Australia's Sayer praises Iran players' bravery amid homeland turmoil

March 3 : Australia midfielder Amy Sayer has hailed the courage of Iran's women's football team for competing in the Asian Cup while their homeland faces escalating political unrest and military strikes.

Iran is set to face Australia in their second group-stage match on Thursday on the Gold Coast, following a 3-0 defeat to South Korea on Monday.

Despite the one-sided scoreline, the Iranians delivered a spirited performance under difficult circumstances, playing after U.S. and Israeli air strikes began targeting their country over the weekend.

"Our heart goes out to them and their families, it's a difficult situation and it's really brave of them to be able to be here and to perform," Sayer said on Tuesday.

"They played last night and they put on a really strong performance, even with the political climate that's going on and the struggles that they might be going through.

"We're excited and looking forward to the game on Thursday ... The best we can do to contribute is to just give them the best game of football that we're able and to show them the respect on the field.

"Hopefully the situation improves and they can keep staying safe in Australia."

Iran's players stood respectfully during their national anthem before the South Korea match but remained silent throughout its duration.

The players and head coach Marziyeh Jafari declined to comment on the situation or the death of their long-serving leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed on Saturday.

"They are another team in the tournament and you don't want to give them any space in order to give away any competitive advantage, regardless of the situation," Sayer said.

"Of course, we are all kind humans, and we can give them a 'hello' and a 'good luck' to wish them well."