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Iran Banned from Hosting International Football

Iranian women cheer during the football match between their national team and Cambodia in the 2022 World Cup qualifier at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran. (AP)
Iranian women cheer during the football match between their national team and Cambodia in the 2022 World Cup qualifier at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran. (AP)
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Iran Banned from Hosting International Football

Iranian women cheer during the football match between their national team and Cambodia in the 2022 World Cup qualifier at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran. (AP)
Iranian women cheer during the football match between their national team and Cambodia in the 2022 World Cup qualifier at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran. (AP)

Iran's football federation said Friday it has been told it will not be hosting any international matches on Iranian soil.

The federation said it received a letter from the Asian Football Confederation saying that all matches involving Iranian teams will be held in a third country.

The Iranians did not say if any reason was given or if the decision is related to the accidental shootdown of a Ukrainian jetliner last week, which killed all 176 people on board.

The AFC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

“Iran is fully ready to host various teams as it has repeatedly proven during the past several years," Amirmahdi Alavi, a spokesman for the Iranian federation, was quoted as saying by the semi-official Mehr news agency.

He pointed to Iran's hosting of the 2018 AFC Champions League final at Azadi Stadium in the capital, Tehran, as an example. He also said the Sports Ministry has provided the required security guarantees to the AFC.

Iran's federation, which has four teams in the AFC Champions League, said it would meet with AFC officials to express its opposition to the decision.

Last season the Iranian teams played Saudi teams in the United Arab Emirates. the Saudi teams did not travel to Iran because the two countries severed diplomatic relations in 2016.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard accidentally shot the Ukrainian flight down on Jan. 8 as it was expecting a counterattack after firing several missiles at US troops in Iraq. The missile attack was retaliation for the killing of Iran's top general in a US airstrike.

Iranian officials initially blamed the crash on a technical problem and only admitted responsibility three days later, after Western leaders said there was mounting evidence the plane was brought down by a surface-to-air missile.

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Milan Clinch 2-1 Win with Two Quick-fire Goals in Rainy Genoa Clash

Milan's head coach Sergio Conceicao (R) celebrates with goalkeeper Mike Maignan (C) after winning the Italian Serie A soccer match between Genoa CFC and AC Milan, in Genoa, Italy, 05 May 2025. EPA/LUCA ZENNARO
Milan's head coach Sergio Conceicao (R) celebrates with goalkeeper Mike Maignan (C) after winning the Italian Serie A soccer match between Genoa CFC and AC Milan, in Genoa, Italy, 05 May 2025. EPA/LUCA ZENNARO
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Milan Clinch 2-1 Win with Two Quick-fire Goals in Rainy Genoa Clash

Milan's head coach Sergio Conceicao (R) celebrates with goalkeeper Mike Maignan (C) after winning the Italian Serie A soccer match between Genoa CFC and AC Milan, in Genoa, Italy, 05 May 2025. EPA/LUCA ZENNARO
Milan's head coach Sergio Conceicao (R) celebrates with goalkeeper Mike Maignan (C) after winning the Italian Serie A soccer match between Genoa CFC and AC Milan, in Genoa, Italy, 05 May 2025. EPA/LUCA ZENNARO

AC Milan secured a 2-1 victory over Genoa in a rainy Monday Serie A clash, with a rapid second-half turnaround driven by Rafael Leao's equalizer and an own goal from Morten Frendrup.
The result keep Milan at ninth place with 57 points, six points behind fourth-placed Juventus, who occupy the last Champions League spot, with three rounds remaining, Reuters reported.
With crucial back-to-back clashes against Bologna looming --first in the league followed by the Coppa Italia final -- Milan appeared passive for much of the match, lacking urgency and creativity until a late surge turned the tide.
"We always try to improve. We work on individual and group levels. We work a lot," Milan manager Sergio Conceicao told reporters.
"The players responded well, which shows we have a group that believes in what we do at Milanello (Milan training ground). I’m pleased with that."
Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan was the stand out performer in a first half largely dominated by Genoa, making several crucial saves to keep his side level at the break.
Milan began to find their rhythm late in the first half and nearly took the lead just before the break, but Christian Pulisic was denied at point-blank range by a sharp save from Genoa keeper Nicola Leali.
The second half started in a largely uninspired fashion, with the relentless downpour proving more consistent than the football, as play was frequently halted for injury treatments.
Vitinha, introduced only a minute earlier, made an instant impact in the 61st minute, drifting into space inside the box and smashing home a perfectly delivered cross with his first touch to put Genoa in front.
QUICK TURNAROUND
A fortunate equalizer from Leao came in the 76th minute, when a low cross from the byline by Santiago Gimenez wrong-footed the Genoa defense and found the Portuguese forward unmarked in the box; his shot took a deflection off Genoa's Brooke Norton-Cuffy before nestling in the net to level the score.
Less than two minutes later, Milan completed the turnaround when Genoa midfielder Frendrup, attempting to clear a short cross, inadvertently tapped the ball into his own net.
In stoppage time, Milan nearly added a third when Leao fired a powerful effort that Leali was forced to parry away from danger.
"In terms of our game plan, we could’ve done better in possession during the first half. We played against a tough team on a tough pitch. Credit to the opponent -- but we could have looked for depth more," Conceicao said.
"On the goal we conceded, collectively, we could have done more."