Group B: Morocco 0-1 Iran
IRAN striker Alireza Jahanbakhsh has warned Nike they have lost 80million fans in his homeland with their sanctions snub.
Carlos Queiroz’s men were in tears at the final whistle after a stoppage-time own goal from Morocco substitute Aziz Bouhaddouz gave them their first World Cup win since 1998.
It came despite US sportswear firm Nike telling the Iranian stars, on the eve of the tournament, they would not be providing them with boots because of sanctions imposed by Donald Trump last month.
Jahanbaksh, scorer of 21 goals for Alkmaar last season, said: “What they have done is a little bit disrespectful because, in my opinion – and we had a meeting about this too – politics has nothing to do with sport. With football.
“Such a beautiful game. You don’t have to involve this kind of thing.
“That is something that unfortunately this brand did. But the image they have (projected), at least for 80m people in Iran, is not a really nice image.”
Iran will have sponsors queuing up to back them now after they showed grit to defy the odds here.
Morocco started fast and were the better side, opening up Queiroz’s side time and again – but could not find the cutting edge that had helped them reach Russia in the first place.
Iran had to carve out their chances on the counter-attack. But couldn’t take them either. Star striker Sardar Azmoun, known as the “Iranian Messi”, was light years behind the Barcelona superstar as he blew the chance to grab a priceless lead.
A superbly-worked move sent him clear of the Morocco defence, three minutes before the break. Yet, instead of finding the net, he allowed keeper Munir El Kajoui to keep his effort out with an outstretched leg. The rebound was sent over the bar.
Herve Renard’s side had reached the World Cup undefeated in their previous 18 games, winning 14 of them. But they too could not make the breakthrough, with
Iran keeper Ali Beiranvand in fine form.
In the 19th minute, he did well to save a deflected effort from defender Mehdi Benatia from a corner. In the 26th minute, the Iran players threw their bodies in the way of two Morocco strikes, the second a fierce effort from midfielder Younes Belhanda.
In response, Hakim Ziyech had his 79th-minute volley saved by El Kajoui.
Queiroz (above) was rocked in the dying minutes by the loss of Jahanbaksh through injury. But five minutes into stoppage time, he was left delighted as defender Ehsan Haji Safi swung in a free-kick and Bouhaddouz sent a diving header into his own net.