Doha: Amir Motahhari scored one and set up the other as Iran kicked off their AFC U23 Championship Group A campaignon Tuesdayevening with a 2-0 win over Syria at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium. Motahhari claimed a fine solo effort in the 64thminute before setting up the impressive Mehrdad Mohammadi for the secondeight minutes lateras Mohammad Khakpour’s side made the perfect start to their attempt to qualify for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Ali Karimi and Farshid Esmaeili caused concern for the Syrian defence in the opening 20 minutes, with Karimi forcing Syrian goalkeeper Abdullatif Nassan into action thanks to a well-taken free kick while Esmaeili sent his close-range effort over the bar. Motahhari finally broke the deadlock when, picking the ball up inside the left side of the Syrian penalty area he skipped past two defenders and sent a low left foot shot across Nassan and into the far corner. In the 70thminute, Iranian goalkeeper Mohammadreza Akhbari’s sharp reactions saw him push Omar Kharbin’s perfectly struck shot over the bar and, justtwo minutes laterthe result was put beyond any doubt.