TEHRAN – Two late goals from Sardar Azmoun and Ahmad Nourollahi kept Iran on top of Group A of the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification.

In the match held at the Saida Municipal Stadium in Sidon on Thursday, Soony Saad gave the hosts a lead in the 37th minute but Azmoun levelled the score just after the regular time. In the dying moments of the match, Nourollahi scored the winner with a shot outside the area.

Iran are scheduled to play Syria on Tuesday in Amman, Jordan.

The ‘Persian Leopards’ remain top of group with 13 points.

South Korea are second with 11 points and Lebanon sit third with five points.

Only the top two teams in the group are guaranteed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, with the third placed finisher entering into a series of playoffs.

Reporting by Masoud Hossein