Iran soccer team loses to Malaysia in 2015 Universiade

The Iranian national students’ soccer team has suffered its second loss in a row at the 28th edition of Universiade currently being held in South Korea, being beaten by Malaysia.

The Iranian outfit lost the Sunday match 1-0 at Mokpo International Football Center in South Korea’s southwestern city of Gwangju, located some 330 kilometers (205 miles) south of the capital, Seoul.

Iran was the better and more dominant team, and enjoyed more possession of the ball on average but Mohamad Awang Kechik's goal thirteen minutes into the game proved enough for the Malaysians.

Iranian soccer players squandered a number of good chances afterward to score.

The defeat came a day after the Iranians were defeated 2-0 in their opening match against Japan.

Iran will play Brazil in its next group stage match on Tuesday.

Also on Sunday, the Iranian national women's shooting team, comprising Najmeh Khedmati, Mahlagha Jambozorg and Maedeh-Sadat Aminzadeh, claimed the bronze medal in the women's 10m air rifle team competitions.

The Chinese and Serbian squads claimed the gold and silver medals respectively. The Czech Republic, Mongolia, South Korea and Russia stood behind Iran in the fourth to seventh positions.

The 2015 Summer Universiade, which marks the 28th edition of the tournament, opened in the city of Gwangju on July 3, and will run until July 14.

More than 9,000 student athletes and officials from over 170 countries are taking part in the championships.

Iranians sportsmen and women are vying for medals in artistic gymnastics, soccer, volleyball, taekwondo, shooting, archery, athletics and rowing.

The Universiade is an international sporting and cultural festival, which is staged every two years.

The last edition of the Universiade was held in the Russian city of Kazan. Over 10,400 university athletes from 162 countries participated in 13 mandatory and 14 optional sports, making the 2013 Universiade the biggest ever games in the history of the event.

MP/HMV/SS

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