1996 Asian Championship (December 1996)

Iran approached the Asian Championship with balanced results in friendlies against moderate opposition. Given Iran’s absence from regular competition in the past couple of years, the national team was much of an unknown quantity and it was impossible to predict how they would measure up to their group opponents of Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Thailand. In Iran’s young lineup in its opening game against Iraq, Nakisa had replaced Abedzadeh in goal while a 19 year-old Mahdavikia also took the field. 

Iran’s campaign began on shaky grounds, conceding a goal in each half. Only a 90th minute penalty kick by Daei helped avoid the shutout. 

 

With only the top two teams from each group guaranteed a spot in the quarterfinals, and considering the Saudis had defeated Thailand 6-0 in their opener, Iran was under pressure to produce sufficient results in its following two group matches. Iran made some changes for their second game against Thailand, fielding Minavand and Saadavi. 

As it would turn out, both players scored while Daei added a third goal. Thailand would score a consolation goal in the 80th minute for Iran to emerge as 3-1 winners. 

With Iraq expected to defeat Thailand and end up with six points, Iran would need at least a tie against Saudi Arabia to advance, or a crushing win by many goals to win the group. 

Iran would threaten first with a header going narrowly wide. In the 11^th minute a partially cleared corner kick fell to Bagheri who would bury it for Iran’s first goal. Almost immediately afterwards Daei had a chance on the far post but his shot was parried away by the Saudies. In the 37^th minute Azizi set up Daei with a pass in the box for Daei to double Iran’s lead. In the second half a zigzagging dribble by Azizi presented him with a chance against the keeper which he put away for Iran’s third goal. Both teams piled up the pressure and the Saudies twice rattled Iran’s goalpost while on the other end Mousavi avoided his defender and with only the keeper to beat also hit the post. Iran would emerge 3-0 winners and tied with Saudi Arabia on all stats but would top the group based on their head to head result.

In the quarterfinals Iran would face South Korea. 

The two Asian powerhouses would meet under the beaming Emirati sun and it was Iran which nearly went ahead after only ten minutes when a superb Daei effort forced a smart near post save from the Korean goalkeeper. Less than a minute later though Korea took the lead when they finished off a move that saw the ball go from one end of the pitch to the other within twenty seconds. Iran equalized on the half-hour mark, when a lofted corner kick found an unmarked Bagheri, whose powerful 18-yard header clipped a Korean foot, and deflected into the net. Iran's hard work was to be undone however three minutes later as its defense failed to deal with a simple, speculative cross, presenting Korea with the opportunity to volley home from 12 yards. Korea had the better chances in the latter stages of the first half, but went to the dressing room with a 2-1 lead.

When the teams emerged for the second half, Iran was immediately on the front foot. Azizi had a shot blocked on the goal line within three minutes, and Bagheri should have doubled his tally just moments later. Azizi finally equalized in the 52nd minute after latching on to Daei's measured pass. In the 66th minute, Daei received the ball 35 yards from goal, brushed off a defender, dribbled into the penalty area and hammered the ball into the far corner from 15 yards. Ten minutes later Daei perfectly controlled a 30 yard cross with the inside of his right foot, before hammering a half volley into the top right-hand corner from just outside the box to double Iran’s lead. Daei’s hat-trick was complete in the 83rd minute when the Koreans pushed men forward, leaving the outstanding Azizi far too much room with which to set up Daei for a simple eight-yard tap-in. Azizi was at it again just before the final whistle when he was brought down by the Korean goalkeeper. It was left to Daei to stroke home his fourth goal in just 23 minutes from the penalty spot. With a 6-2 victory, Iran would now advance to the semifinals and once again face Saudi Arabia.

 

While the Saudies had defeated China 4-3 in their quarterfinal but were still reeling from the prior match and defeat against Iran. 

The Saudies took a more serious approach and performed better than their previous encounter. But it was Iran who opened the scoring with a goal by Azizi in the 27th minute only for it to be nullified by a questionable offside call. 

In the second half Estili was taken down in the box but the ref waved it off. Saudi Arabia would have their own chances as well, twice rattling the woodwork. At the end of regulation and 30 minutes of overtime the teams settled for a scoreless draw. 

In anticipation of penalty kicks, Abedzadeh was subbed in with just three minutes remaining to make his tournament debut. While once again Abedzadeh displayed heroics in a penalty shootout and saved two shots, however, misses by Daei, Yazdani and Khakpour meant that Iran would fail to advance to the Final.

Iran would face Kuwait in the 3rd place match. 

Kuwait would take the lead against Iran in the 15th minute.

However, shortly before halftime Daei would equalize with a diving header. The rest of regulation and two overtime periods had no further goals and once again penalty kicks would determine the winner. 

Abedzadeh, who had his first start in the tournament, would not only unnerve Kuwaiti player prior to their kicks by readjusting the position of the ball but also would go on to save two Kuwaiti penalty kicks, thus making up for Iran’s first kick by Moharrami that had hit the post. Moharrami would be criticized for laughing after missing his shot although he later explained, “Against Saudi Arabia people were chanting my name to take one of our penalty kicks and when I didn’t and we ended up losing they blamed the coach for not picking me. My reaction to my missed kick against Kuwait was essentially me rhetorically asking this is what you guys wanted?” Estili, Peyrovani and Bagheri would each convert their kick to lead Iran to victory and a 3^rd place finish. 

Daei would end up as the top scorer with 8 goals.

Iran roster: Abedzadeh, Nakisa, Saadavi, Ostad Asadi, Peyrovani, Khakpour, Falahatzadeh, Moharrami, Mahdavikia, Dinmohammadi, Mansourian, Bagheri, Estili, Yousefi, Yazdani, Minavand, Ostovari, Mousavi, Daei, Azizi. Coach: Mayelikohan