Final-gasp Iran sink Wales at World Cup

DOHA: Iran claimed a well-known 2-0 victory over 10-man Wales on Friday (Nov 25) as Carlos Queiroz’s males scored two objectives deep into added time to maintain their World Cup marketing campaign alive.

The Iran gamers, who sang the nationwide anthem earlier than kick-off, despatched their hundreds of supporters on the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium delirious by beating a European workforce at a World Cup for the primary time.

Wales goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey turned the primary participant to be despatched off within the Qatar match for clattering into Mehdi Taremi late within the recreation.

Iran, who had earlier twice struck the woodwork, lastly broke the impasse within the 98th minute by way of substitute Rouzbeh Cheshmi’s highly effective drive.

Ramin Rezaeian clipped in a second on the counter-attack three minutes later.

Iran, who would have been eradicated with a defeat, as an alternative climbed to second in Group B behind England, towards whom that they had misplaced 6-2 of their opening recreation.

Wales tumbled to the underside of the group and must defeat neighbours England of their last match subsequent week to have any probability of reaching the knockout part of their first World Cup since 1958.

The US tackle England in a while Friday.

The Iran gamers opted to sing the nationwide anthem in distinction to their stance earlier than the sport towards England, after they remained silent in an obvious gesture of solidarity with anti-government protestors.

Some Iranian followers have been in tears through the anthem.

WALES START BRIGHTLY

Wales supervisor Rob Web page elected to begin striker Kieffer Moore after his spectacular look instead towards the USA.

The Bournemouth man’s flick-on led to an early effort from Neco Williams that flew simply over the crossbar.

The Welsh carved out the primary clear probability within the twelfth minute as Moore stretched to volley Connor Roberts’ cross, however goalkeeper Hossein Hosseini was in a position to parry his effort.

Iran thought that they had taken the lead minutes later, though Ali Gholizadeh was clearly offside earlier than he tapped in and the objective was dominated out by VAR.

A cagey recreation burst into life with a loopy 20-second spell shortly after half-time. Sardar Azmoun sped away from the Welsh defence however noticed his shot come again off the submit.

The ball was recycled to Gholizadeh, who minimize inside and curled a superb strike from exterior the field, which bounced away off the opposite upright, with Azmoun’s follow-up saved by a floored Hennessey.

Iran out of the blue seemed like scoring each time they went ahead and Ethan Ampadu needed to make a superb block to disclaim Taremi the opening objective.

Wales had Hennessey to thank for staying on degree phrases with 17 minutes left, as he stretched to tip Saeid Ezatolahi’s low shot across the submit.

The sport opened up within the last minutes as each side knew they seemingly wanted greater than a draw.

Iran got an enormous enhance of their push for a winner when Hennessey recklessly charged out of his objective and crashed into Mehdi Taremi within the 86th minute.

Remarkably, Guatemalan referee Mario Escobar solely initially booked the keeper, however that was corrected after a VAR overview and Hennessey was dismissed.

Leicester’s Danny Ward took his place and shortly noticed Mehdi Torabi’s effort fly previous his submit.

However an emotional day for Iran and their followers was given its crowning moments proper on the dying when Cheshmi hammered residence from the sting of the field and Rezaeian raced clear to clip over Ward.