Category: News

Failure of Persepolis typifies poor standards in Iran

The Iranian league champions Persepolis, failed to qualify to the last 8 /round of 16 of the AFC Asian Champions League 2023/24 after a home defeat to Al-Duhail of Qatar by a score of 2-1. Stopping its point tally at 8, was not good enough to be amongst the best 3 second placed teams of the Weste Asia zone of the Champions League.

Sepahan, however, qualified despite the defeat in the final round against Ittihad to be the only Iranian team in the round of 16 joining all 4 Saudi teams, 2 from Uzbekistan, and 1 from UAE. Persepolis under Yahya Golmohammadi and Nassaji Mazendran under Mehdi Rahmati, Iran’s two other representatives, did not make it.

This qualification pretty much sums up the poor and controversial local league of Iran. Lifeless and boring matches filled with time-wasting, faking injuries, and the customary players protest against referees, poor officiating, lousy coaching typically from the Iranian coaches who excel in creative excuses for their low standards, and chaotic management at the club level all cumulated to producing a poor league that is nowhere near the standards displayed by other Persian Gulf clubs. The only positive of Iran’s league is the passionate fans who still flock to the stadiums to watch their beloved teams.

Football has deteriorated in standard for many years in Iran. It is not a shock that only one team out of three qualified and even then, not at the top of the group but by being one of the best second-placed teams. This poor league standard will surely be reflected in Team Melli which is currently the oldest team in Asia, perhaps even the world, with the same names bar slight changes, being recalled to the Team time and time again. There is a lack of exciting players, even the new players called to Team Melli are near their thirties!

No single reason can be pinpointed for this downfall with opinions differing on which factors are the worst. In our view, the prime and the most vital reason for Iran’s football decline is the worsening standard of management as more and more ex-generals of Sepah, Pasdaran, and other military establishments are rewarded on their retirement and loyalty to the regime by being appointed to run football clubs and federations. On the other side, those in the know and capable of doing the job are sidelined or neglected.

There is another element that is seldom mentioned in the media and that is corruption. It has reached an alarming and dangerous levels. It is a pandemic that the mainstream Iranian-controlled media is actively and purposely trying to disguise and cover-up.

Due to political and economic reasons, the Iranian coaches are unable to learn from the best in the world. They do not attend international seminars or workshops. There is no strategy to train the trainers by the FFIRI or the clubs. The coaches are self-taught, lacking many basic skills of modern football coaching that prepares the fundamental of a good coach. Many have a terrible attitude as well, which makes it even worse coaching a club and setting bad examples for the players. Only a very few like Hashemian and Mahdavikia have been trained professionally to be coaches, however, none of them are active in Iran’s football as we speak.

In Team Melli right now, the coaching staff are mostly selected based on nepotism rather than competency, knowledge, and skills. This is also repeated at most club’s levels, except for Sepahan and Tractor. It is a no-brainer to pick the best coach in Iran’s domestic league and he is not Iranian. The Portuguese. Jose Morais has an impressive CV, and skills, in addition to excellent attitude, and competency to lead Sepahan into the round of 16 of the AFC Asian Championship. Perhaps the other Iranian coaches should learn from him, notably how he gives playing time to young and talented players to perform at the highest levels of competitions, something Iranian coaches barely dare to do.

Queiroz out of a job after Qatar sacking.

Former head coach of Team Melli, Carlos Queiroz has parted company with Qatar’s national team less than a year after signing a four-year contract to coach the Asian champions and with little more than a month until the nation hosts the Asian Cup, with Marquez Lopez named as his replacement.

The former Real Madrid and Portugal head coach took over as the long-term replacement for Felix Sanchez in February after the Qataris hosted last year’s World Cup finals and was charged with qualifying the Gulf state for the 2026 tournament.

The Qatar Football Association has announced that Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz’s tenure as head coach of the Qatar national team has ended amicably by mutual agreement between the two parties,” the QFA said in a statement.

“The QFA expresses its sincere gratitude to coach Queiroz for his unwavering dedication, leadership, and contributions during his tenure as the head coach of the national team. We wish him success in his future endeavors.”

The QFA has announced Marquez Lopez as his successor. The Spaniard is currently in charge of Qatari club side Al-Wakrah.

“The coach will be in charge of the Qatar national team at the 2023 Asian Cup, which will be hosted in Qatar next year,” the QFA said.

“The QFA expresses gratitude and appreciation to Al-Wakrah Sports Club for their cooperation and consent in facilitating Coach Marquez Lopez’s appointment as the national team head coach for the upcoming period.”
Queiroz oversaw wins over Afghanistan and India in November in the second round of Asia’s preliminaries for the next World Cup, with the Qataris chasing one of eight berths available for teams from the continent at the expanded 48-team finals.

Qatar won their first Asian Cup title under Sanchez in 2019 and the country is due to defend the trophy on home soil next month when they have been drawn to face China, Tajikistan, and Lebanon in the group phase.

The Gulf nation is hosting the continental championship after the original host China relinquished the rights due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Carlos Queiroz left Team Melli after being brought in a coup against Dragan Skocis, to lead Iran in the FIFA World Cup 2002. The Portuguese, not only failed to qualify from the group but also was responsible for one of the heaviest defeats by Iran at the International level. At the helm of Qatar, Team Melli defeated the former boss by 4-0 margin in Amman.

Team’s rating: Iran v. Uzbekistan

There is no doubt that Team Melli played a flawless first half against Uzbekistan in the World Cup qualifiers. Everything and all the lines were near perfection. The home team, rarely threatened Iran’s solid defenses, while Ghoddos was ruling the midfield, The two dependable front players, Taremi and Azmoun provided a goal and an assist in this half.

However, in the second half, which is the half of the coaches, Team Melli was unrecognizable. It was not the same team that went to the dressing room 15 minutes earlier!

That slick passing was gone, Runs from the flanks, and penetration up front was also lacking. The players looked like they were content with defending the two-goal lead and work on the counters. Ghalnoei failed to read the match properly and if he intended to sit on the two goals and defend away from home against a tough Uzbek team with vociferous crowds behind them, then it was a tactical blunder. However, the loss of Ghoddos to injury did not help Team Melli’s cause. Karimi, the replacement, is nowhere near the standard ad form of Ghoddos. Meanwhile, Ezzatolahi is the lowest-rated player in Team Melli’s squad and not much can be expected from her. In essence, the control of the midfield in the second half was given to Uzbekistan.

Once again, the pundits and observers can see the cracks in the team. An aged squad with no real quality replacements for the starting players, except for a few posts, can not go far in the AFC Asian Cup. If we have to believe what Ghalenoei says about the youth, then there is little hope of having any youngsters, more energetic and perhaps daring players no matter how good are they, be given playing time in Team Melli.

Interstingly, Brasil played Argentina this morning in the Maracana, and none of the defenders have reached 30 years of age. The eldest was Marquinhos (29) while the three others were all 25 or below. It seems that young players work for Brazil but not Iran! Brazil had a 17-year-old in the squad and mostly 26 years and below. Apart from the keeper, the eldest player on the pitch was Marquinhos.

Recurring issues:

Midfield lack of creativity: like the match against Hong Kong, If it wasn’t for the presence of Saman Ghoddos, the midfield would have been dominated by Uzbekistan who have some good players with speed and agility. When Ghoddos was replaced, that was exactly what happened.

Teamwork: The first half was a world of difference, compared to the last match. In fact, it was a 5-star performance, but that just crumbled in the second half. If that was a tactical decision by the coaching staff, then we hope that they learned a lesson.

Simulation: It is indeed shameful for Iranian players to act in such a manner. There is too much of that in Team Melli. Taremi is becoming a nuisance in this department. It is no wonder that he is a player with ill repute in Portugal where he plays for Porto and is famous for getting penalties by diving. Only the charlatans will approve of such acts of cheating, a proud Team Melli fan will certainly disapprove of such misconduct that leaves a bitter taste in the mouth.

PLAYERS RATING

Alireza Beiranvand: Was solid when he needed to be. Not really responsible for the two goals, although he might have done better in the equalizer goal. [6.0]

23 Ramin Rezaeian: By far the best player in the back line. If only he gets rid of his silly acts on the pitch. Scored a lucky goal, but they all count. His acts and quarrels with the Uzbek player and arguments with the referee all the time are NOT wanted and unpleasant. His simulation was embarrassing too when he fell on the ground.  [7.3]

4 Shojaa Khalilzadeh: Not much can be said that was not said about this player. He gives 100% and coordinates well with his partner in the middle of the defense, but there are certain physical limitations, and aging is clearly an issue so is the pace. He played very well in the first half, but like the rest of the team, he fell apart in the second. . [6.1]

13 Hossein Kananizadegan: Played well in the first half, while in the second he was lost under the Uzbek pressing game. He was awarded a yellow card for pulling Uzbek’s player jersey, Responsible for the two goals conceded due to poor positioning. [6.0]

5. Milad Mohammadi: solid as a defender with a natural advantage of pace. No Uzbek player could pass him in the first half and he kept his area clear of danger. In the attacking phase, he was less prominent and did not contribute much to the offensive moves. [6.8]

Saeid Ezzatolahi: A lot has been said about this player’s ineffectiveness. It is the combination of a lack of skills and concentration along with perhaps a role given to him that he does not feel comfortable with. He remains the lowest-rated Team Melli player. There are many options in Iran’s league but we all know by now that youth are out of bounds with Ghalenoei’s team. [4.0]

14. Saman Ghoddos: Another brilliant display that unfortunately ended just before the halftime whistle with an injury. He remains the only creative and visionary player in the midfield are, His loss will be costly to Team Melli. Provided a gem of a pass for Taremi to go through to score [8.5]

 19 Mohammad Mohebi: Not much improvement from the last match. Was hardly noticed in the match until his forced replacement due to a suspected concussion [6.5]

9 Mehdi Taremi: Much more effective especially in the first half. He was seeking passes from his teammates and seemed to be enthusiastic. A black mark for his simulation. Lucky not to get a yellow card. Scored Team Melli’s second with a fine finish. He disappeared in the second half which was dominated by the home team. [7.9]

20 Sardar Azmoun: Continues his exellect run of form. Provided an assist with a visionary pass to Rezaeian. He was not on the scoresheet but that did not blemish his fine performance.  [8.2]

9 Mehdi Torabi: started the match in the absence of injured Alireza Jahanbakhsh. He had a fine game in the first half with good runs, He could have done better if his teammates served him better. Faded in the second half and was eventually substituted.  [7.0]

Substitutes

18 Ali Karimi: introduced in the last minute of the half as a replacement for the injured Saman Ghoddos. He had no influence on the match and was lost in the midfield with little coordination with his teammates. Generally a poor game and he awarded the first goal to the Uzbek with his clumsy pass that was intercepted by Orounov and ended up with Iran conceding the first goal [4.5]

15 Rouzbeh Cheshmi: Replaced Sardar Azmoun to supplement the Team Melli defense which was looking vulnerable and unable to sustain the pressing game of the host. Although the idea was sound the execution was not as good. Cheshmi failed to impress and it was in his shift that Iran conceeded the second. [5.8]

7 Mehrdad Mohammadi: The twin of Milad replaced Mohebbi with 15 minutes to play. Although he was fast, his forays into the Uzbek all failed to yield results. Overall, a disappointing match for Mehrdad [5.0]

11 Reza Asadi: and 3Ehsan Hajisafi are not rated due to the little time played.


Coach: Amir Ghalenoei: His master plan for the first half was near perfection However, the second half was a vast contrast from the first. He failed to react to the pressing game that the Katanec team applied. His substitution sounded timely but did not yield a result he aimed at and that is a win away. [7.5] 

Comment * 

Ghalenoei gets agitated by the Uzbek reporter.

Team Melli’s head coach got quite upset by a question on the comparison between his style and that of Queiroz.

In the postmatch press conference following Iran’s 2-2 draw against Uzbekistan, a reporter asked Ghalenoei whether the current Iranian team is better than the team he led in the AFC Asian Cup in 2007, in response, Ghalenoei said ” I have been the head coach of the national team twice and both times the condition of the national team has been good in terms of players.”

In response to a question by an Uzbek journalist, who asked if he (Ghalenoei ) is following Carlos Queiroz’s style and game plan, or if he has his own different ideas for the Iran Team” Ghalenoei said: “First of all, I must say that Queiroz is a great coach and has worked very hard for Iranian football, but this question to me, who has been coaching for 22 years, is out of place, it’s not an interesting question. I became the head coach of the national team twice and I have many trophies in Iran. I also won the Asian club championship during my playing career. I will answer your technical question. People who know my new style of coaching know that my game philosophy is offensive play. The coaching statistics of my previous teams are also available, and almost the most goals scored and the competition of top scorers was from my teams. Since we have little time until the Asian Cup, we have to move forward with these players. I thank my players because they have shown high quality since I arrived and if we won this game it would be our 10th win in a row but this record was broken.”

It seems like Amir Ghalenoei was offended by the question that intimately indicates that he has not produced anything new in terms of players and tactics to this current Team that he has been coaching for approximately a year now.

Iran U-17 lost against Morocco in a penalty shoot-out

In the round of 16 finals of the Under-17 World Cup at Glora Bong Tomo Stadium in Surabaya, Indonesia, Iram youth faced Morroco for a place in the quarter-final of the competition. Iran qualifies as one of the best four third-placed teams while Morocco was the head of its group with 6 points, the same as Iran,

The lenient referee from Portugal Joao Pedro Pine Rio was in charge of this battle which saw repeated fouls committed by the Moroccans.

Iran U17 was the better team throughout the first half with some good passing and runs on the flanks. However, the first half ended in a stalemate as no goals were scored.

in the 73rd minute, Yaqoub Beregeh penetrated from the right side of Iran behind the penalty area and passed the ball to Nima Anders and he sent it towards the goal with a spectacular pass. Abdi headed home to score Iran’s goal.

In the 94th minute, after a salvo of Moroccon attack and a desp[erate Iranin defending, a pass of the Moroccan midfielder reached Nasim Azzouzi in the box, The striker equalized after being clear with no direct marker as he managed to score undisturbed. The game ended 1-1, so as per the regulations of this championship, the match was decided on a penalty shootout.

The U17 performed poorly in the penalties and missed two goals including two attempts by Kasra Taheri.

Uzbekistan Tashkent

A Tale of Two Halves: Uzbekistan vs Iran, FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers

  • The beautiful and unsightly face of Team Melli displayed in the match
  • An opportunity missed by Team Melli due to discipline failure
  • Srečko Katanec proves his quality in Tashkent

Team Melli drew a match in which they were 2 goals ahead against Uzbekistan in the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier in Tashkent Melliy Stadim. The match ended 2-2 draw, Ramin Rezaeian scoring the first in the 14th minute, while Taremi scored the second in the 37th in a game that was a tale of two contrasting halves.

The first half was dominated by Iran, showcasing a level of football that Team Melli hadn’t displayed in a long time. The team’s intricate passing, solid defending, and tactical discipline were commendable. The midfield was masterfully controlled by the dynamo, Saman Ghoddos, who also provided the assist for Mehdi Taremi’s second goal. The overall free-flowing football was a delight to watch.

Two well-played goals, first by Rezaeian who received a master pass from Sardar Azmoun, and then followed by Taremi doubling the lead in the 37th minute. this time by a perfectly weighted ball from Saman Ghoddis who had lots of credit as he robbed the ball before sending it to Taremi who finished masterfully.

However, the second half painted a completely different picture. It was dominated by Uzbekistan, capitalizing on the disciplinary collapse of Team Melli. The turning point was arguably the injury to the schemer, Saman Ghoddos. His replacement, Ali Karimi, failed to replicate Ghoddos’ impact on the game. The tactical discipline, especially at the back, was missing from Iran’s gameplay, and the two goals conceded were due to defensive coverage failure. The slowness of the defense was quite evident in this half.

Uzbek coach Katenec read the hand of Iran’s Ghalenoei masterfully in the second half. Implementing a pressing tactic and empowering his team with pacy and more effective players, Uzbekistan managed to score twice to settle the game. The match served as a reminder of the unpredictability of football, where fortunes can change in the blink of an eye.

One unfortunate side of Team Melli that we have been used to for years is the discipline. Mehdi Taremi and Ramin Rezaeian were masters in simulation and fake falls to a laughable degree. In particular that dive by Taremi in the box in the first half. The referee opted not to award him a yellow card despite the fact that it was a bookable offense. Another comical fall by Rezaeian on the second was even more laughable! Ghalenoei has yet to enforce his gentlemanly type of football. This is the ugly face of Team Melli that no one wants to see. This team is good enough in many aspects without the need for cheating.

Iran leads the table with four points ahead of Uzbekistan on goal difference.

Iran U-17 lineup vs Morocco

Iran’s U-17 football team will face Morocco in the Round of 16 FIFA Under-17 World Cup Indonesia 2023 today, Tuesday 21st Nov. at 15:30.

Iran’s head coach Hossein Abdi has announced the line-up for the match as following:

Arsha Shakuri, Irfan Darvish Ali, Hossam Nefri, Nima Anders, Abolfazl Zalikhai, Amir Mohammad Razzagh Nia, Abolfazl Zamani, Ismail Gholizadeh, Yaqoub Barageh, Mahan Sadeghi and Abolfazl Mordi.

The winner of this match will meet Mali which defeated Mexico 5-0 earlier on in the Round of 16 match.

Uzbekistan to host Team Melli in Tashkent

the-afc.com

Tashkent: Uzbekistan will play Iran on Tuesday in a meeting between two sides looking to establish an early advantage in Group E of the Preliminary Joint Qualification – Round 2 for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027™.

Both opened their campaigns with resounding wins on Thursday while Hong Kong, China, and Turkmenistan will square off needing the points. 

Iran, seeking to qualify for a fourth consecutive FIFA World Cup, were in a class of their own against Hong Kong at the Azadi Stadium on Matchday One.

Sardar Azmoun led the way with a brace as Iran staked an early claim on a spot in the next round.

Uzbekistan were equally impressive, defeating Central Asian rivals Turkmenistan away as they started their campaign to make the third round after missing out on the same stage for the 2022 edition. 

Hong Kong will hope home comforts will carry them past Turkmenistan as the East Asian side look to maintain their recent momentum which saw them returning to the AFC Asian Cup for the first time since 1968 and qualifying for the Asian Games semi-finals for the first time.

Turkmenistan, however, will be equally desperate to get points on the board and home advantage may not be enough for Hong Kong. 


Tuesday’s fixtures
Hong Kong, China v Turkmenistan
Venue: Hong Kong Stadium (Hong Kong)
Kick-off: 20:00 (UTC+8)

Uzbekistan v Iran
Venue: Bunyodkor Stadium (Tashkent)
Kick-off: 18:00 (UTC+5)

Players rating and analysis vs. Hong Kong

Despite the four-goal margin and Team Melli’s comfortable win, the display against Hong Kong was far from comfortable or easy on the eyes.

Very little of that type of performance was new to the fans and the same mistakes and shortfalls kept occurring, which seems that these gaps have not been addressed properly. That is despite the claims of Ghalenoei who said “We are learning from our past mistakes.”. Obviously not in the Hong Kong match.

The most ominous issue is the high average age of the players which remains the most serious of problems facing the contenders of the AFC Asian Cup Title. Ghelenoei is living in denial and is adamant that his selection is not old and has no issues with the physicality or pace. In fact, the slow and aging defense is now becoming a major problem as even a team like Hong Kong could trouble the Iranian defenders as witnessed on Thursday.

Other issues:

Midfield lack of creativity: If it wasn’t for the presence of Saman Ghoddos, the so-called midfield would have been non-existent. Ghoddos, was the only player with vision and creativity with the rest being just also-rans, ordinary players.

Team-work: Generally, not pleasant, and if the rumors are true, then a division in the team between two or many factions, seems to affect the overall performance, in particular, Team Work. We hope that these rumors are not true, then again it has to be a matter of strategy and game plan by Ghalenoi and his staff who really need to work on this.

Profligacy: There were far too many wasted chances by all the forward players. Taremi was the biggest culprit as he could have been on a hat trick. Jahanbaksh, Mohebbi, and Ezatollahi were the other three players who wasted very good scoring chances

PLAYERS RATING

1 Alireza Beiranvand: Was not troubled much and hardly tested by the Hong Kong forwards. When required, he was comfortable and safely held the ball. [7.0]

3Ehsan Hajisafi: Less prominent than his last three appearances. His forays into attack were limited and did not venture forward much. He held back, no doubt in fear of the pacy Hong Kong counterattacks. Perhaps a wise move. [6.0]

23 Ramin Rezaeian: Continues to shine as a right back which seems to be his own property in Team Melli lately. There was little to fault his play. Scored a beautiful free kick worth winning a match on its own. Defensive work is also sound although not being put under much pressure. [8.4]

4 Shojaa Khalilzadeh: Againg and clearly short of pace. In one scene, the Hong Kong player easily beats him with a shimmy. Shojaa was unable to match his pace so he fouled the opposition player and got a yellow card for his effort. This is not the first time he has fallen into this trap in recent games. Against better teams, he will be really tested and found wanting. [5.8]

13 Hossein Kananizadegan: Quiet and uneventful match for the central defender. His coordination with Khalilzadeh is not at the level that it should be. In the tougher matches that could create gaps. [6.3]

Saeid Ezzatolahi: No matter how hard he tried, he was lost and poor in all aspects of the game. Bad passing, poor tacking, missed a rare scoring opportunity from nearly a meter from the goal line, poor marking, and the list goes on. Ezzatolahi should be nowhere near Team Melli with such form. Much better options are available, only if Ghalenoei opens his eyes and looks around without the blinds and bias [3.6]

14. Saman Ghoddos: Started a game for the first time in a long time and he was brilliant. This is the type of player that Team Melli needs in the middle of the field, intelligent passing, vision, enthusiasm, work rate, and style were all evident in his play. Ghoddos seems to never complete 90 minutes in any game for as long as one remembers. Whatever the problem here, it must be sorted out. Overall, an excellent performance by the Brentford midfielder. [9.0]

 19 Mohammad Mohebi: Another disappointing performance from the Rostov player. A much better standard is expected from him, however, his contribution and assist in the first goal were of high quality. His clash with Taremi in the box when both went for an overhead kick was embarrassing [6.5]

9 Mehdi Taremi: Scored one goal and provided one assist. That was the highlight of an untypical poor performance from a player who the fans expect much from him. Taremi’s body language is far from assuring too. He is just not clicking. It might not be a big worry from Team Melli’s point of view as a competent and sharp Azmoun can finish the work, but Taremi is needed and whatever bothers him needs to be sorted out. Proper counseling from expertise, is always a big boost. His Porto performance this season is at the same poor form too and that might be affecting him in Team Melli. [6.9]

20 Sardar Azmoun: Exellect all over and the MVP of the game. Scored two opportunistic goals with the sharpness and accuracy of a true professional and provided one assist for Taremi’s goal. That earned him the MVP. He could have scored a hattrick but for his unselfishness, he opted to pass to Taremi who was off-side and spoiled a real setter. Azmoun has now scored 49 goals in 74 matches for Team Melli.  [9.2]

7 Alireza Jahanbakhsh: The Feyenoord winger is perhaps in the same boat as Taremi. He continues his poor run for club and country. Really disappointing against Hong Kong and had zero contribution to the goals, His wild shots at goal were a sign of desperation. Got himself injured as well and will be setting the next match vs Uzbekistan out. Lack of confidence, hesitancy, inability to create chances for the forwards, and many more shortfalls marred his game against Hong Kong and reminds one of a similar performance against Jordan.  [4.5]

Substitutes

Mehdi Torabi: Replaced Mohebbi in the 70th minute.Had a rather quiet game and an uneventful 20 minutes. [6.0]

Omid Ebrahimi: Replaced Saman Ghoddos in the 70th minute. There was no obvious reason for such a substitution as Ghoddos was doing an excellent job in the middle of the field. Ebrahimi, now 37 years old, lacks much of his old pace and frankly, he is not suited to play at the international level. But it seems that he has the vote of Ghalenoei.[5.8]

Reza Asadi: Took Alireza Jahanbakhsh’s place in the 74th minute and he soon faded in the match. Did not see much action in the 16 minutes he was on the field. [5.0]

Karim Nsarifard and Javad Hosseinnejad had cameo appearances and were not rated.


Coach: Amir Ghalenoei: His attitude toward rejuvenating the team and his insistence on older and slower players has lowered his worth amongst the fans and pundits alike. In this match, the introduction of a 37-year-old player at the twilight of his career while a 20-year-old player with a bright future was available, was an act of absurdity and silliness. Ghalenoei was not pleased with his players’ profligacy. The TV cameras caught him shouting quite angrily at his player. He has yet to forge his tactical ideas on this group. Team Melli is not firing on all cylinders, and he needs to act. [5.5] 

Alireza Jahanbakhsh is out due to injury.

There was some bad news for Team Melli winger, Alireza Jahanbakhsh following the match against Hong Kong on Thursday.

After a loose ball clash, Jahanbakhsh was visibly in pain due to a leg injury and was subsequently substituted, In the post-match therapy, the Feyenoord winger was withdrawn from Team Melli camp and will proceed to the Netherlands to continue the diagnosis and treatment.
The media department of Team Melli, Dr. Prahan Khanleri, the Chief Medical Officer of the team, said that Alireza Jahanbakhsh has suffered a slight hamstring injury during last night’s match against Hong Kong, and accordingly, for treatment of this injury, he has to be out of action for at least two weeks rest period. He added: With the decision made, Jahanbakhsh will leave for Holland on Sunday to treat his injury, so it is not possible for this player to join the group for the match against Uzbekistan.
Team Melli defeated Hong Kong 4-0 in the first match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers on Thursday evening.