Mexico have beaten Iran 3-1 in their Group D encounter in Nuremburg on Sunday, with a brace from Omar Bravo and a goal from Zinha, with Yahya Golmohammadi scoring for Team Melli, but the win was overshadowed by an injury to Jared Borgetti.

Iran started strongly, with Hamburg’s Mehdi Mahdavikia having a long-range effort go just-wide in the 3rd minute, and two minutes later Ali Karimi getting through on goal, but he was tackled excellently by the Mexico captain Rafael Marquez.

In the 11th minute Hannover ’96’s Iranian striker Vahid Hashemian almost scored twice in the space of a minute, the closest being a downward header that Mexico keeper Oswaldo Sanchez dived well to his left to save.

Mexico then started to come into the game. Guillermo Franco made a mazy run into the Iranian penalty area, but was crowded out, and then a deflected shot was easily saved by Team Melli keeper Ebrahim Mirzapour.

Both teams settled the pace as the first-half went on, with play being stopped for a string of free-kicks that came to nothing, and both teams reverting to playing long balls to their strikers.

Pavel Pardo delivered an excellent ball from a cross in the 25th minute, directly to Franco, but he failed to direct it on target with his head.

Minutes later Pardo delivered a free-kick, yet again to Franco, who knocked the ball onto Omar Bravo, who poked the ball in from close range past Mirzapour to score for Mexico.

Iran did not let the fact that they had ‘switched off’ momentarily affect them, and pressed for an equaliser, and it paid off in the 36th minute.

A corner was fumbled away by Mexico keeper Sanchez, only for Saba Battery defender Yahya Golmohammadi to pounce on the ball and smash it into the net from 6 yards to make it 1-1.

Both sides continued to press, but neither could find a way through in the first-half, and the half ended 1-1.

The second half continued with both teams pressing for the next goal, but just five minutes in, Mexico were hit by a major injury blow.

El Tricolore’s all-time leading scorer, Jared Borgetti pulled out of the match after pulling his hamstring, and now looks a fitness doubt for the rest of the tournament.

He was replaced by Jose Fonseca and, despite the injury to Borgetti, Mexico started the second period the stronger team and dominated throughout.

Mexico finally found their way through the Iranian defence in the 76th minute, after consistent pressure, with Omar Bravo scoring his second goal after a poor clearance from the Iranian keeper, and the ball fell to Mexico’s Brazilian-born halftime substitute Zinha, who placed a delicate ball through the muddled Iran defence to Omar Bravo, who placed his shot past Mirzapour for his second goal of the game.

Supplier turned scorer just two minutes later, with Zinha scoring a wonderful headed goal to make it 3-1. After starting the attack, Zinha finished it off with a downward header that Mirzapour could only flail at.

Iran then threw everything forward in the dying minutes, to try and get something from the game, but by this time the damage had been done and Mexico defended resolutely, denying them any clear chances.

The game finished 3-1 to Mexico, and was a very emotional win for Mexico keeper Oswaldo Sanchez, who's father died last week.

But the win was somewhat overshadowed by the injury to Bolton striker Jared Borgetti, who now is a major injury doubt for the rest of the tournament.