Iran’s national football team may advance to Asia’s last four

Sunday, 25 January 2015 2:38 AM [ Last Update: Sunday, 25 January 2015 2:03 PM ]

Iran's Ashkan Dejagah (L) and Iraq's Dhurgham Ismael during their Asian Cup quarterfinal match in Canberra on January 23, 2015 (AFP Photo)

Iran’s national football team may advance to the last four of the Asian Cup despite a loss to Iraq in the quarterfinals after the country made a formal complaint to the tournament officials concerning the eligibility of an Iraqi player.

The complaint is based on an alleged violation of doping rules during the time Iraqi midfielder Alaa Abdul-Zahra was playing for the Iranian club Teraktorsazi last year.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) disciplinary committee is slated to examine the complaint against Abdul-Zahra on Sunday.

The Iraqi player was tested positive on Methylhexanamine while playing for Teraktorsazi back in late summer 2014, but the case was not followed up by the Iranian Football Federation due to his departure from Iran in September.

Iraq won Friday's dramatic competition against its neighbor 7-6 on penalty shootout after Iran was reduced to 10 men and the extra time 3-3.

MSM/NN/AS

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk