India had been hosting the 17th AFC U16 Championship and Iran’s national squad had managed to advance to final to face Iraq. The normal time only resulted a goalless draw and penalty shootouts decided the winner, where Iranian youths failed in two penalties, while Iraqis managed 4 out of 5 penalties and thus defeated Iran to become champions.
Iraqis had been dominating the match, amid Iran’s intermittent efforts to equalize the ownership of ball in both halves. They even were close to open the account against Iran in the second half and Iranians resorted to merely defend in their own half of pitch.
Late in the match Iranians found a time to score, but they had been exhausted physically and saw the method in penalty shootouts where they would probably win. However, their odds faded rapidly by missing two shootouts. Their conduct however would be called ‘laudable,’ with a second place in the continent.
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