Daei's Debut Ends In Defeat In Bahrain

GOAL - Ali Daei's first game in charge of Iran ended in defeat on Friday as Team Melli lost 1-0 in Bahrain.

The hosts are due to entertain Japan in the World Cup qualifiers on March 26, while Iran will visit Kuwait.

Daei will be satisfied with the first half as his side dictated the game to their hosts but he saw his players lose their momentum after conceding the winner midway through the second-half, prompting him to take off skipper Ali Karimi.

The hero of the game was defender Mohamed Hussein who, following a corner kick in the 64th minute, capitalised on a back-headed ball from sweeper Abdullah Al-Marzouqi to fire a low ball past stranded keeper Mehdi Rahmati.

Early on, the visitors enjoyed the bulk of clear-cut chances with UAE-based forward Masoud Shojaei seeing his impressive 20-yard drive screaming inches off the right post with the home keeper completely beaten, four minutes before Alireza Vahedi Nikbakht fired his ball just over the crossbar.

The hosts also missed a good opportunity as Iranian keeper Mehdi Rahmati acrobatically saved from Alaa Hubail.

Mehdi Rajabzadeh came close to opening the scoreline for the visitors after 36 minutes, but his well-placed 30-yard drive was instinctively parried away to safety by the home keeper, as the first-half ended goalless.

Shrewd manager Milan Macala made four substitutions after the restart for Bahrain, as the home side gained possession of the ball in midfield and started to threaten the opposite goal.

Bahrain gained the upper hand in midfield were easily won by the Bahrainis, who brought the best off keeper Rahmati on two occasions, before Mohamed Hussein broke the deadlock in the 64th minute.

The only chance for Iran in this half fell to the incisive Rajabzadeh whose close-range drive was equalled by an impressive save by stand-in keeper Sayed Mohamed Jaafar, six minutes from the final whistle.

Iranian midfielder Andranik Teymourian was sent-off four minutes from time for a second yellow card after bringing down striker Ismail Abullatif.