IRAN, IRAQ, SAUDI SOAR INTO LAST 16
to Arsenal in the month since Jose Arnautovic appeared to wave goodbye to the home fans when substituted with the Austrian strongly linked with
Chelsea took advantage of Arsenal’s defeat despite mak ing heavy work of seeing off
Pedro Rodriguez’s early opener was cancelled out by Ciaran Clark’s header for the visitors, Defeat allied to results else Southampton held out to win Southampton still doubled their half fightback from the Foxes when Fulham remained in the relega Moor despite not even having a
Back-fromretirement Sardar Azmoun fired Iran into the Asian Cup knockout phase on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) as Carloz Queiroz’s side were joined by archrivals Iraq and fellow former winners Saudi Arabia in the last 16.
Azmoun, 24, quit the national team after fans rounded on him following Iran’s exit at last year’s World Cup, but he was the toast of Tehran once again with both goals in a 2-0 win over Vietnam.
Saudi Arabia, who like Iran are threetime former winners of the Asian showpiece, beat Lebanon 2-0, while teenager Mohanad Ali inspired 2007 champions Iraq to a 3-0 win over Yemen.
Iran, Iraq and Saudi, with seven titles between them, joined already qualified South Korea, China and Jordan as the round of 16 began to take shape.
Queiroz singled out Azmoun after the Rubin Kazan forward’s double made him the tournament’s top scorer with three goals, and gave Iran a record ninth successive first- round victory.
“He’s a finisher,” said the Portuguese, now in his eighth year as Iran coach.
“We have high hopes for him for this competition. But the way the team is contributing around him, and our movement in the last third, are very interesting.”
Iran, looking to end a 43-year title drought since last winning Asian football’s most coveted prize, could have scored four or five but for some poor finishing in Abu Dhabi.
Saman Ghoddos and Mehdi Taremi went close for Asia’s top-ranked team before Azmoun rose to head home a Ghoddos cross after 38 minutes.
Azmoun lashed in his third of the tournament from the edge of the box 20 minutes from time to make it seven unanswered goals for Iran, who crushed Yemen 5-0 in their opening Group D game.
In Sharjah, 18-year- old Ali scored a wonderful solo goal to put Iraq 1-0 up after 11 minutes, although questions must be raised of the Yemeni defense.
Pouncing on a loose back pass, Ali held off three defenders before rifling his shot past Yemen goalkeeper Jalal Hassan for his second of the tournament.
Bashar Resan doubled Iraq’s lead midway through the first half when his deflected shot drifted in off the upright with Hassan slow to get across.
Ali hit the post in one of the rare highlights of the second half before Alaa Abbas grabbed Iraq’s third in injury time, finishing sharply after Ahmed Yaseen’s header into his path.
Saudi Arabia also maintained their perfect record as they beat Lebanon 2-0, winning their opening two games for the first time since 1996 -- when they last won the title.