Kyrgyzstan U20 (Women) 1–2 Iran U20 Women: Iran Fight Back to Win International Friendly

Iran’s Under-20 women's team staged a second-half comeback to defeat Kyrgyzstan 2–1 in an International Friendly on July 25, 2026. The match, played at a neutral venue, was an important test for both sides as they prepare for upcoming youth tournaments.

Match Summary

Kyrgyzstan took an early lead in the seventh minute after a defensive mix-up allowed forward Aigul Kubanychbekova to tap in from close range. Iran, however, gradually took control of the midfield and began creating chances. The equalizer came in the 34th minute when winger Zahra Mohammadi curled a free kick over the wall and into the top corner.

The second half was largely dominated by Iran, who pressed high and forced errors. The winning goal arrived in the 67th minute. A corner kick was only partially cleared, and defender Mahsa Ghorbani smashed the ball into the net from the edge of the box. Kyrgyzstan pushed for an equalizer but could not find a way past Iran’s organized backline.

Team Performance

• Iran U20 Women – showed resilience after conceding early; midfield duo of Narges Moradi and Sara Hosseini controlled possession. The defense, led by Ghorbani, kept Kyrgyzstan to long-range efforts in the second half.
• Kyrgyzstan U20 (W) – started brightly and took the lead, but faded physically as the game progressed. They struggled to retain the ball under pressure and often resorted to long balls, which were easily dealt with.

Key Stats

Iran enjoyed 57% possession and registered 14 shots to Kyrgyzstan’s 6. The hosts also earned 9 corners compared to 3 for their opponents. Player of the match Zahra Mohammadi was instrumental with a goal and an assist.

Significance

This friendly is part of Iran’s preparation for the AFC U20 Women's Asian Cup qualifiers, while Kyrgyzstan is using these matches to build depth ahead of regional competitions. The result gives Iran confidence in their ability to recover from early setbacks, a valuable trait for tournament football.