov headed home a cross from Ayubhon Gapparov with 10 minutes remaining but it was to prove little more than a consolation as Iran held on for the three points.

Source:The AFC.com

KOR 9-0 INA – Lee hails hat-trick hero

Head coach Lee Kwang-jong praised the performance of hat-trick hero Lee Jong-ho as Korea Republic hammered Indonesia 9-0.

TASHKENT – Coach Lee Kwang-jong hailed the impact of hat-trick hero Lee Jong-ho after Korea Republic took a step towards the quarter-finals of the AFC U-16 Championship with an emphatic 9-0 win over Indonesia.

Korea, like in their opening day 5-2 success over India, completely dominated the contest and left a young Indonesia side shell-shocked with their direct, physical attacking style.

“All our players are very important to our team, not just one player. But Jong-ho had a very good game as he scored three goals,” said the Korea coach.

“He is capable of scoring and that is why we play him in a central striking position, but we can also use him out wide and he is well prepared to do that. He is very important for us and hopefully we can utilise him in the coming matches.”

Lee Dong-nyck’s header and Kim Jin-su’s curling strike handed Korea a 2-0 lead after just five minutes before a header from captain Rim Chang-woo, his second of the tournament, from Lee Jong-ho’s delivery added to the lead.

Lee Jong-ho headed home a fourth before the break and, following a less explosive start to the second half, Son Heung-min scored twice from the edge of the area in a 10 minute spell after the hour mark to increase the lead.

And with the clocking running down and Indonesia tiring after two games in three days, Lee Jong-ho rounded off a swift Korea counterattack with 10 minutes remaining for his second and, after substitute Kim Dong-min poked home from close range with four minutes remaining, completed his hat-trick with a stoppage time header.

Coach Lee added: “Our opponents were a lot weaker than us, but it is still a satisfying performance.”

While admitting Indonesia’s second defeat of the tournament was “embarrassing,” coach Mundari Karya believes the experience can have a positive affect on his young team.

“The Koreans were very physical and at the start of the match we failed to defend at set pieces and they scored several similar goals as they are much taller and a lot more physical,” he said.

“We lack experience at this level so this is a good opportunity to make progress. Korea were a very strong team and have a lot of quality. We hope to learn from this match.

“These are young players and it is not all about winning, we must try and keep the spirit in our team.”

Source:The AFC.com

KOR 9-0 INA: Classy Koreans outline championship credentials

Korea Republic players celebrate a goal during their 9-0 hammering of Indonesia.

TASHKENT – Korea Republic added to their AFC U-16 Championship credentials on Monday after maintaining their 100% start to the tournament with a 9-0 demolition of Indonesia.

Korea were in control from the start as Lee Dong-nyck’s header and Kim Jin-su’s strike handed the 2002 champions the lead after just five minutes before captain Rim Chang-woo and Lee Jong-ho increased the advantage before half-time.

Lee Jong-ho completed his hat-trick in the second half, while substitute Kim Dong-min netted and Son Heung-min also scored twice as Indonesia failed to deal with the direct attacking style of the more physical Koreans.

On a sun-drenched afternoon in the Uzbekistan capital, Indonesia goalkeeper Yoewanto Beny failed to hold a tame second minute strike from Son Heung-min, but reacted quickly to turn away Lee Jong-ho’s close range follow-up.

But from Lee Chang’s resulting corner, Lee Dong-nyck rose unmarked to send a powerful header past Beny.

And just three minutes later Kim Jin-su was allowed time and space inside the left side of the Indonesia area to curl his strike past an exposed Beny.

Korea added a third as Lee Jong-ho’s 15th minute left sided free-kick was met by defender Rim and the flicked header looped over a stranded Beny for his second goal of the tournament.

The fourth came 17 minutes before the break as Nam Seung-woo crossed for Lee Jong-ho to rise unchallenged on the six-yard line to head past Beny.

Lee Chang should have added a fifth four minutes before the break, but after Kim Jin-su intercepted a pass on the edge of the area to play him in, he pulled his effort across the face of goal before Lee Jong-ho scuffed a shot across the face of the goal onto the post as Korea again found space behind the Indonesia backline.

Nam was denied by Beny and the Indonesia goalkeeper acrobatically turned a rising strike from Kim Dong-jin over the crossbar before Son was allowed space on the edge of the area to fire home a dipping strike for Korea’s fifth five minutes after the hour mark.

Son grabbed a second 10 minutes later with a superb half volley from the edge of the area before Lee Jong-ho rounded off a swift Korea counterattack with 10 minutes remaining.

Substitute Kim Dong-min poked home from close range with four minutes left before Lee Jong-ho completed his hat-trick with a stoppage time header.

Source:The AFC.com