Iran Press/Iran news: Title-chasing Iran survived a first-minute penalty in a chaotic start to eventually dispatch Oman 2-0 and reach the Asian Cup quarterfinals on Sunday.
Beiranvand, 26, was the star of Team Melli’s World Cup 2018 campaign, and in 2019 AFC Cup in UAE, he proved himself again and repelled Oman's captain Ahmed Kano’s fierce spot-kick within the first two minutes of a 2-0 triumph, according to Sport360.
Here’s the lowdown on our latest Hero of the Day:
Penalties saved: 1 - Shots saved: 2 - Catches: 1 - Total passes: 24 - Pass completion: 75% - Lost balls: 6
Iran were hotly tipped to secure a seventh-successive run into the last eight versus Oman.
Asian football fans were dumbfounded in 2018 when Beiranvand was not nominated for AFC Player of the Year.
Beiranvand in the early months was more than outweighed by a superb World Cup against Morocco, Spain and Portugal.
These displays have continued at the continental event. Beyond the penalty stop on Sunday, his elongated arms also kept out a devilishly whipped, 30-yard shot from Muhsan Al Ghassani.
Few footballers are blessed with such size and athleticism.
Alireza Beiranvand Iranian Superman Goalkeeper on Sunday stop Oman's early penalty
But his spectacular distribution and phenomenal physique – attributes that make him reminiscent of Denmark icon Peter Schmeichel – should be on show elsewhere.
2nd min PENALTY SAVE: Kano connects sweetly with his penalty kick. Somehow Beiranvand springs to his right and pushes the fiercely struck ball to safety, even though it appears bound for the bottom corner
44th min CHANCE: Oman striker Muhsan Al Ghassani breaks, momentarily, clear 30 yards from goal. He tries to catch out Beiranvand with a swerving effort, but the Iran No1 reaches up to tip this effort to safety.
Displays like Sunday’s should convince watching scouts that Beiranvand can follow in these footsteps.
Few shot stoppers on the planet could have repelled Kano’s attempt. This moment was key to preventing an upset and quietened the strong Omani support at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium.
Beanpole goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand saved from the spot before goals from Alireza Jahanbakhsh and Ashkan Dejagah in Abu Dhabi sent Iran through to face China.
Beiranvand saved a Cristiano Ronaldo penalty at last year's World Cup and plunged to his right to brilliantly deny Oman captain Ahmed Al-Mahaijri, preventing Oman taking a shock lead moment into the game.
"To be honest, I thought of Cristiano for a fraction of a second before the kick," Beiranvand told AFP.
Iran's Beiranvand become Hero of Day
"I didn't want people to think that save in Russia was a fluke. But saving penalties is my job and my responsibility is to help the team."
Iran, who are looking to end a 43-year-old Asian Cup title drought, broke through after 32 minutes when Brighton forward Jahanbakhsh latched onto a hopeful long ball to poke the ball past Oman goalkeeper Faiyz Al-Rusheidi.
'Team Melli' captain Dejagah lashed home a penalty four minutes before the break after Mehdi Taremi had been brought down.
Beiranvand produced an acrobatic save to keep out Muhsen Al-Ghassani's long-range strike just before the half-time whistle.
Sardar Azmoun -- dubbed the "Iranian Messi" -- twice fluffed his lines after the interval when it looked easier to score.
Taremi subsequently squandered two gilt-edged chances, but Iran were never seriously troubled by an error-prone Oman side.
"It's the first time in my life one team has conceded a penalty in the first minute," said Iran coach Carlos Queiroz.
"We need to play with a killer instinct. It's important to kill the game when you have the opportunity," added the former Real Madrid boss. 101/205
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