10/15/2008
the-afc.com

TEHRAN – Goals from skipper Mehdi Mahdavikia and Javad Nekounam allowed Iran to survive a DPR Korea onslaught in the final 20 minutes and seal a 2-1 victory in their World Cup qualifying Group Two clash at the Azadi Stadium.

Mahdavikia headed the hosts into a 10th-minute lead and Nekounam netted a second after 64 minutes before Jong Tae-se reduced the arrears for DPR Korea seven minutes later and spark a late fightback but Iran grimly held on.

Kim Jong-hun was expected to pack his midfield in the hope of coming away with at least a point but the DPR Korea coach was forced into a rethink when they fell behind after 10 minutes.

Mojtaba Jabari delivered a measured cross from the right corner of the box that cut out the visitors’ backline and an unmarked Mahdavikia headed home from six yards.

Keeper Ri Myong-guk was called into action in the 21st minute when Rasoul Khatibi laid the ball off to Nekounam on the edge of the box. The midfielder’s drive hit Jabari near the penalty spot and he turned and shot but the DPR Korea parried his effort.

Searching for an equaliser, the visitors began to threaten and the dangerous Hong Yong-jo stole in front of a defender to head narrowly wide on the half-hour mark with keeper Seyed Rahmati flat-footed as Iran went in at the break in the ascendancy.

DPR Korea began the second period in spirited fashion and Hong let fly from 30 yards but his effort flashed inches past the post with Rahmati scrambling across his goal.

Substitute Choe Kum-chol then forced the Iranian keeper into a full-length stop on the hour mark before the hosts claimed a decisive second goal four minutes later thanks to some poor defending from DPR Korea.

Hosein Kaeibi launched a long free-kick into the box and Ri Kwan-chon collided with his keeper with the pair under no pressure. The ball fell to Masoud Shojaei and he sent it back in to the danger area, An Yong-hak’s header glanced the cross beyond Ri Myong-guk and Nekounam tapped home at the far post for his 23rd and possibly easiest international goal.

DPR Korea pressed for an instant riposte and Cha Jong-hyok’s piledriver from the edge of the box brought an excellent parry out of Rahmati.

However, they did halve the deficit in the 71st minute when Jong outjumped the entire Iran defence to meet Hong’s free-kick and his towering header flew beyond Rahmati’s despairing dive.

The visitors by now had their tails up and could not believe they were denied an equaliser when Mun In-guk’s rocket from the edge of the area arrowed towards the top-corner only for Rahmti to brilliantly tip the ball over the bar.

I expected tough test, says Daei

TEHRAN – Iran coach Ali Daei insisted he fully expected his side’s 2-1 World Cup qualifying victory over DPR Korea to prove one of the hardest tests of his fledgling managerial career.

Skipper Mehdi Mahdavikia put the hosts in front with just 10 minutes gone at the Azadi Stadium and when Osasuna midfielder Javad Nekounam tapped home a second after 64 minutes, it seemed Iran would comfortably take home the three points.

However, Jong Tae-se pulled a goal back for the Koreans with a thumping header seven minutes later which signaled the start of a late onslaught and Iran were indebted to keeper Seyed Rahmati for two excellent saves to preserve their victory.

The win takes Iran level on four points in Group Two alongside both Koreas and Saudi Arabia, with Korea Republic leading the way thanks to a superior goal difference and Daei admitted his side had been pushed all the way by their plucky opponents.

“They (DPR Korea) have got four points so they were obviously going to play well,” he said.

“When the draw for the groups was made I said ours was the toughest and today’s match has proven that.

“In the first half, we were the better team. We started strongly and scored a good goal. We also started the second half the better but after we went 2-0 up the players became complacent. The Koreans had nothing to lose so they went for it.

“But if we can beat the United Arab Emirates away (in the next qualifier) we’ll be in an excellent position.”

DPR Korea’s coach, Kim Jung-Hun was in typically taciturn mood but there was no doubt in his mind his side should have been leaving the Middle East with at least a share of the spoils

“Iran are a strong team but we played well and it should have been a draw, not a defeat,” he said.

“This was a very difficult match for us but we had some great chances which we couldn’t convert.

“I think we will only improve from here and all our efforts in the remaining matches will be focused on winning.”