Iran’s football 7-a-side team ranks 2nd in Rio 2016 Paralympics

The Iranian men’s national football 7-a-side team collect a silver medal in the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

On Friday, the Iranian side conceded the title 1-2 to Ukraine after a game at the Deodoro Stadium.

The Iranian team had goalkeeper Babak Safari Kourabbasloo, defenders Hashem Rastegari Mobin, Lotfollah Jangjou, and midfielders Farzad Mehri, Hossein Tizbor, Mehdi Jamali and Jasem Bakhshi in its initial line-up.

The Ukrainian team exerted pressure on Iran’s goal from the beginning of the game until the 10th minute, when the Persians managed to decrease the pressure on them and establish themselves as a power to be reckoned with.

In the 24th minute, Safari kicked the ball out of the penalty area, but 37-year-old midfielder Antoniuk Volodymyr unleashed a shot toward Iran’s goal two minutes later to nail the opener for Ukraine.

Iranian players built up pressure on their opponents’ goalpost after the break, and went close to scoring the equalizer but didn’t quite get there.

They eventually managed to level the score at 1-1 in the 50th minute, when Jamali hit the back of the net.

Both teams failed to net the winner in the remaining minutes of the second half, and the gold medal match went into extra-time.

Artem Krasylnykov, 25, put Ukraine ahead in the 65th minute when he sailed the ball past Safari and into Iran’s net.

Two minutes later, Jamali squandered a marvelous opportunity and failed to net in a one-on-one position.

The Iranians then attempted but failed to equalize.

Earlier in the day, the Brazilian hosts had emerged victorious in their last battle against the Netherlands, and finished in the third place to receive the bronze medal.

Also on Friday, Iranian sportsman Hamed Amiri took part in the men’s shot put F54/55 category contests at the Estádio Olímpico João Havelange, also known as Nilton Santos Stadium, and collected a silver medal with a throw of 11.40.

Bulgaria’s Ruzhdi Ruzhdi was awarded the gold medal with his best attempt of 12.33 meters. Lech Stoltman from Poland threw 11.39 meters to grab the bronze.

Iranian athletes have so far clinched 21 medals — seven golds, eight silvers and six bronzes — and the Islamic Republic is in the 16th slot of the medal count table.

China is on the top of the medal count table with 217 medals (94 golds, 74 silvers and 49 bronzes).

Britain has claimed the second spot with 126 medals (58 golds, 33 silvers, 35 bronzes), and Ukraine is on the third with a total of 106 medals (38 golds, 33 silvers and 35 bronzes).

The United States, Australia, Brazil, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland and Italy are in the 4th to 10th places respectively.

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