Missing Dejan Savicevic through injury, the Yugoslavs had no one to provide service to their front men and Predrag Mijatovic saw little of the ball.Mid-field general Dragan Stojkovic looked out of sorts and was substituted mid-way through the second half.

Yugoslavia coach Slobodan Santrac threw on strikers Darko Kovacevic and Perica Ognjenovic in a bid to break down a solid Iranian defence.

But it was the free-kick specialist Mihajlovic who made the difference in a closely contested game.

His curling left-footed drive from 25 metres deceived Iranian 'keeper Nima Nakisa who watched helplessly as the ball sped past him.

Mijatovic almost made it two in the 81st minute when he forced a good save out of Nakisa after being put throughby Ognjenovic.

The Iranians had few chances in a scrappy second period but Ali Daei could have done better five minutes from time when he headed straight at Yugoslav 'keeper Ivica Kralj.

Their best chance came in the first half when Mehrdad Minavand was put clear on the left but shot wide from 14 metres when he should have hit the target.