The Hindu : Sport : Angola misses a golden chance

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 22, 2006

Sport

Sport

Angola misses a golden chance

LEIPZIG: Angola missed its chance to advance to the second round of the World Cup on Wednesday, drawing 1-1with Iran in Group D.

Flavio gave the Angolans the lead in the 61st minute with a header, but Sohrab Bakhtiarizadeh equalised in the 73rd.

Angola needed to win big to have a chance of advancing ahead of Mexico, which lost to Portugal 2-1 in the other group match.

Flavio scored after a fast break and a cross from left-winger Ze Kalanga, looping the ball over Iran goalkeeper Ebrahim Mirzapour. Iran equalised through Bakhtiarizadeh's header.

The Iranians, who generated huge security headaches for the host due to protests against the government in Tehran, had already been eliminated after losing their first two matches.

Solid defence

After a scrappy beginning, Iran dominated much of the first half, mounting a series of attacks, which tested Angola's solid defence.

Still, the Black Antelopes had the first real opportunity in the 12th minute with Mateus shooting over the crossbar from inside the penalty area.

Iran replied two minutes later when Angola goalkeeper Joao Ricardo smothered a low shot from Ferydoon Zandi. Ricardo stopped a free kick by Ali Daei in the 24th from the edge of the area. Daei's header off the rebound went over the bar.

Iran's best chance came in the 27th minute, when defender Mendonca stopped Zandi's header in the goalmouth.

Angola lost to Portugal 1-0 in its opening match, but a 0-0 draw with Mexico gave it a chance to advance if it beat Iran.

Angola's coach Luis Oliveira Goncalves made only one change in the team that had displayed a strong and disciplined defence in its two previous matches but had scored no goals. Still, the Africans played much more openly than in the first two games and mounted repeated forays towards Ebrahim Mirzapour's goal.

Karimi dropped

Iran's coach Branko Ivankovic dropped the team's biggest star, Bayern Munich playmaker Ali Karimi, from the squad because of his poor form and erratic behaviour. He was replaced by the 37-year old Daei, who had likely played his last match for the national team.

Ivankovic had hoped for a ``home advantage'' at the match, counting on the 200,000 Iranian residents in Germany to turn out in force. But Iran's fans appeared to be outnumbered by Angola's supporters waving red-and-black banners. — AP

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