10/17/2008
the-afc.com

TASHKENT – Iran’s Kaveh Rezaei will look to secure his position at the top of the leading goal scorer chart in Saturday’s AFC U-16 Championship final and hold off the challenge of Korea Republic’s Son Heung-min.

Rezaei tops the standings on five goals after netting Iran’s third in the 3-0 semi-final win over United Arab Emirates, but Son sits just a one behind heading into Saturday’s showpiece at Pakhtakor Stadium.

Rezaei opened his account with the second in the opening day 2-0 win over Bahrain, firing in from outside the area before scoring the decisive strike in the 2-1 win over Uzbekistan.

Two goals by Rezaei in the final 11 minutes secured a 2-0 semi-final defeat of Syria, who had won Group B with a 100% record, while the forward added his fifth of the tournament in stoppage time against UAE with a strike which was initially credited to team-mate Ali Heydari.

Son opened his account off the bench in the 5-2 win over India before grabbing two after starting in the 9-0 demolition of Indonesia, which included his best of the tournament – a dipping half volley from the edge of the area.

He grabbed his fourth with a strong run and finish in the quarter-final triumph over Uzbekistan again after coming off the bench.

United Arab Emirates’ Fahad Salim and Japan’s Takumi Miyayoshi have also netted four in five games, but are unable to add to their tallies following their semi-final defeats.

Korean trio Rim Chang-woo, Lee Chang and Kim Dong-jin will look to move up the scoring standings and improve on the three goals they have struck in the first five games.

Rezaei, Lee Jong-ho and Salim are also in the running for the Abdullah Al Dabal MVP Award along with Japan’s Takashi Usami.

Usami scored twice in the 4-0 win over Malaysia and impressed throughout Japan’s run to the semi-finals, while Lee Jong-ho has provided Korea with a constant attacking threat and a number of assists during their trip to the final.

Korea Republic are front runners for the AFC Fair Play Award after collecting four yellow cards in five games, with fellow finalists Iran out of contention following Iman Shirazi’s dismissal in the quarter-final win over Syria.