Al Rayyan (Qatar), Nov 25 (AP) Rouzbeh Cheshmi scored in the eighth minute of stoppage time to break a scoreless stalemate and Iran went on to defeat Wales 2-0 at the World Cup on Friday.

Cheshmi's strike from outside the box was just beyond the diving reach of Wales backup goalkeeper Danny Ward, who was pressed into duty when starter Wayne Hennessey was sent off in the 86th minute.

Also Read | Criticism Gets Best Out of Cristiano Ronaldo, Says Portugal Midfielder Bruno Fernandes; Urges Critics to 'Dish Out More'.

Ramin Rezaeian added a second goal moments later and Iran wildly celebrated while some of the Welsh players dropped in disbelief to the field.

Hennessy was ejected in the 86th minute for a high challenge on Mehdi Taremi.

Also Read | Netherlands vs Ecuador, FIFA World Cup 2022 Live Streaming & Match Time in IST: How to Watch Free Live Telecast of NED vs ECU on TV & Free Online Stream Details of Football Match in India.

Gareth Bale made his 110th appearance for Wales, the most all-time for the national team, but the Welsh appeared sluggish early after a 1-1 draw with the United States in their Group B opener.

The match was played after pro-government fans harassed anti-government fans outside the stadium in Qatar, reflecting the divisions afflicting the country. AP

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)