Tag: Italy

Italy beats Iran futsal in the second match.

After the defeat in the first of the two friendlies matches in  Salsomaggiore Terme, the Italian national futsal team redeems itself in a big way by surviving a late challenge, in the match against the powerful Iran team, ranked seventh in the world.

Italy’s approach to the game was promising, so much so that in the middle of the first half  Gui, perfectly assisted by the usual Merlim unlocks the challenge with a flying torpedo. The second goal comes at a tight turning point, with the same Gui serving Caponigro who, as soon as he enters, invents a brilliant backheel shot that is worth doubling. 2-0 for Italy.  For the Feldi Eboli player, it is the first goal with the Italian national team shirt. The first half of the Bellarte team was at the limits of perfection, but Iran is a great team and in the final minutes manages to equalize the match from the double of the regular scorer Abbasi.

In the second half, however, it is still a great Italfutsal, with Bellarte playing the wild card Berthod: the Goalkeeper of the Under 19 plays with a great personality in the second half. In the fifth minute, Nicolodi finishes a super action of Musumeci to put Italy ahead 3-2, then right from the feet of Berthod the maneuver of the new double advantage is born. The Aosta goalkeeper throws with a perfect assist, for De Oliveira who pushes the ball into the net. The score is now 4-2 for Italy which tries to control the pace of the game, but Iran activates the powerplay movement, always managing with Abbasi to bring the score back to 4-3. That was a warning that Iran was on the brink of a comeback. Merlim and his teammates defended with the grit of their teeth until the final whistle, taking home a sweet-tasting victory in the last outing before focusing on Euro 2022.

ITALY-IRAN 4-3 (2-2 p.t.)
ITALY : Pietrangelo, Murilo, Fortini, Merlim, De Oliveira, Nicolodi, Caponigro, Musumeci, De Matos, Gui, Arillo, Stringari, Podda, Berthod, Molitierno.

Coach: Massimiliano Bellarte

IRAN: Sepehr Mohammadi, AliAsghar Hassanzadeh, Hossein Tayyebi, Mehdi Karimi, Alireza Rafeipour, Hossein Derakhshani, Jamedi, Moslem Oladghobad, Ahmad Abbasi, Mohammad Shajari, Shavardazi, Salar Aghapour, Bagher Mohammadi.

Coach: Nazem Al-Sharia

GOALS: 9’06” p.t. Gui (IT), 11’02” Caponigro (IT), 19’00” and 19’49” Abbasi (IR), 5’06” s.t. Nicolodi (IT), 8’14” De Oliveira (IT), 16’12”

Abbasi (IR)

Yellow cards: Murilo (IT), Arillo (IT)

NOTES: al 12’03” s.t. Merlim (IT) fails a free throw

REFEREES: Dario Pezzuto (ITA), Giulia Colombin (ITA), Simone Zanfino (ITA) CRONO: Giovanni Zannola (ITA)

Iran defeats Italy 6-4 in a friendly futsal international.

the Iranian national futsal team defeated Italy 6-4 today Monday in the first international friendly training match. In this game, which was held at 20:45 (Tehran time) in Salsomajore, Mehdi Karimi (three times), Mohammad Shajari, Hossein Tayyebi, and Saeed Ahmad Abbasi scored for Iran. The goals of the host team were also scored by Alex Merlim, Gabriel Motta, De Matheos, Morillo.

In the first of the two friendlies with Italy, missing Mammarella due to injury and on the day of the 100th appearances of Alex Merlim’s the host Italy, lost 4-6 at the end of a challenge of rare intensity against the seventh-ranked team in the Wolrd, Iran. Spectacular and fun game, with many reversals of results. First half – Iran, looking ready and strong immediately put the Azzurri under pressure; after just one minute and forty seconds, Karimi unlocked the Italian goal by overcoming Molitierno for 1-0.

Mehdi Karimi

– MEHDI KARIMI –

Molitierno had to drop the shutter on a couple of other occasions, and Iran found the way to double the score, bagging again with Karimi the net of 2-0 at the thirteenth. In the most difficult moment of the first half, Murilo gets a penalty kick that Merlim converts the Penalty kick for 1-2 which puts Italy back in the game. Iran puts fierce pressure on the possession of Merlim and his comrades, but it has the only demerit of charging itself with fouls. Two minutes before half-time, with Nazem Al-Sharia’s team in bonus, Motta took advantage of the free throw and scored the equalizer. Thirty seconds later, Musumeci provoked the direct red of the Iran keeper Bagher Mohammadi, but Merlim did not take advantage of the following free. Like the extra man, however, Merlim redeems himself by creating the assist for Cainan: the goal of the Azzurri put them 3-2 with half a minute from the end of the first half.

Second half – The start of Iran’s recovery is sumptuous. Still, Karimi, with the personal hat-trick, puts the match back in parity after just seventy seconds and in the sixth, it is Shajari who creates the counter and scores.  with a goal behind (3-4) Italy suffers in the dribbling phase, with the Iranians continuing to put a suffocating defensive pressure. Bellarte’s team, however, has the strength to rebalance the challenge with Murilo’s touch under goal for 4-4 in the ninth minute. However, it is still Iran that scores by putting its head forward with Benfica star Hossein Tayyebi. Bellarte responded by immediately putting the goalkeeper in action for power play, but the hopes of a draw were shattered on the saves of the substitute Sepher Mohammadi and on the post hit by Motta 50 “from the end. Just on the counter Abbasi, taking advantage of the 5 vs 4, scores the definitive sixth for guests Iran (4-6) with an empty goal. For the Azzurri, however, a test of character against one of the strongest teams in the world.

Tomorrow the match between the two teams at 5 pm will be repeated in the same venue at the Palasport of Salsomaggiore Terme.

Italy is preparing for the Euro 2022 championship and the match against Iran will be the team’s last preparation game.

Sampdoria, eyes on Majid Hosseini for the defense of Ranieri

Majid Hosseini, Team Melli central defender is the latest name on which Sampdoria is focusing on, looking for reinforcements for Claudio Ranieri’s squad: the Iranian is currently playing for Turkish side Trabzonspor but could leave Turkey soon after his current club announced that Hossein is in the excess list of the club. The player who started his career in Esteghlal has been wearing the Trabzonspor club jersey since 2018. Majidi played in the FIFA World Cup 2018 in Russia.

Ahmet Ağaoğlu – president of the Turkish club recently announced that the club has no intention of lowering the asking price for the central defender in case of a transfer deal, which is five million euros.

Andrea Stramaccioni turns down Team Melli post.

The former head coach of Esteghlal Club has turned down an offer from FFIRI to coach  Team Melli while wishing the current coaching staff of  Iran national football team all the success.

 According to ISNA, in recent days, reports in the social media about Andrea Stramaccioni occupying the bench of Team Melli was so strong amongst the fans, which prompted FFIRI to issue a denial. However, Andrea Stramaccioni’s agent has confirmed such talks between the two sides by posting in social media, stressing that Stramaccioni had rejected the offer to coach the Iranian national team.

The Italian Andrea Stramaccioni started coaching Esteghlal Tehran from 13th June 2019  on a two-year contract up to June 2021

However, six months into his contract on 8th December, Stramaccioni resigned his post in  Esteghlal as the club failed to pay the wages of the coaching staff, a practice that is quite common in Iranian clubs and the football federation FFIRI.

The usual excuse is the sanctions and restrictions on money transfer !!

On the other hand, FFIRI has already employed the Croat coach Dragan Skocic as the head coach of Team Melli. Due to the COVID-19 endemic, however, he was unable to lead the team in any match so far

The signing of Dragan Skocic has raised a lot of issues and suspicions amongst players and experts with many contending that the Ministry of Sports has forced the Croat on the federation!

 While the bets were on Ali Daei, Amir Ghalenoei or Yahya Golmohammadi to take the job, Dragan Skocic popped out of nowhere to get the post without having coached any National Teams in his career.

Azmoun denies any approach by Napoli.

Team Melli and Zenit St. Petersburg striker,  announced that he has no information about the Italian Serie ‘A’ club’s offer.

Sardar Azmoun, who was enjoying his most successful season before the COVID-19 outbreak, has been widely reported in the Italian press that he is a subject of interest by Napoli, and it has been announced that the Italian team is ready to pay more than 20 million euros for his services.

Regarding the offer, Sardar Azmoun said: “I don’t know about Napoli’s offer except for what I read in the media like everyone else. There has been no official contact from  my management on that either.”

Azmoun added “I have a contract with Zenit for another year and a half. I am committed to this contract and enjoying my time here. It remains to be seen what will happen in the future.”

Sardar Azmoun, who was ranked second in the Russian league goalscoring charts last season, has also excelled this season, earning Zenit the defending champions the top position of the Russian league table.

Azmoun has scored 10 goals so far this season including a hat-trick in his last game against Ural on 14th March.

Gianni De Biasi close to becoming Team Melli’s new coach

After the years spent on Albania’s bench, achieving a historic qualification for the 2016 European Championships, Gianni De Biasi is ready to start again for another national team.

After the unfortunate and unhappy experience of Andrea Stramaccioni with Esteghlal Club, it seems that another Italian is ready to land in Iran. This time it is Gianni De Biasi who is very close to becoming the coach of Iran’s Team Melli.

As reported by Gianluca Di Marzio, the former Albanian coach has received an offer of a 30 months contract, with the aim of qualification to the World Cup for which the Iranian national team is competing. The deal could be closed within 48 hours.

Gianni De Biasi is ready for a new adventure at the head coach of a national team. The coach, 64 years old in June, is in fact ever closer to the agreement to become the Iran coach. The Iranian Federation offered him a 30-month contract, also thinking about the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar. Iran has participated in 5 World Cups and has qualified for the last two played in Brazil and Russia (2014 and 2018) in addition to three championships in the AFC Asian Cup (in the last edition of 2019 the Iranian national team was stopped in the semifinals). The deal should be closed by the end of the week.

A new adventure after Albania

For De Biasi it would be the second experience on a bench of a national team. In fact, the coach led Albania from 2011 to 2017, leading to a historic qualification for the 2016 European Championships. A success that made him become a real idol in Tirana, so much so that he was awarded the honorary Albanian citizenship

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama (L), the captain of Albania's national soccer team, Lorik Cana (C) and Albania's national football team head coach Gianni De Biasi review an honor guard during a welcoming ceremony at Mother Teresa airport in Tirana on June 23, 2016. Albania's Euro 2016 squad was welcomed home on June 23 with a formal red-carpet ceremony and National Guard troops on its return from the country's first ever participation at a European Championship. / AFP / GENT SHKULLAKU (Photo credit should read GENT SHKULLAKU / AFP via Getty Images)

Doomsday scenario of Iran’s football is greatly exaggerated.

A single loss against Japan by Team Melli does not mean the death bell tolls for Iran’s football and certainly a Doomsday scenario for Iran’s football is greatly exaggerated.

In one match, anything can happen. Astonishing, unbelievable and implausible results can occur any place in football world. Germany’s defeat of mighty Hungary in World Cup 1954, North Korea defeating Italy in 1966, Germany’s humiliating 7-1 defeat of Brazil in 2014 plus many more has occurred through the years.

Team Melli’s performance in AFC Asian Cup was good and way above average. The player’s played to the best of their abilities, they went out to win matches and play as good as they can by executing their coaches instructions. They won 5 out of 6 without conceding before meeting Japan in the semi.

Japan was far from convincing and very different form the team of the FIFA World Cup 2018.  Far from an invincible team that terrorized its opponents in the competition. On the day however, poor refereeing decision, lapse of concentration, tactical errors, inability to adapt, coaching errors and loss of temper by key players resulted in a disappointing and unexpected loss.  In the opinion of most critics, Japan was never three goals better that Iran in that match.

So, Team Melli and the coaching team have to be commended on the performance and their hard work that took Iran to the semi-finals of the AFC Asian Cup 2019. The hope was to lift the cup but it was not to be and it was heart breaking for millions of fans. However, that should never undermine the hard work of the team. Fans have to continue their support.

Queiroz is history; a new coach will take over. Undoubtedly it will be a breath of fresh air after what was a tense and apprehensive period under a constantly combative and belligerent Queiroz. A new coach must offer calm  surroundings.

Stability, mental strength and focus on football are very important for the success of any team at this level of football. The new coach has a great role in deflecting political or other influences from his players by ensuring they (players) are not involved in his fights be it contractual or other matters.

Improvement of facilities standards & availabilities, logistical and financial support, training grounds and long-term fixture arrangements for Team Melli’s new coach, will be hardly anything better than what it has been provided for Queiroz. Let us be realistic. There is no light at the end of the tunnel out there.

The same conditions will prevail. The new coach has to adjust to it rather than demand facilities afforded by rich Persian Gulf countries such as Qatar as a conditions for success. There has to be adjustments and improvements but not everything successful is about more money either.

Team Melli players need to work much harder to be counted. Sardar Azmoun, Jahanbaksh, Saman Ghoddos and all the other legionnaires have to improve on many fronts else they will be out of favor with their clubs.  Europeans have no time or mercy for poor performers. Professional football is a vicious environment and very demanding.

Iran will go on introduce local talents. There are a plenty around. The perennial poor football management of the country has failed to nourish many of them but even those who filter through can proudly represent Team Melli.

Morocco announces FIFA World Cup 2018 squad

Morocco coach Herve Renard announced a provisional list of 23 players and three reserves that will make up the North African team, who return to the World Cup for the first time since 1998.

The team will begin their preparation in Rabat on 24 May before taking part in three warm-up matches, prior to the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™.

Renard’s Atlas Lions will play Ukraine on 31 May and Slovakia on 4 June (both games in Geneva, Switzerland) before taking on Estonia in Tallinn on 9 June.

Morocco’s match schedule at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

All squads are provisional until the final list of 23 players is announced by FIFA, following their submission by participating teams, on 4 June.

Morocco provisional squad

Goalkeepers: Mounir El Kajoui (Numancia, Spain), Yassine Bounou (Girona, Spain), Ahmad Reda Tagnaouti (Ittihad Tanger);

Defenders: Mehdi Benatia (Juventus, Italy), Romain Saiss (Wolverhampton Wanderers, England), Manuel Da Costa (Basaksehir, Turkey), Badr Benoun (Raja Casablanca), Nabil Dirar (Fenerbahce, Turkey), Achraf Hakimi (Real Madrid, Spain), Hamza Mendyl (Lille, France);

Midfielders: M’bark Boussoufa (Al Jazira, UAE), Karim El Ahmadi (Feyenoord, Netherlands), Youssef Ait Bennasser (Caen, France), Sofyan Amrabat (Feyenoord, Netherlands), Younes Belhanda (Galatasaray, Turkey), Faycal Fajr (Getafe, Spain), Amine Harit (Schalke, Germany);

Forwards: Khalid Boutaib (Malatyaspor, Turkey), Aziz Bouhaddouz (St. Pauli, Germany), Ayoub El Kaabi (Renaissance Berkane), Nordin Amrabat (Leganes, Spain), Mehdi Carcela (Standard de Liege, Belgium), Hakim Ziyech (Ajax, Netherlands)

Glory for Iran Beach Soccer

  • Iran’s third-place finish is best ever for Asian Football Confederation
  • Italy finishes in fourth place for second consecutive FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup
  • Gabriele Gori scores the most goals in a single tournament since Madjer in 2006

Iran ended their Bahamas 2017 campaign on a high with a 5-3 win against Italy in the play-off for third place to become Asia’s highest ever finishers at the Beach Soccer World Cup.

These two teams met during the group stage at Bahamas 2017 with Italy edging Iran 5-4 in a thrilling match. The Europeans scored first that day, but it was Iran’s turn this time. Mohammad Ahmadzadeh scored his seventh goal of the tournament when he put away a second-chance opportunity after Moslem Mesigar’s shot was parried into his path.

Ahmadzadeh scored his second of the match early in the second period on another second-chance opportunity to take his overall tally to eight.

Mohammad Mokhtari then struck a phenomenal overhead kick to give Iran a three-goal cushion, which was fitting as Iran have attempted the most overhead kicks of anyone in the Bahamas.

Italy got back into the match courtesy of none other than Gabriele Gori. Two goals took him on to 17 – the second a curling effort from a set piece – to move him beyond Dejan Stankovic into second place for biggest hauls at a single competition. Less than a minute later, Mesigar scored his second of the tournament. 

Dario Ramacciotti brought the Azzurri back to within one goal with a well-placed, close range header. But it wasn’t enough for the Italians as Ahmadzadeh completed his hat-trick with a late penalty to ultimately seal Iran’s place in the record books.

  

 

Final Tournament Standings

Team Melli arrives in Italy

Team Melli arrived in the Italian Capital Rome early morning Saturday and immediately travelled by bus to Florence to set up a training camp.

Team Melli squad will be Italy for two weeks in preparation o the first two matches in the penultimate round of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers against Qatar in Azadi and away to China.

The 23 players squad will be later joined by Ashkan Dejagah and Pejman Montazer both playing in the Qatar League to complete the group of 25 players named by Carlos Queiroz.

 So far , the IRIFF, which has published the news on its website , has not announced any friendly matches during the camp , but t is customary for teams in training to play at least one or two competitive matches

Also it was not clear whether the head coach was accompanying the team in the same flight to Italy. In the departure ceremony for the team that was arranged by the President of FFIRI Mehdi Taj, Carlos Queiroz was noticeably absent.

The federation is quite secretive and sensitive about the whereabouts of Queiroz, who has been frequently criticized for being out of Iran most of his time. Queiroz is believed to be somewhere in Europe and will most probably be joining the team in Italy at some stage.

On the bright side, Javad Nekounam has made his first public appearance as part of Team Mello coaching team. He joins the like of Markar Aghajanian as the local coach in the training team.

Javad Nekounam is the highest capped Team Melli player and has recently been selected by Carlos Queiroz to join his coaching team.