Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Ho Chi Minh City: Iran made it three wins out of three at the AFF U19 Tournament in Vietnam after coming from a goal down to hammer fellow 2012 AFC U-19 Championship qualifiers Australia 4-1 on Thursday.
Jake Barker-Daish, who plays his club football for 2012 AFC Champions League quarter-finalists Adelaide United, put the Young Socceroos 1-0 up with a deflected free-kick with just ten minutes played but Iran replied with a dominant second-half display, scoring four time after the interval to book their place in Saturday's final, where they will meet Uzbekistan.
Iran skipper Alireza Jahanbakhsh equalised with a sweetly-struck free-kick six minutes into the second-half before Sardar Azmoun turned the match in the Central Asians' favour just sixty seconds later.
Jahanbakhsh made it 3-1 from the penalty spot in the 63rd minute and then turned provider for Iran's fourth when the Damash Gilan midfielder set-up Sepahan striker Azmoun with five minutes left on the clock.
The four-team AFF tournament concludes on Saturday when Iran look to end the contest with a perfect record in the final match against Uzbekistan, who hammered hosts Vietnam 4-0 on Thursday in what was a precursor to their meeting at the 2012 AFC U-19 Championship on November 4.
The Uzbeks and Vietnam have be drawn together in Group C alongside Jordan and reigning champions DPR Korea while Iran have been pooled with hosts UAE, Japan and Kuwait.
The 2012 AFC U-19 Championship will be held in the UAE from November 4 to 17.