Iran received a dramatic late boost to their Qatar 2022 hopes after goals from Rouzbeh Chesmi and Ramin Rezaeian, in the 98th and 101st minute respectively, secured a historic 2-0 victory over ten-man Wales.
Boulaye Dia puts Senegal ahead for the first half.#FIFAWorldCup | #Qatar2022
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) November 25, 2022
Carlos Queiroz’s side were deserving winners, having dominated large chunks of the match and created comfortably the better of the chances even before the Welsh lost their goalkeeper to an 86th-minute red card.
Wayne Hennessey was punished following a VAR review for charging from his goal and wiping out Mehdi Taremi as Iran’s star striker charged in on goal.
He had earlier been Wales’ hero, producing a couple of outstanding saves as Iran piled on the pressure. The woodwork also came to the rescue of Rob Page’s side on more than one occasion.
Any thoughts that the fates were conspiring against the Iranians were dispelled eight minutes into stoppage time, however, when Chesmi snatched on a poor Joe Allen clearance to lash a superb low shot beyond substitute goalkeeper Danny Ward from just outside the box.
Rezaeian, outstanding throughout, then raced through a tiring Welsh defence to dink home a delicious second three minutes later to put the seal on a momentous triumph for Queiroz and his team.
Roozbeh Cheshmi’s goal (97:56) against Wales was the latest match-winning strike scored in any World Cup game (excl. extra-time) since exact goal times are available for the competition (from 1966).
At the tenth time of asking, Iran have finally beaten European opposition at the World Cup. Team Melli had drawn two and lost seven of their previous nine meetings with teams from the Old Continent.
Bengali