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PTV - Iranian football players have defeated the United Arab Emirates in the preliminary round of the 4th West Asian Women's Football Championship currently underway in Abu Dhabi.

Iran's national women football team, which overpowered Lebanon 8-1 in its opener on Tuesday, beat the hosts 4-1 at Sultan bin Zayed Stadium of Abu Dhabi on Thursday, IRNA reported.

Iran's Maryam Rahimi opened the score only 10 minutes after the game began. However, Sabrine Mamay struck the equalizer nine minutes later for the UAE.

Iranian footballers took the lead again on the 29th minute when Niloufar Ardalan scored a penalty kick after Rahimi had been brought down by the UAE's Aicha Barbou.

The UAE was left to rue the missed scoring opportunities including a close-range shot from Oufae Nacha, which crashed against the crossbar. Delila Zerrouki also shot wide in front of an open goal.

Iran then scored twice in the last 10 minutes of the match.

Rahimi ran almost half the field before unleashing a close shot past Khadija Oussat, the UAE goalkeeper, on the 80th minute.

Sarah Qomi completed Iran's win two minutes into the extra time to take her squad to top of the group.

Iran will play against Syria on Sunday in its last match of the preliminary round of the 4th West Asian Women's Football Championship.

The UAE hosts the event, which opened on October 3 and runs to October 12.

A total of eight teams are vying for the top honor of West Asian women football.

The squads are divided into two pools for the preliminary round.

The Islamic Republic of Iran, the UAE, Lebanon and Syria are in Group B.
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