Iran reconfirm their champ status

Defending champions Iran won the Asian Games men’s soccer title for the fourth time in a 2-1 win over Japan on Sunday with second-half goals from Javad Kazemeyan and Mohsen Bayatiniya.

	Koreans restore pride, win bronze
South Korea, fielding five of their World Cup squad, went some way to restoring their reputation after their semi-final penalty shoot-out loss to Iran by lifting the Asian Games bronze medal with a 3-0 victory over Thailand today. Two goals in quick succession midway through the second half from the impressive Lee Chun-Soo and Choi Tae-Uk sealed third spot for the hosts after a brave rearguard battle by Thailand. Story continues below this ad Defender Park Dong-Hyuk had opened the scoring in the first half with a diving header. The largely under-23 South Korean side had wanted to add a gold medal to the senior team’s fourth place in the World Cup but a penalty miss by Lee Young-Pyo against Iran saw them crash out. South Korea had five of their World Cup squad in the starting line-up — goalkeeper Lee Won-Jae, mid-fielders Lee Chun-Soo, Lee Young-Pyo and Park Ji-Sung and winger Choi Tae-Uk. (Agencies)

Iran, who won gold in 1974, 1990 and 1998, went ahead three minutes into the second half when 21-year-old striker Kazemeyan struck a low right-foot drive from 18 metres that flew past goalkeeper Yosuke Fujigaya.

Iran, who also hit the post on 50 minutes through Moharram Navidkia, extended their lead two minutes from time when Bayatiniya took advantage of a mix-up in the Japanese Defence to score from 25 metres.

A minute later Japan striker Satoshi Nakayama pulled a goal back when he side-footed home from the edge of the six metre box after a low cross by Tatsuya Tanaka. Japan piled on the pressure in the closing stages but could not find an equaliser as Iran held out to take the gold medal. Japan, who reached the semi-finals for the first time since 1970, had never won the soccer gold at the Asian Games and were playing in their first final. They fielded an under-21 team in the under-23 tournament.