Iran are one of just three nations with at least three AFC Asian Cup crowns to their names — but not since 1976 have they been able to call themselves champions of the continent.

With a promising group of talent that came through a decade ago now in their prime and logically performing at the peak of their powers, there is almost a feeling that it is now or never for this golden generation to lead Team Melli to a record-equalling fourth title.

They are now through to the quarterfinals — but only just, after coming up against a valiant Syria in the round of 16 on Wednesday and only prevailing 5-3 on penalties after being held to a 1-1 draw after extra-time.

Or rather, after they held Syria to a draw for, while the Iranians were the heavy favourites on paper, the fact that they had to play the entire half-hour of extra-time a man down after Mehdi Taremi‘s dismissal meant it was them who were desperately holding out for the shootout.

Curiously, spot-kicks were to be the only avenue to the ball finding the back of the net on Wednesday evening.

It was Taremi who fired Iran ahead from 12 yards in the 34th minute after a clumsy foul on him by Aiham Ousou inside the area, before Alireza Beiranvand scythed down Pablo Sabbag to pave the way for Omar Kharbin to equalise for Syria four minutes after the hour mark with a penalty of his own.

What looked like it could be a game-changing moment then arrived as the clock ticked over into injury-time when Taremi, already on a yellow for simulation, made a determined — and actually commendable — effort to chase back only to cynically clip the back of the heels of Alaa Aldin Dali to halt Syria’s counterattack.

It was hardly malicious but as cynical a foul as they came and, from the way Taremi buried his face into the turf, even he knew what was coming.

Considering fresh legs were now needed given the amount of extra running Iran would now be doing in the extra 30 minutes to follow, Taremi’s strike partner Sardar Azmoun was sacrificed for Karim Ansarifard.

With Alireza Jahanbakhsh already replaced earlier, it meant that Iran would now play out the contest without three Europe-based stars who can lay claim to playing for Porto, Roma and Feyenoord respectively.

The trio of technically-gifted attackers would also have come in handy in the shootout, and some of the Team Melli faithful could have been forgiven for beginning to think yet another disappointment was to be added to their decades of suffering.

But this is a golden generation after all and, after the remaining ten players kept a fast-finishing Syria at bay to force penalties, other heroes would emerge.

Beiranvand, who has made a habit of denying opponents from 12 yards after his most famous save of all against Cristiano Ronaldo at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, would come good once again — going the correct way to deny Fahd Youssef after the first three efforts had all gone in.

With no further misses, it paved the way for the long-serving and ever-reliable Ehsan Hajsafi — on the occasion of his 141st cap — to complete a perfect set of penalties to send his side through to the last eight.

Syria deserve plenty of credit for even reaching the knockout round of the Asian Cup for the first time ever, and they will be better for the experience especially with the knowledge that they were able to match it with one of the continent’s best — even when it was still 11 vs. 11.

For Iran, it does not get any easier with a quarterfinal clash on Saturday against Japan — a game in which they will be without the services of the now-suspended Taremi, who was in tears of relief at the final whistle.

There could be an element of revenge surrounding the tie as well, given the majority of the current Iran squad were also part of the team that were eliminated by the Samurai Blue in the semifinals of the last edition — in what was a comprehensive 3-0 defeat.

The memory of that, as well as Japan’s own 3-1 win over Bahrain earlier on Wednesday, means that Team Melli will be under no illusions as to the size of the task ahead of them.

Yet, these are the type of tribulations that a team has to overcome if they do want to go all the way and become champions.

And if Iran’s golden generation want to be remembered for more than just their undoubted talent and the promise of what might have been, they will have to go all the way this time around.