Iran beach soccer team suffers defeat against Tahiti
Iran men’s national beach soccer team has suffered its first loss at the group stage of the 2015 Samsung Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup in the United Arab Emirates.
On Tuesday evening, Asian powerhouse Iran lost to the strong Tahiti national beach soccer team by two points in its Group B opener played at the International Marine Club in Dubai.
Both teams got off to a fine start, knowing that goals would be hard to come by. Tahitian sportsmen were steady in their offense and defense, fighting through a very competitive Iranian side.
Tahiti’s Tearii Labaste finally jumped at an ideal chance in the third minute of the first period to open the scoring for the South Pacific side.
Heimanu Taiarui doubled the lead for the Tahitian beach soccer team two minutes later, and the world vice champions went into the breather with a two-goal lead.
Tahiti beach soccer team retained the lead and Naea Tommy Irving Bennett scored his first goal four minutes into the second period, putting Tahiti 3-0 ahead.
Tahitians did not relinquish as the game extended into the third and final period. The 38-year-old Bennett took advantage of a marvelous opportunity in the 10th minute of the period, and tacked his second goal to make it 4-0 for Tahiti.
Mohammad Ahmadzadeh of Iran took up a great chance a minute later, and kicked the Persians’ first goal.
Ahmadzadeh made his second goal of the match in the 11th minute of the third period, and turned Iran’s deficit into 4-2 before the referee blew his whistle and called it a day.
In Tuesday’s other games, strong contenders Portugal sank Mexico 5-3, Russia produced an emphatic 5-1 win over Argentina. The United Arab Emirates went down to Egypt 3-2.
The 2015 Samsung Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup opened in Dubai, the UAE, on November 3, and will wrap up on November 7.
Argentina, Egypt, Russia and the host nation are in Group A.
Iran has been drawn alongside Mexico, Portugal and Tahiti in Group B of the tournament.
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