Iran staged a clinical performance to overpower Jordan 6-1 and top Group B of the AFC U-16 Women’s Championship Qualifiers at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.
The significant win meant Iran are on the threshold of qualifying for the final round as a draw against Bangladesh in their last game will be enough to see them go through. They have a goal difference of 14+ which means Bangladesh have to beat Iran 9-0 to upset the contenders. However, if Bangladesh upset Iran 1-0 and India beat Jordan 3-0, then India will progress ahead of Iran. All the equations will be cleared tomorrow with the last match of the tournament between Bangladesh and Iran.
Iran fielded an attacking team with all the three of their Fatemeh’s – Geraeli, Ghasemi and Husseini operating upfront as Geraeli and Ghashemi slammed hat-tricks to maintain their winning spree. Jordan also produced splash of onslaughts but it was not enough to stop the blazing Iranians.
Iran took the lead in the 22nd minute with skipper Geraeli scoring a superb goal with a looping shot from 30 yards out. The lead was doubled in the 39th minute by Geraeli when she flicked a free kick of Mamshad Amiri in the far post. Ghasemi added the third in the 42nd minute when she dashed past the Jordanian defence before netting from the far post. Jordanian midfielder Noor Mahmoud Rajab Zooash’s curved free kick in the injury time of the first-half reduced the margin as the ball dropped in the middle of the Iranian danger area and deceived goalkeeper Hengameh Sefati to enter the post.
Seven minutes after the break Geraeli completed her hat-trick with a chip over Jordanian goalkeeper Rand Naser Salem.
The dominating performance saw Ghasemi score two more goals in the 83rd and 84th minutes to complete the rout.
Earlier at the same venue, India registered the biggest margin of the tournament as they thrashed UAE 12-0.
Forward Roja Devi slammed four goals in the 24th, 69th, 75th and 92nd minutes while substitute forward Anushka Samuels matched her by netting four goals herself in the 72nd, 76th, 80th and 82nd minutes. Sushmita Bardhan scored a brace in the 4th and 57th minutes while the other two were scored by Premi Chiru (7th minute) and Jabamanu Tudu (67th minute) respectively. UAE ended their U-16 mission conceding 35 goals in four matches.