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Archive photo · 15 August 2024Iran Beats Palestine 2-0 in Basra International Tournament as Ameer Saafouta Gets Red Card
9 West Asian4 Other2 AsianPhoto: Kharbaan Ghaltaan, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cropped for layout
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Iran beat Palestine 2-0 in Basra four-nation tournament. Sardar Azmoun scored Iran's opener and Saleh Hardani added a second.
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Iran beats Palestine 2-0
Iran defeated Palestine 2-0 in the Basra International Tournament at Basra International Stadium in Iraq, with Sardar Azmoun scoring in the 76th minute and Saleh Hardani adding the second in the 84th.
“End of the match: Iran defeats Palestine 2-0 in the Basra International Cup.”
Palestine played with ten men after referee Mohand Qasim from Iraq issued the red card to Palestine captain Ameer Saafouta for intentionally striking Ezzatollahy without the ball in the 63rd minute, and the referee also sent a yellow card to Palestine coach Rami Abu Jazar for protesting the decision.
Iran’s attacking sequence included a header from Saeid Ezzatolahi that hit the crossbar in the 25th minute and a shot from Mohammad Mahabi that Hamada struggled to save in the 47th minute.
The match ended with Iran reinforcing its lead in the 84th minute, and the tournament schedule set Palestine vs. Lebanon and Iraq vs. Iran as the next fixtures.
Mehr News Agency said Iran beat Palestine on Saturday at the Basra four-nation tournament, and it described Palestine going to 10-man in the 66th minute after Ameed Sawafta was shown his second yellow card.
Cards, chances, and lineups
The match narrative placed Palestine’s turning point on a red card, with an account describing Mohand Qasim issuing the red card to Palestine captain Ameer Saafouta for intentionally striking Ezzatollahy without the ball at 63. Another account placed the red card later, with Mehr News Agency saying Palestine went to 10-man in the 66th minute after Ameed Sawafta was shown his second yellow card. Palestinian goalkeeper Rami Hamada parried Arya Yousefi’s shot inside the penalty area in the 21st minute, and the match also recorded a one-on-one chance for Jaafar Salmani that fired off target in the 36th minute.
The Sunday Guardian preview framed the fixture as an international friendly at Basra International Stadium on November 14, 2026, and it listed kick-off as 8:30 PM IST (6:00 PM local time). The Sunday Guardian preview also described Palestine coach Ehab Abu Jazar reporting 15 player absences, including eight players unavailable through injuries and seven who could not join the national team.
What comes next
The tournament schedule in the match report set Iran to play Iraq on Tuesday, while Palestine would meet Lebanon, after Iran’s 2-0 victory over Palestine. The Sunday Guardian preview said the four-nation tournament was being played during the FIFA international window, meaning its results would count towards the official international record and FIFA rankings. The Sunday Guardian preview also said the Iraqi broadcast rights had been announced for Al-Rabiaa Sports, with digital coverage available through the Ki platform and app.
“Iran will play Iraq on Tuesday, while Palestine meet Lebanon.”
Mehr News Agency described the tournament as an opportunity for coaches to test player readiness and assess their levels ahead of official competitions as the date for continental commitments approaches. The match accounts also tied the result to the red-card moment, with the Sunday Guardian preview pointing to Palestine’s depleted squad and the match report showing Iran converting numerical advantage into goals in the 76th and 84th minutes.