1980 Asian Championship (September 1980)

For the first time the Asian Championship was to take place in an Arab country as Kuwait hosted the 1980 version of it. As the defending champion, Iran did not have to go through qualification and joined nine other teams in the final round. The ten teams were split into two groups of five with Iran placed in Group A with Bangladesh, China, North Korea and Syria.

With Iran’s last games being their Olympic qualifying matches, Iran warmed up for the tournament with a couple of games against the UAE. A pair of wins and shutouts were recorded with Danaeifard and Faraki scoring in the first game and Faraki, Abdollahi and Barzegari providing the goals in the second. In the midst of the tournament, Iraq invaded Iran. Kuwaiti television supported the attack and aired propaganda in favor of the Iraqis. This led to a very poor atmosphere in the Iranian camp, especially for Roshan whose brother was killed in the attacks and was one of the main reasons the team fell apart late in the tournament. 

Coached by former player Habibi, Iran opened its campaign against a Syrian that was making its first appearance in the finals. In spite of their inexperience, the Syrians managed to hold Iran to a scoreless draw.  

A 2-2 tie with China, after leading 2-0 for 74 minutes, somewhat dampened Iran’s hopes for advancing. Barzegari showed some fancy footwork on the sideline and laid out a perfect pass for Alidoosti to give Iran the lead. Fariba would score after a poor clearance by the Chinese keeper would rebound off of him into the net, similar to Jahani’s goal against Australia in the 1978 World Cup qualifiers. 

Following the game North Korea and Syria now led the group. In its following match Iran demolished Bangladesh with seven unanswered goals by Fariba (4), Barzegari (2) and Roshan. 

 

In the final match against North Korea, with advancement and placement on the line for Iran, North Korea and Syria, Iran faced the North Koreans.

In the 27th minute a freekick by Roshan was met by Alidoosti who headed in the first goal. In the 57th minute a corner by Roshan was headed in by an unmarked Danaeifard to double Iran’s lead. Only three minutes later Nalchegar broke free on the right flank and sent in a cross for which Fariba’s header smashed under the crossbar before settling in the goal. The Koreans quickly came back and took advantage of a defensive mixup to tap in a goal. In the 90th minute a beautiful give and go by the Koreans resulted in their second goal which eluded Hejazi’s dive and set up a tense finale which would have no more goals. In the end Iran topped the group on goal difference with the North Koreans also advancing.

In a repeat of the 1976 Final, Iran would face their hosts Kuwait in the semifinals. 

 

While the first half ended scoreless, however, in the second half the Kuwaitis, coached by the Brazilian Carlos Alberto Parreira, increased their pressure and opened the scoring in the 63^rd minute following a through-ball for which a Kuwaiti player outran Iranian defenders and shot it past Hejazi. Iran playing without Roshan who had left at halftime to attend his brother’s funeral, attacked in search of an equalizer, but it was Kuwait who would once again score, this time in the 85^th minute. 

In the 90^th minute Faraki smashed a shot under the crossbar for a consolation goal for Iran and the game ended in a 2-1 defeat in what would turn out to be Hejazi’s last international match and Iran’s first ever defeat in the Asian Championship. 

In the 3^rd place match against North Korea, Iran played a much more fluid game compared to their initial encounter and easily achieved a 3-0 win. 

A mishit by Faraki fell to Fariba to convert for the opening goal. Barzegari would unleash a thunderous shot that the keeper could barely stop only for it to fall to Faraki who headed it into the empty net. Danaeifard’s shot would be partially cleared by the Koreans and Faraki made no mistake in scoring his second and Iran’s third goal off of the clearance. Iran would end up in 3^rd place with Fariba not only as joint top scorer but also setting a new record for goals in a single tournament.

Iran roster: Hejazi, Bostani, Abdollahi, Panjali, Khabiri, Dinvarzadeh, Haghighian, Shoar-Ghaffari, Marzooghi, Sanjari, Derakhshan, Danaeifard, Nalchegar, Barzegari, Alidoosti, Faraki, Fariba, Roshan, Fathabadi. Coach: Habibi