Hashemian boost for Iran World Cup dream

Bayern striker Vahid Hashemian was the hero as Iran took a giant stride towards a place at the 2006 World Cup in Germany with a 2-1 home triumph over favourites and Asian champions Japan in the second match of the third Asian zone qualifying tournament on Friday.

An estimated 120,000 crowd at the Azadi stadium in Teheran saw Hashemian net twice as the side ranked 20th in the world ran up a narrow but ultimately deserved victory. The 28 year-old handed his team a 26th minute lead only for Takashi Fukunishi to equalise twenty minutes into the second period, but Hashemian was on hand quarter of an hour from time to seal the three points.

The result sees coach Branko Ivankovic's men move to the top of Group B with four points from two games, dead level with Bahrain after the Persian Gulf state's 2-1 victory in North Korea, and ahead of the Japanese on three points. North Korea, fourth after losing both opening matches, now entertain Iran in Pyongyang on 30 March, with the visitors knowing victory would see them poised for a third World Cup finals campaign following appearances at the 1978 and 1998 events.