Bravo Mexico

Mexico vs Iran
Nürnberg

Before the kick-off, Oswaldo Sanchez (who had just returned from his father's funeral in Mexico) received flowers from the opposite number one, Ebrahim Mirzapour.

Iran, all in red, kicked off from right to left.

After a nice little cross-field dribble by Ali Karimi, Mehdi Mahdavikia tested the accuracy of Teamgeist with a long-range shot that only just missed the target.

The first real chance of the game (double chance really) fell to Iran in the 11th and 12th minutes; Sanchez eventually making a good reflex save from a close-range header. Iran looked the better side early on.

After a succession of free-kicks for Mexico, it finally clicked in the 28th minute; Pavel Pardo again taking it, Guillermo Franco flicking it across the goal with his head, for Omar Bravo to tap the ball in and complete the move that's probably been worked out on the training ground plenty of times.

Iran didn't lose focus, kept pushing and were soon rewarded from a corner.

Sanchez probably should have claimed the cross, before the headed ball clattered into him and fell nicely for Yahya Golmohammadi to punish the Mexicans.

A nice even first-half.

Half-time: (1-1).

Mexico made a double substitution at the start of the second-half; something of a Ricardo La Volpe tradition.

Then Jared Borgetti pulled up with what looked like a hamstring strain, five minutes after the re-start, and needed to be replaced; leaving Mexico with no more substitution options for the last forty minutes.

Just before the hour, Mexico might consider themselves not to have had a penalty; when Marquez was nudged to the floor.

Just when it looked like there wouldn't be a breakthrough, Mexico scored two goals in three minutes to put the game out of Iran's reach.

The first came from a poor clearance by the erratic Mirzapour. The ball was headed back towards the area and badly cleared again from a defender to half-time substitute, Antonio Naelson. The Mexican number seven, better known as 'Zinha' passed the ball through for Omar Bravo to run onto, beat the slipping Iranian keeper and send La Volpe into a sideline rapture.

Then the Brazilian-born, 'Zinha' Naelson rose to head home a right-wing cross from Mario Mendez to shatter the Iranians dreams.

As the whistle blows, the Mexican players all run to console a tearful Oswaldo Sanchez; whose proud father is now looking down from the great football stadium in the sky.

Final Score:
Mexico 3 - Iran 1

Teams
Mexico: (Captain Rafael Marquez)
1 Oswaldo Sanchez; 3 Carlos Salcido, 4 Rafael Marquez, 5 Ricardo Osorio, 16 Mario Mendez; 6 Gerardo Torrado, 8 Pavel Pardo, 14 Gonzalo Pineda; 9 Jared Borgetti, 10 Guillermo Franco, 19 Omar Bravo.

Iran: (Captain Ali Daei)
1 Ebrahim Mirzapour; 4 Yahya Golmohammadi, 5 Rahman Rezae, 13 Hossein Kaabi, 20 Mohammad Nosratii; 2 Mehdi Mahdavikia, 6 Javad Nekounam, 8 Ali Karimi, 14 Andranik Teymourian; 9 Vahid Hashemian, 10 Ali Daei.

Referee:
Roberto Rosetti (Italy)

Our Man of The Match:
Omar Bravo.