Dubai: Despite a spirited effort, the UAE fell short of securing back-to-back victories in the third round of Fifa World Cup qualifying, suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat to Iran.
At a buzzing Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium, just days after their impressive 3-1 win over Qatar, Paulo Bento's side struggled to create clear-cut chances against a well-organised Iran.
For the opening half hour, the UAE held their own against a team ranked 49 places higher in the world rankings, but Iran thought they had taken the lead when Mehdi Ghayedi found the net in the 31st minute.
His effort was eventually ruled out for offside, but Ghayedi wasn’t to be denied for long.
Iran’s No 10 pounced on the stroke of halftime after capitalising on a mistake from Khaled Ebraheem, whose casual touch inside the box allowed Ghayedi to steal possession and score via a deflection past a helpless Khalid Eisa.
It was a tough blow for the UAE, given the balance of the first half, but top-level international football leaves little room for error.
For the second time in a week, the UAE found themselves chasing the game.
Electric home crowd
Backed by an electric home crowd, the UAE pressed forward after the break, with Yahia Nader particularly commanding in midfield, dictating the tempo of the game.
But despite their best efforts, the UAE struggled to break down Iran’s resolute defence.
As they pushed for an equaliser, they left themselves vulnerable at the back, with Ghayedi missing a chance and substitute Sardar Azmoun spurning two golden opportunities to seal the win.
Iran nearly paid the price for their wastefulness in front of goal when Saleh Hardani was penalised for handball in the 86th minute after a moment of trickery from Ali Saleh.
The decision, reminiscent of Nader’s overturned handball call against Qatar, was also reversed after referee Kim Jong-hyeok reviewed the footage and saw the ball had struck Hardani’s thigh.
The UAE continued to press in the dying moments, but Iran held firm to secure their second win in as many games, following their earlier victory over Kyrgyzstan.
This result leaves the UAE third in Group A, with North Korea next up at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium on October 10.
