🔸Iran’s national football team lost to Russia by two goals in its second friendly and preparatory match over the past week.

The students of Amir Ghalenoei, who last week had been heavily defeated 3–1 by Uzbekistan in their first meeting, today—Tuesday, 7 Mehr—had no answer against Russia, and it was the red-clad Russians who, in most of the match’s minutes, attacked Iran’s goal.

Although both of Russia’s goals were scored in the first half and there was no goal in the second half, Russia’s fast-paced attack in the second 45 minutes also repeatedly pushed up to the brink of scoring a third goal, but Payam Niazmand, the goalkeeper who had replaced Hosseini in the second half, prevented the Russians from scoring.

The weak results of the national team on the eve of the Asian Nations League matches have drawn widespread criticism in Iran’s sports media.

📷Iran Football Federation