Iran keep up perfect AFC U-22 record
Iran maintained their winning start to the AFC U-22 Asian Cup qualifiers on Thursday with a thumping 7-0 win over Maldives.
By ESPNSTAR.com staff
Goals from Payam Sadeghian and Kaveh Rezaei put the Iranians two up inside 18 minutes, before Morteza Tabrizi grabbed another to give his side a commanding lead at the break.
Milad Gharibi then grabbed a second-half brace along with a second from Tabrizi, before Bahram Dabbagh fired home a seventh in injury-time to make it three wins from three for Iran.
The win means they are currently top of Group C, three points clear of Qatar and Kuwait, who recorded 1-0 wins over Bahrain and Tajikistan respectively.
Saudi Arabia and Syria are both tied on nine points at the top of Group B after thumping 4-0 triumphs over Palestine and Sri Lanka respectively.
Kyrgyzstan moved up to third in the group after picking up their first points of the campaign with an impressive 2-0 win over Pakistan.
Over in Group A, Iraq moved clear at the top with a 5-1 victory over Lebanon, after second-placed United Arab Emirates could only manage a 1-1 draw with India.
Elsewhere in the group, Oman picked up their second win of the campaign by beating Turkmenistan 3-1.
In Group G, a resilient performance from Myanmar saw them hold continental heavyweights Korea Republic to a 0-0 draw, and both sides are now tied at the top with seven points apiece.
Sabah star Rozaimi Abdul Rahman starred for third-placed Malaysia again by grabbing a brace in their 4-2 win over Chinese Taipei, while Vietnam trashed Philippines 9-0.
Finally in Group F, China strengthened their grip on top spot with a 3-0 win over Cambodia courtesy of goals from Mirahmetjan Muzepper, Ni Yusong and Li Lei.
However, they are only ahead of second-placed Korea DPR on goal difference, after the North Koreans edged Hong Kong 1-0.
In the group's final game, Laos recorded a 1-0 triumph over regional rivals Thailand thanks to a 64th-minute strike from Sopha Saysana.
Thursday's AFC U-22 Asian Cup Qualifying Results
Group A
Lebanon 1-5 Iraq
United Arab Emirates 1-1 India
Turkmenistan 1-3 Oman
Group B
Saudi Arabia 4-0 Palestine
Kyrgyzstan 2-0 Pakistan
Sri Lanka 0-4 Syria
Group C
Maldives 0-7 Iran
Kuwait 1-0 Tajikistan
Bahrain 0-1 Qatar
Group F
Cambodia 0-3 China
Korea DPR 1-0 Hong Kong
Laos 1-0 Thailand
Group G
Philippines 0-9 Vietnam
Chinese Taipei 2-4 Malaysia
Korea Republic 0-0 Myanmar