Perhaps Iran coach Abba Chamanian had an inkling of things to come when he said at the pre-match press conference that it was mission impossible to beat Spain in the FIFA Under-17 World Cup.
On a balmy Sunday evening at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium here — watched by a record crowd of 28,436 — the Iranian was proved right as an impressive Spain poked holes in his side’s defence to chalk out a 3-1 win and enter the semifinals.
Ferran Torres was the standout player; the midfielder scored a goal and had a hand in the other two. Abel Ruiz (13th), Sergio Gomez (60th) and Ferran Torres (67th) scored for Spain while substitute Saeid Karimi reduced the margin for Iran in the 70th.
Defensive pattern
Iran started out on a defensive 4-5-1 pattern while Spain pushed four men upfront for a more attacking strategy. There wasn’t much change in the script as Iran allowed Spain to dominate possession, but what was surprising was the vulnerability shown by the normally watertight Iran defence.
Iran, having not conceded in the first half, did so for the first time in the tournament. Spain captain Ruiz’s fourth goal of the tournament couldn’t have come at a better time.
It enabled Spain stamp its superiority early in the match.
Torres’ piercing runs on the right were a constant threat. The opening goal came off one such runs in the 13th. Torres arrowed in a precise cross off which Sergio Gomez attempted from near the left post.
The ball rebounded off a defender and came to Gomez again, who this time found Ruiz with a perfect cross. Ruiz’s first try ricochetted off Amir Esmaeil Zadeh’s body and the rebound came to Ruiz again, who buried it with a low shot.
The next best chance for Spain came in the 33rd when Iranian goalkeeper Al Gholam Zadeh half-stopped a cross from Torres and the loose ball came to Cesar Gilabert, who shot out. It was only in the fag end of the first half that Iran managed to enter the rival box.
The second half was played at a hectic pace and Spain had an early shy at goal when Torres’s left-footer induced a good saved from Zadeh in the 51st. Spain created a plethora of chances and Gomez’s 20-yard left-footer from 22 yards in the 60th killed the contest. Torres again did the spadework for the goal from the right flank.
Torres got into the score sheet as he slid in to guide an accurate cross from Mohamed Moukhliss in the 67th.
Iran finally gave a glimpse of its counter-attacking ability by scoring in the 70th. A long ball from the centre into the Spanish box was chipped to Saeid Karimi by Mohammed Sardari. Karimi made no mistake.
Ruiz fluffed a golden chance to increase the lead in the 74th when he shot wide from close after goalkeeper Zadeh fumbled on a Juan Miranda cross. At the other end, Spanish goalkeeper Alvaro Fernandez pushed out an attempt from Sardari in the 85th as Iran pressed hard.
Spain will now meet Mali in the semifinals on Wednesday.
The result: Spain 3 (Abel Ruiz 13, Sergio Gomez 60, Ferran Torres 67) bt Iran 1 (Saeid Karimi 70).
