TEHRAN - Iran outplayed Indonesia 3-0 in their opening AFC U20 Asian Cup China 2025 Group C match at the Shenzhen Youth Football Training Base Centre Stadium on Thursday.

Goals from Hesam Nafari, Esmaeil Gholizadeh and Mobin Dehghan placed the four-time champions in pole position with Uzbekistan, who beat Yemen 1-0 in the opening Group C match earlier.

Iran piled on the pressure from the first blow of the referee’s whistle and received dividends in the fifth minute when the ball bounced off defender Nafari in a packed penalty box and into the net.

Iran found their second in the 63rd minute courtesy of Esmaeil Gholizadeh, who unleashed a spectacular volley from a floating Nima Andarz cross that flew past a diving Zidan.

Gholizadeh corner in the 70th minute saw midfielder Dehghan out-jumping the Indonesian defence to head home Iran’s third from close quarters.  

 Iran will look for their second win when they meet Yemen on Matchday 2 while Indonesia will take on Uzbekistan, with both ties to be contested on Sunday.