Iran Under-16 women’s football team came from behind to earn a vital 2-1 victory over India in their second qualifier of the AFC U-16 Women’s Championship 2015 at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.
India and Iran are the top two favourite sides to qualify from Group B as the table toppers and the victory means the latter are a step away from the final round. Iran, who thrashed UAE 9-0 in their previous match, will face Jordan and Bangladesh in their remaining two qualifiers.
Premi Chiru put India ahead in the 13th minute placing the ball into an open net after the midfielder’s initial effort was blocked by the diving Iranian goalkeeper Mobina Khodadadi.
Iran had a glorious opportunity to equalise the margin at the stroke of the opening half when Sana Sadeghy’s shot from the middle of the box flew over the bar following a cutback from striker Fatemeh Ghasemi before Indian custodian Shreya made a superb save to deny Fatemeh Motevalli’s precise free kick from 35 yards out.
However, substitute midfielder Fatemeh Hosseini levelled the margin in the 71st minute tapping home a cross from Ghasemi.
Hero of the previous qualifier against UAE with four goals, Ghasemi, netted the winner two minutes before stipulated time to seal a crucial victory for Iran. A long ball forward by skipper Fatemeh Geraeli found the unmarked midfielder inside the box who made no mistake slotting home past Shreya into the near post.
Iran coach Shadi Mahini said after the game, “I know the India team. I told my players during the half-time break about the weaknesses of the Indian team and they executed on the pitch what I instructed them. This victory is not important but winning all four matches to qualify for the final round is more important for us.”