Iran’s Team Melli have drawn 1-1 against Angola’s Palancas Negras in their last match in Group D in Leipzig on Wednesday, with Angola’s dreams of reaching the last sixteen in the tournament having been extinguished.

Second-half goals from Flavio after 60 minutes and Bakhtiarizadeh fifteen minutes from time saw the teams draw in a hard fought contest in Group D.

Angola needed to convincingly win against Iran and hope that Mexico lost to Portugal to progress to the last sixteen in their debut appearance at the World Cup Finals.

But Iran started the game the stronger team, with Ferydoon Zandi being played through by a fabulous reverse pass, but then Zandi could only shoot straight at Angola keeper Joao Ricardo as he raced from his line.

Angola created their first half-chance of the match in the 12th minute when Akwa flicked the ball on for Mateus, but his volley went over the bar from 25 yards out.

Figueiredo forced Team Melli keeper Ebrahim Mirzapour to make a sprawling save away to his right after Iran fail to clear their lines from an Akwa cross as Angola came into the game.

Iran had a fabulous chance to take the lead, but veteran striker Ali Daei (who has 109 international goals to his name) headed over from four yards when he was completely unmarked.

Vahid Hashemian had another chance for Iran, who rose high from a corner, with his header on target, only for Mendonca to clear off the line and Rahman Rezaei to slice the rebound wide.

Angola then had four corners in a row, but just couldn’t connect properly and wasted their chances.

Angola had their best effort of the half in the dying minutes, after Akwa played a pass to Arsenio Love who hit a superb right-foot shot that forced Ebrahim Mirzapour to tip the ball over the crossbar.

The half finished 0-0 with chances on both sides, but the lack of class with the final touch was very telling.

Angola showed far more attacking intent in the second-half with Loco making himself a nuisance in the Iran box but couldn’t find his they are forced to make another change when Akwa is forced off and Amado Flavio came on in his place.

Angola took a shock lead on the hour mark, when the substitute Amado Flavio scored for Angola with a lovely header to the far post from Ze Kalanga's right-wing cross after great work from Figueiredo on the break.

Angola held their lead for less than 15 minutes before Iran equalised with a free header from Sohrab Bakhtiarizadeh, who was totally unmarked in the Angola box and headed past Ricardo to equalise.

From then on it was Iran who commanded the match with shots from Ali Daei and Ferydoon Zandi coming close and Rasoul Khatibi forcing Ricardo to tip the ball over the crossbar from a shot from 20 yards.

Angola had lost all heart in the match by now and were lucky to draw the match after the pressure from Team Melli, but they can take heart from a very determined performance in their debut in the World Cup Finals.