Iran defeats Togo 2-0 in FIFA World Cup warm-up match
Friday, 06 October 2017 8:21 AM [ Last Update: Saturday, 07 October 2017 7:50 AM ]
The picture shows a view of the 2018 FIFA World Cup warm-up match between the Iran men's national football team (players in red) and Togo at Azadi Stadium, western Tehran, Iran, on October 5, 2017.
The Iran men's national football team, also known as Team Melli, has defeated Togo in an international friendly match as part of preparations for the 2018 Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup.
Team Melli defeated Les Eperviers (The Sparrow Hawks) 2-0 in a fixture staged at Azadi Stadium in western Tehran on Thursday evening.
Even though Iranian footballers started the match in a dominant fashion and sought to bury the ball in the back of the visitors' net, their efforts did not pay off in the first half.
Both teams failed to score a goal, and went into the cloakrooms tied at nil.
After the interval, the hosts built up more pressure on their opponents' goalpost.
Swedish-born Iranian international footballer Saman Ghoddos, who plays for Östersunds FK in the Swedish Allsvenskan, fired his initial 20-yard drive early into the second period, which Togolese goalkeeper Bassa Djeri Sabirou found too hot to handle.
Iranian striker Karim Ansarifard then made no mistake in finishing on the rebound, and broke the deadlock in the 51st minute.
Right on the hour mark, Omid Ebrahimi broke down the right and cut the ball back into the path of Ansarifard.
The 27-year-old Iranian footballer for Greek club Olympiacos darted into the six-yard box, and converted Ebrahimi's low cross with a simple finish to score a brace.
The Iran men's national soccer team is scheduled to take on the Russian side at Kazan Arena in Kazan on October 10.
Iran Tehran Togo World Cup FIFA football Azadi stadium Iran national soccer team Team Melli FIFA World Cup
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