Asian Cup: UAE 0 Iran 3

Iran enhanced their Asian Cup credentials with a convincing 3-0 win over the United Arab Emirates in Doha on Wednesday.

The result means Iran finish as Group D winners on nine points and will next face a quarter-final against South Korea, who finished second to Australia in Group C.

The UAE needed a win to keep their quarter-final hopes alive but second-half goals from Arash Afshin and Mohammad Nori, along with an own goal from Walid Abbas handed Iran the three points.

Iran could have taken the lead at the Qatar Sports Club after just two minutes when the ball was whipped across goal from a free kick, but Farsheed Talebi fell just short of getting a touch.

Afshin’s pace was a constant threat to the UAE defence, and the 21-year-old had a good opportunity to break the deadlock after 30 minutes but could only fire his shot into the side netting.

The UAE’s Ismail Matar showed good strength to keep his feet and get a shot away just before half-time, but his effort rolled wide of the goal to ensure the scores remained level at the interval.

A reinvigorated Iran emerged in the second period, and the addition of Gholamreza Rezaei for captain Masoud Shojaei gave them an extra attacking dimension down the right hand side.

The group leaders set up camp in the UAE half for the first 20 minutes of the half, but like the UAE they struggled to carve clear chances in the final third.

On the hour mark, Ghasem Hadadifar produced the game’s best moment when he took a touch on the edge of the box to control a flick-on from a long throw, before his powerful drive forced a sharp save from UAE goalkeeper Majed Nasser.

Iran took a deserved lead 10 minutes later when Rezaei’s cross was met by Mohamad Gholami, who twice headed against the crossbar before Afshin tapped in the simplest of goals.

Moments later, Afshin was sent off by referee Kim Dong Jin for violent conduct, while UAE defender Khalid Sebil also received his marching orders in the 79th minute for a rash challenge on Hadadifar.

Iran made it 2-0 after 83 minutes when Nori found himself on the end of a great cut back from Khosro Heydari and fired a low shot past Nasser.

And the Iranians sealed the victory on 90 minutes when Rezaei took the ball past Nasser and into the path of UAE defender Walid Abbas, who shot into his own net to end a miserable night for his side.