Bosnia 3-1 Iran: Dzeko scores but it’s scant consolation for World Cup debutants
Iran went into the final round of Group F games harbouring hopes of qualification for the knockout stages, but it was Bosnia who will look back on what might have been in Brazil after beating the Iranians 3-1.
Carlos Queiroz's Iran team needed three points and a win for Argentina over Nigeria in the other group game to potentially take second spot on goal difference, but while two goals were traded within the first four minutes 1,800 miles away in Porto Alegre, it was a quiet start at the Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador.
Iran coach Queiroz set his side up to keep it tight and, in the early stages, they ceded the majority of the possession to the Bosnians, who were aiming for the consolation of a first World Cup finals win in their debut tournament.
Any hope Bosnia had of qualifying for the last 16 had expired with the controversial defeat to Nigeria in their previous game, in which star striker Edin Dzeko had a goal wrongly disallowed.
The Manchester City man was not to be denied on this occasion, though.
After 22 minutes Dzeko finally got his first goal of the competition, picking up the ball in a central position, advancing to the edge of the box and arrowing a left-foot finish past Alireza Haghighi, off the foot of the goalkeeper's left-hand post.
The goal shocked Iran, but only in to immediate action.
A minute after conceding, the Asian side came agonisingly close to an equaliser, when an advance into the Bosnian box ended with defender Amir Hossein Sadeghi surging forward and unleashing a shot that beat Asmir Begovic, only to rebound off the crossbar.
Bosnia's goal had sparked a change in mentality from the Iranians, who threw off the shackles of their initial defensive set-up in search of the goals needed to keep their qualification hopes alive.
From sitting back and soaking up pressure, Iran began to press Bosnia in possession much higher up the pitch and it had the effect of making Queiroz's men more of a handful.
Yet for all their huffing and puffing, genuine chances were few and far between for Iran as the half wore on.
Begovic did produce a terrific save after half an hour to deny Iran's Sidiqi, although the referee was simultaneously blowing his whistle for offside against several Iranian attackers.
The big Stoke 'keeper was a calming presence at the back, as Bosnia strived to regain control of the play with the kind of patient passing that typifies football in the Balkans.
And it was a measured move from Bosnia on 41 minutes that ended with an incisive pass from Dzeko to play his right-back Avdija Vrsajevic in behind Iran's left-back Mehrdad Pooladi, bearing down on the Iran goal.
With number nine Vedad Ibisevic screaming for a square pass in the box, the full-back lost his composure and pulled the ball wide of Haghighi's goal.
There would be no more chances for either side as the first half ended 1-0, although a Messi goal on 45 minutes to put Argentina 2-1 up against Nigeria provided a potential filip for Iran.
Yet more goals were traded in Porto Alegre, going from 2-2 to 3-2 in Argentina's favour within five minutes of the second half kicking off, while Iran gamely pushed for the breakthrough they so desperately needed in Salvador.
Again there was plenty of endeavour from the Iranians, but too little quality and on 58 minutes that fact was exposed to effectively end the contest.
Right-back Jalal Hosseini gave the ball away in Iran's defensive third and was made to pay the price as Dzeko slotted a through ball to Miralem Pjanic, who steadied himself and cooly slotted home for 2-0.
That goal knocked the stuffing out of the Iranians, as the game slowed to a pace that suited the Bosnians and it seemed as if the Asian side - who so nearly held Argentina to a 0-0 draw in their previous match - would slip out of the World Cup with a whimper.
To their credit, Iran did not give up, and they got their reward with a first goal of the tournament.
With nine minutes remaining, Bosnia failed to clear their lines from a set piece and went to sleep, allowing Iran's Reza Ghoochannejhad to tap in from a square pass across the six-yard box.
The joy was shortlived. Seconds after the re-start, Vrsajevic atoned for his first half miss when he extinguished any slim hopes Iran had of a miracle comeback with a devastating right-foot finish.
The result meant Iran finished bottom of Group F, while Bosnia ended third behind Nigeria in second, as Argentina topped the table.
For Bosnia, while Dzeko starred in Salvador, his goal that should have been against Nigeria, sadly, proved a decisive turning point.
Offside technology, anyone?