Tehran Times: Iran national football team suffered a second successive loss in the 2022 World Cup qualification, losing to Iraq 2-1 on Thursday.

In the match held in neutral venue Amman, Mohanad Ali gave the Iraqi team the lead from the edge of the six-yard area in the 11th minute after the Iranian defenders failed to clear the ball.

Iran midfielder Ahmad Nourollahi levelled the score with a well-taken goal in the 25th minute.

Iraq started better the second half and put Team Melli under pressure and made some scoring chances.

With nine minutes remaining, Iran went down to 10 men after captain Masoud Shojaei received his second yellow card.

Substitute Alaa Abbas found the back of Iran’s net with a header in the dying moments of the match and kept Iraq at the top of Group C with 10 points >>>