Vahid sinks Japan
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ByEurosport
Published 25/03/2005 at 14:40 GMT
A Vahid Hashemian double gave Iran a 2-1 win over Japan in Tehran on Friday to send the home side joint top of Group 2. The Bayern Munich striker rammed home a loose ball to give his side a half-time lead, before Takashi Fukunishi levelled, but a close ra
Eurosport
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It was a fine performance from Hashemian, who led the line alone after Ali Daei was forced to limp off just two minutes before half time.
Doubt shrouded his first though, Japan defender Akira Kaji was clearly wrestled to the floor as a free-kick arrived in the box, Hashemian subsequently left unmarked to hammer the ball high past Seigo Narazaki for a 25th-minute opener.
But Iran will feel justice was served as they had earlier had a clear penalty turned down by Singaporean referee Maidin Shamsul, who courageously incurred the wrath of the partisan 100,000 crowd by waving away spot-kick claims after Mehdi Mahdavikia was tripped.
Japan - led by Hidetoshi Nakata in his first international after a year-long injury lay-off - showed little of the nimble movement and drive characteristic of their gifted side.
And their equaliser would almost have made Zico - a member of Brazil's artful 1982 World Cup squad - turn away in shame, sub Atsushi Yanagisawa winning a header for Fukunishi to sweep home from close range.
A thing of beauty it was not, but Japan were level and would gladly have taken an ill-deserved point.
But nine minutes later, Ali Karimi's weaving run down the right and clipped cross was met by Hashemian's leap - the downward header into the bottom corner too good for Narazaki to put Iran level on four points with Bahrain, who beat North Korea 2-1 earlier in the day.
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