1951 Asian Games (March 1951)

Iran took part in the 1951 Asian Games with some well-known players such as Nader Afshar-Alavinejad, Hossein Fekri and Masoud Boroomand, and coached by Salimi. 

 

 

In this condensed version of what the Asian Games would eventually become, Iran initially faced Burma and managed to defeat them thanks to goals by Afshar-Alavinejad and Koozehkanani. The next opponent was Japan and Iran took the field against them in the first ever match between the two countries. While the match itself had plenty of opportunities, the game, and its accompanying two 7-minute overtime periods ended scoreless and thus required a replay. 

 

In the replay, in the opening minutes of the match Masoud-Ansari opened the scoring for Iran but only minutes later Japan earned a penalty kick. Few gave Agha-Hosseini, the injured Iranian keeper, a chance (there were no substitutions back then) but he acrobatically saved the Japanese kick. Nevertheless the Japanese managed to tie the score just before halftime. In the second half against the run of play Masoud-Ansari scored his second goal but once again the Japanese came back and 10 minutes later tied the game. In the closing minutes Masoud-Ansari unleashed a vicious shot that bounced off of the Japanese post and whose rebound fell to Boroomand who buried his shot and sent Iran to the championship game against India. 

 

In addition to the extra game that Iran had to play, the heat of Delhi also posed a problem for the players, yet the two teams battled it but early in the second half a giveaway in midfield enabled a barefooted India to launch a counterattack and score the game’s only goal, deflecting off of Agha-Hosseini’s out-stretched hand, and force Iran into 2^nd place.

 

Iran roster: Agha-Hosseini, Tari, Araghi, Gholizadeh, Nasiroghloo, Afshar-Alavinejad, Markarian, Soroodi, Shakibi, Afshar-Naderi, Fekri, Hajian, Bayati, Azad, Koozehkanani, Masoud-Ansari, Boroomand. Coach: Salimi