Wales v Iran 0-2: World Cup 2022 – as it happened

A crazy end to a pulsating game but that’s it from us on Wales 0-2 Iran as Group B is blown wide open. However, coverage isn’t over as our attention turns to hosts Qatar as they take on Senegal.

Goodbye and thanks.

Carlos Queiroz speaking post-match: “It’s just the beginning now, we need to finish the job. I think it was a wonderful day for us.”

He added: “I want to say thank you to our players, they were brilliant. They deserve all the attention and respect.”

Gareth Bale speaking to the BBC: “It’s gutting. We’re gutted, there’s no other way to say it. We fought until the last second … it’s difficult to take.

“We have to pick ourselves up straight away. It’s going to be difficult but we’ve got one game left.”

He added: “The red card changes the game completely. We let the first one in and then the second one doesn’t matter.”

Iran got the result they deserved as it looked like for so long that this game would finish goalless. Hennessey, seeing red, opened the game up and allowed Iran to make use of the extra man they had.

They were the better team before the sending off as it was, and Rob Page can’t really have any arguments after this result. Team Melli has a huge game against the USA on Tuesday.

Iran hit Wales on the break after they’d sent numbers forward and they had a massive overlap in the end. Ramin Rezaeian scores with a chipped finish but it could have been any one of three.

100 mins: Wales 0-2 Iran 

Cheshmi scores from range with a peach of a strike. Danny Ward is slightly unsighted as he travels past a couple of Welsh bodies.

Massive result in this group.

98 mins: Wales 0-1 Iran

Ramin Rezaeian gets a yellow card for protesting to the referee Mario Escobar about time wasting from Danny Ward.

Jahanbakhsh also sees yellow and will miss the next game.

96 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran

Ordinarily you’d settle for a draw when going down to 10 men so late but Wales have England up next and know they’re unlikely to get three points then. Do they stick or twist?

92 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran

He can’t believe it but his curling shot goes just centimetres wide of the Welsh left-hand post. Game of fine margins indeed.

Nine minutes added on.

89 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran

There was no doubt once the referee went to take a look at it. He overturns his original decision and the keeper is sent for an early shower.

Ramsey off for goalkeeper Danny Ward. Wales down to 10 men.

Hennessey’s red card is the first in the tournament.

87 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran

He should be sent off really, the keeper comes miles out of his goal and clatters into Taremi in a violent fashion. Referee looking at the monitor now, he’s got to go.

84 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran

This has been a performance befitting their manager Queiróz’s dapper outfit. The Portuguese manager has shown that his team can play some nice football and are tough to break down. He will have restored some pride to this Iran team after losing 2-6 to England in their opening match.

Page, who has channelled his inner PE teacher, donning a T-shirt and tracksuit trousers, will know his team should have done more with all their possession.

His race is run and Ali Karimi is brought on to replace him. While he was getting treatment Rob Page ran down the tunnel for perhaps a toilet break?

Ben Davies has a got shot denied by Hosseini moments later.

83 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran

Gholizadeh, Hajsafi and Nourollahi make way for Torabi, Cheshmi and Jahanbakhsh for Iran.

Allen comes on for Ampadu for the Welsh.

80 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran

There have been four goalless draws so far:

• Uruguay vs South Korea
• Morocco vs Croatia
• Mexico vs Poland
• Denmark vs Tunisia

A couple of corners in quick succession as Iran pile on the pressure on their opponents. Gholizadeh puts a fine ball in but it’s headed away by Moore.

Carlos Queiroz will be kicking himself if his team don’t take the lead from all these chances they’ve been creating.

75 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran

Rezaeian raises his hand to the skies as Hennessey makes an excellent save to deny Iran yet again.

The Wales keeper is having an excellent game but can Wales hold under this pressure from Iran?

The midfielder is on the bench but not fully fit and the Dragons could do with his calm in the middle of the field. They’ve been too easy to play through in this game and Iran are living in the Welsh half.

Can’t be too long before they find a breakthrough. Gholizadeh is finding so much space on the right.

72 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran

He makes an obvious move of his arm towards the ball but neither the referee or linesman spotted it. Iran are raging but the decision is a Welsh throw.

Karim Ansarifard eventually comes on for Azmoun.

69 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran

Both teams are searching for a winner now – a moment of individual brilliance could make all the difference.

Both on the scoresheet in their first matches ⚽️

Will they be the difference today? 🆚#FIFAWorldCup | #Qatar2022 pic.twitter.com/qnj0FO6vzb

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) November 25, 2022