Iran book final ticket to 2026 women’s Asian Cup
AFP, Sydney:
Iran’s women’s national football team has clinched a spot in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026 Finals after a spirited 2-1 victory over Jordan in their final Group A qualifier on Saturday.
With both sides level on points, Iran needed a win to advance and delivered under pressure, topping the group on head-to-head.
After a goalless first half, Sara Didar broke the deadlock early in the second period, finishing smartly after Negin Zandi’s knockdown.
Iran had entered the match looking to recover from a slip-up against Lebanon, while Jordan came in with a perfect record.
The Jordanians started strong, with Ayah Al Majali and Maysa Jbarah threatening early. Jbarah came closest in the 21st minute, slipping a shot past Iranian keeper Raha Yazdani only to see it bounce off the post.
Iran nearly responded minutes later when Zandi hit the crossbar after pouncing on a defensive error. But their breakthrough came just after the restart through Didar’s composed finish.
Zandi nearly doubled the lead minutes later, but was denied by Jordan keeper Sherin Al Shalabe.
With Jordan pushing for an equalizer, Iran struck again in the 81st minute on the counter, as Zandi surged from midfield and calmly slotted home.
Jordan pulled one back late through a deflected cross turned in by Fatemeh Ameneh, but Iran held firm.
The win secured Iran a second consecutive berth at the Finals — a milestone for a team steadily growing in confidence and ambition on the continental stage.
Iran’s head coach, Marziyeh Jafari, expressed joy that her team had brought joy to the Iranian people.
“Qualifying for the AFC Asian Cup was not easy,” she said, adding that her players “fought with all their might and performed beyond expectations.”
“The players not only showed high technical quality, but also showed that they are mentally strong and motivated at the level of a great team. This team deserves to be seen,” Jafari noted.
“This qualification is not the end of the road; it is the beginning of a new season. We must have a more detailed plan to have a strong presence in the final stage.”
Meanwhile, Iran’s Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, Ahmad Donyamali, congratulated the national football team on qualifying for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup.
The Asian Football Confederation praised Iranian footballers for their brilliant performance against Jordan and congratulated them on securing back-to-back qualifications for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup.