Ahli striker Flavio Amado came off the bench to score but Angola were tied to a 1-1 draw by Iran in Leipzig on Wednesday and both sides bowed out of the tournament. Flavio, who had a terrible season in Egypt and found the net only once with an opportunist header, put Angola ahead on the hour mark before Sohrab Bakhtiarizadeh netted the equalizer for Iran in the 75th minute. With Portugal beating Mexico 2-1 in the second tie in Group D, Angola finished their first World Cup experience in third place while Iran were rooted. Iran had the chance to open the score line in the 14th minute after Ferydoon Zandi was released through a silk pass from Vahid Hashemian but Angola keeper Joao Ricardo produced a brilliant save. Zandi failed to grab the lead for Iran in the 27th minute when his header was cleared off the line following a Mehdi Mahdavikia corner. In the 40th minute, substitute Anderanik Timouryan fired from the edge of the box and Ricardo dived to parry the ball before an Iranian player capitalizes.
Iran's first second-half effort came through Mahdavikia who hit a powerful shot which was brilliantly saved by Ricardo before the defense cleared. Angola took the lead against the run of play after Paolo Figueiredo raced down the left before swinging a pinpoint cross to Flavio who volleyed a header past Ricardo just ten minutes after coming on for the injured Fabrice Akwa. This was Flavio's first participation in the World Cup after being left on the sidelines during the two opening games. Angola seemed to be inspired after with the goal and they had the chance to add the second just two minutes later when a deflected shot fell to Antonio Mendonca on the edge of the box but the he shot wide. But in the 75th minute Bakhtiarizadeh demolished any hopes Angola had of reaching the second stage when he headed home Mahdavikia's corner equalizing for Iran in the 75th minute. Ricardo saved Angola from a late defeat after wonderfully tipping a strong shot from Rasoul Khatibi from the arc of the box in the 84th minute.
