Iran’s players sang the national anthem and saluted before crashing out of the Women’s Asian Cup with a defeat in their final Group A match against the Philippines in Australia on Sunday.
Goals in each half from Sara Eggesvik and Chandler McDaniel at a rain-soaked Gold Coast Stadium gave the Philippines a 2-0 victory that kept alive their hopes of advancing as one of the top third-placed teams.
Sara Didar had an early chance for Iran but her first goal in the sixth minute was comfortably saved by goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel.
On the other hand, Iran’s 38-year-old goalkeeper Raha Yazdani kept it level with three saves in four minutes but the Philippines started to score in the 29th minute when Eggesvik scored after a VAR review.
Yazdani made three more crucial saves late in the first half to make it 1-0 at halftime, and it took until the 82nd minute before substitute Chandler McDaniel scored to give the Philippines a two-goal lead.
At the top of the group, Australia’s Alanna Kennedy scored her second late goal to salvage a 3-3 draw against South Korea but it was not enough to prevent their rivals from leading the group.
