Author: admin

A fine win for Team Melli vs. Algeria

Team Melli defeated Algeria 2-1 in an international friendly held in Graz Austria on Saturday.

Iran goals were scored by their two top marksmen , Sardar Azmoun (11') and Mehdi Taremi (19)

After a narrow loss to Tunisia, Queiroz was hoping to get their World Cup preparation back on track. This was done in style against a tough tackling and sometimes uncalled for rough play by the North African teams managed by the legendary Rabih Madjer. Both of the top Algerian players featured in the match , Leicster City's Riyad Mahrez and Newcastle's Islam Soleimani 
  • 11'Goal! Iran 1, Algeria 0. Sardar Azmoun (Iran) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Alireza Jahanbakhsh.
  • 19'Goal! Iran 2, Algeria 0. Mehdi Taremi (Iran) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Ehsan Haji Safi.
  Farouk Chafai pulls one goal back in the second half.

Strong team to face Algeria

Queiroz selected his probable starting 11 and opted for a stronger team to play against Algeria:

Alireza Beiranvand, Vouria Ghafouri, Pejman Montazeri, Mohammad Reza Khanzadeh, Saeed Aghaei, Saeed Ezzatollahi, Karim Ansarifard, Ehsan Haj Safi, Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Sardar Azmoun, Mehdi Taremi

On the other side, Rabih Majar will lead Algeria on Tuesday, in his second friendly in four days. Having won their first friendly against Tanzania in 4-1 on July 5, 

The friendly match at the Graz stadium in Austria is the last match for both teams during March , in which Majer will seek to make as many changes as possible compared to the previous encounter against Tanzania. Players, like Ben Nasser, Ben Talib, Brahimi and Sulaimani, will be missing against the strongest opponent of Algeria so far. The match against the strength of the Iranian Team , a 2018 World Cup qualifier, seems to be a tough task for the Algerians despite the recent friendly loss by Iran to Tunisia.

It is feared that the many absences in Algeria will affect the performance of Majer's team, especially under the strength of the competitor and the lack of options for the quality of the national selectors, who preferred to give greater opportunities for local players during this match. Algeria national team will play the game without a real defender and the defensive midfielder . Rabah Magar, does not want to lose this friendly in order to continue the victories and stay away from the intense criticism by the media at home, although he has not been defeated in three consecutive games.

For Carlos Queiroz , it is a win win situation for him. He will have a pretty good idea of whom he will take to the world cup but matches like that will give him even more confidence both in his style and his players reaction to game plan.

Team Melli will welcome the twins marksmen Sardar Azmoun and Mehdi Taremi. The former has not been the best of the season mainly due to injury while Taremi has been scoring goals with ease at all levels of competitions.

H2H

H / A / N Matches W D L Goals + / -
H 1 1 0 0 2 - 1 +1
A 1 0 0 1 0 - 1 -1
N 1 0 1 0 0 - 0 +0
Total 3 1 1 1 2 - 2 +0
 
Date Comp. H / A / N Final score Stadium Attendance
03.03.2002  LG CUP N 0 - 0 Mohammed V Stadium , Casablanca 1500
13.10.1991  ASI/AFR A 0 - 1 Algiers 30000
27.09.1991 ASI/AFR H 2 - 1 Azadi - Tehran 100000

Algeria Match Will Help Team Melli: Alireza Jahanbakhsh

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran national football team winger Alireza Jahanbakhsh says the upcoming friendly match against Algeria can be helpful for Team Melli in preparation for the 2018 World Cup.

Iran is scheduled to face Algeria in the warm-up match in Graz, Austria on Tuesday.

Carlos Queiroz’s team lost to Tunisia 1-0 on March 23 in Rades.

“(The) Tunisia match was a good warm-up for us and the match against Algeria is also important for Team Melli. These friendlies will improve our readiness for the match against Morocco in the World Cup opener,” Jahanbakhsh told Iran Football Federation’s website.

“Morocco is a strong team as it showed against Serbia in (a) friendly. I know some Moroccan players and it will be a difficult match for us,” the AZ Alkmaar winger added.

“We will have a difficult task in the World Cup because Spain and Portugal are among the best teams in the world. But I believe that the friendlies against Turkey and Greece will help us increase our readiness,” Jahanbakhsh stated.

Iran MP slams appearance of Shojaei & Hajsafi in Team Melli

By AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE FOOTBALL

Sunday March 25, 2018

TEHRAN, Iran, Mar 25 – A conservative lawmaker in Iran slammed the sports federation on Sunday for allowing star footballer Masoud Shojaei to return to the international squad despite appearing against an Israeli team last year.

Shojaei, the 33-year-old national team captain, and teammate Ehsan Haji Safi were criticised in Iran after they appeared for their Greek club Panionios last August in a Europa League qualifier against Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Deputy Sports Minister Mohammad Reza Davarzani said at the time that the pair would be banned for life.

Iran does not recognise the Jewish state and bars its athletes from appearing against Israelis.

Confusion has reigned over the matter, however, with Haji Safi never banned from the international squad, while Shojaei has missed all the international fixtures until Friday’s match against Tunisia, which Iran lost 1-0.

“Re-inviting Masoud Shojaei to be present in the national football team — after competing against the Zionist regime — shows that the football federation has not taken serious action on this issue,” hardline lawmaker Mohammad Ali Poormokhtar said in an interview with the conservative Fars news agency.

He said the sports minister would be questioned after the current break for the Iranian new year.

A combination photo shows Iran’s Ehsan Haji Safi (L) playing during a 2014 World Cup qualifying football match and Iran’s Masoud Shojaei playing during a World Cup 2018 qualifying match © AFP / Behrouz MEHRI, Karim JAAFAR

In a press conference ahead of the Tunisia match, Shojaei said: “I am very happy to be a member of this team. Although the final list (for the World Cup squad) has not been announced yet, the fact that right now I am in this team means I am very happy and proud.”

Iran cannot admit it bans players for appearing against Israelis because there are strict international rules against political interference in sports.

The issue has come to the fore in recent weeks after wrestler Alireza Karimi Mashiani was given a six-month ban for deliberately losing a world championship match in Poland in November in order to avoid an Israeli opponent in the next round.

The head of Iran’s wrestling federation quit last month in disgust, saying young athletes were being forced to lie and the authorities were letting them pay the price for their policies.

“Forcing an athlete to accept defeat or run around all night looking for a doctor’s note is not right,” Rasoul Khadem, an Olympic gold medallist, told public radio ahead of his resignation.

Iran is due to play another friendly against Algeria in Tehran on Tuesday.

Narrow loss to Tunisia

TUNIS - A fortunate own goal handed Tunisia a 1-0 victory over Iran in their friendly clash on a waterlogged pitch in Tunis on Friday, in what was a morale boosting result for the World Cup-bound north Africans.

Wahbi Khazri proved the talisman for the home side and it was his dribbling run that led to the 71st minute winner. Khazri’s shot was parried by Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand into the path of defender Milad Mohammadi, who could only turn the ball into his own net.

Carlos Queiroz started the match with 7 regular plays missing but welcoming back the veteran Captain Masoud Shojaei who played in the first half.

Despite the water-logged pitch , Team Melli played a fluent game with many passing moves into the host box. In fact , if it was not for that perennial problem that Iran seem to always have with Arab referees, Team Melli would have been awarded a penalty in what looked a like a very obvious foul in the penalty box on Karim Ansarifard. To the horror of the Olympiakos forward, the Egyptian referee played on. Several replays by the Tunisian referee only made the case of a penalty that much stronger.

The new defensive line up at the back stood well against the quick and agile Tunisian ,however , there was very few serious attempt at Biranvand goal.

The first half ended goal less.

In the second half and with many substitution, the game lost a bit of its excitement. Team Melli was the more organized in the middle of the field , but the problem was in the forward line. Absence of Taremi and Azmoun was quite noticeable up front ad neither Ansarifard nor Ghoocannejad managed to seriously threaten the Tunisia goal. Both forwards struggled to convince as an attacking force. Kaveh Rezaei did not fare much better either. A glorious chance for Team Melli to score was wasted by substitute Mehdi Torabi when he hit the sky with the Tunisia keeper stranded.

Tunisia, who share the same World Cup group with Belgium, England and Panama, might have had a second soon after but Khazri’s powerful close range effort was well saved.

Iran were using the match to approximate the playing style of Morocco, who share their group in Russia with Portugal and Spain.

A dipping free kick from captain Ehsan Hajsafi in the 67th minute, saved by Tunisia’s Farouk Ben Mustapha, was the closest Iran came to scoring.

Vahid Amiri , so reliable on the flanks during the World Cup qualifiers lacked his normal agility and pace. Alireza Jahanbakhsh was introduced too late to make an impact.

Overall, the loss to Tunisia , gave Queiroz some good insight inb the capabilties of the second string team.

Team Melli's take another north African country, Algeria, in Graz, Austria on Tuesday.

Squad for Tunisia and Algeria Match

  Carlos Queiroz invited 28 players to the national football team in preparation for the two friendly matches against Tunisia and Algeria. According to ISNA, Iran's Team Melli, which defeated Sierra Leone last yesterday (Saturday) by a convincing 4-0 result, will continue the preparation for the  friendly matches against Tunisia and Algeria which should me a much more serious affair and will give the coach a pretty good idea about the north african style of football ahead on the opener Word Cup match against Morocco. The surprise inclusion is the former capt of Team Melli , Masoud Shojaei who has been recalled to the team. In this list, 6 players who were in the squad for the last game vs. Sierra Leone, have lost their places in the latest squad. Hamed Lak, Mohammad Ansari, Kamal Kamyiabinia, Ahmad Abdollahzadeh, Omid Noroufkan and Ali AliPour were all left put. Among these players, NoorAfkan , the young Esteghl;al player was the best performer in the last match.. The names of the players invited to the national team are as follows:  
# Player Post Club Country
1 ABEDZADEH, Amir GK C.S. Marítimo Portugal
2 BIRANVAND, Alireza GK Persepolis Iran
3 HOSSEINI, Hossein GK Esteghlal Iran
4 MAZAHERI, Mohammad Rashid GK Zob Ahan Iran
         
5 AGHAEI, Saeed DF Sepahan Iran
6 CHESHMI, Rouzbeh DF Esteghlal Iran
7 GHAFOORI, Vourya DF Esteghlal Iran
8 HOSSEINI, Jalal DF Persepolis Iran
9 KHANZADEH, Mohammadreza DF Padidah Iran
10 MOHAMMADI, Milad DF Terek Grozny Russia
11 MONTAZERI, Pejman DF Esteghlal Iran
12 POURALIGANJI, Morteza DF Al Sadd Qatar
13 REZAEIAN, Ramin DF K.V. Oostende Belgium
         
14 AMIRI, Vahid MF Persepolis Iran
15 EBRAHIMI, Omid MF Esteghlal Iran
16 EZZATOLLAHI, Saeid MF Amkar Perm Russia
17 HAJSAFY, Ehsan MF Panionios FC Greece
18 KARIMI, Ali MF Sepahan Iran
19 SHOJAEI, Masoud MF AEK Athens Greece
20 TORABI, Mehdi MF Saipa Alborz Iran
         
21 ANSARIFARD, Karim FW Olympiacos F.C. Greece
22 AZMOUN, Sardar FW Rubin Kazan Russia
23 GHODDOS, Saman FW Östersunds FK  Sweden
24 GHOLIZADEH, Ali FW Saipa Alborz Iran
25 GHOOCHANNEJAD, Reza FW SC Heerenveen Holland
26 JAHANBAKHSH, AliReza FW AZ Alkmaar  Holland
27 REZAEI, Kaveh FW R. Charleroi Belgium
28 TAREMI, Mehdi FW Al Gharrafah Qatar
     

4-0 victory for Team Melli vs. Sierra Leone

The Iranian national team defeated Sierra Leone 4-0 win in an international friendly match held in nearly empty Azadi Stadium on Saturday.

Queiroz had a mix of players in the initial line up giving debuts to 3 players, Omid Noorafkan, Goalkeeper Hossein Hosseini and midfielder from Saipa Alborz Ali Gholizadeh. All 3 enjoyed a good game and performed well in their first international. 

This was the first preparation match for Team Melli in a series of matches which will continue into March after Nowrooz including the matches against Tunisia and Algeria in Europe.

Iran's goals were scored by Mohammad Reza Khanzadeh (14), Ali Gholizadeh (16 and 46) and Kaveh Rezaei (35). The 100,000 capacity stadium was virtually empty as no more than 3000 fans turned up. The period of Eid Nowrooz shopping season plus the very humble opponents (Ranked 94 in FIFA Ranking list) prevented many fans from attending the match. less than a week ago, the same stadium was full to the capacity for an AFC champions League match between Esteghlal and Al Ain from UAE.

Team Melli very quickly dictated the game proceedings. It was just a matter of time before the first goal would be scored and it was on a corner that Khanzadeh , returning to the team after a 3 year break, scored from a corner on the 14th minute. The African team had very little to offer as it took 40 minutes for the Iranian keeper Hamed Lak to actually handle a ball from live play.

First half

Min 14: On a free kick, Omid Noorafkan sent a nicely weighted ball to the crowded penalty area of ​​Sierra Leone, which Mohammad Reza KhanZadeh slid into the net for the first goal

Min 16: Ali Golizadeh long-range kick from a solo move from outside the penalty box , wrong footed  Sierra Leone keeper after the ball was deflected by his own defenders. First goal for the debutant. 

Minutes 35: Ramin Rezaeian crossed from the right into Sierra Leone penalty box , where Kaveh Rezaei headed the ball into the ground and in the goal. the goalkeeper was helpless.

Second half

46 min. Omid Noorafkan on  left wing on a solo run  hit a strong shot which  Sierra Leone goalkeeper  could only parry, the return ball, was  met by Ali Gholizadeh who scored his second goal. 

71 minutes: Sierra Leone's players created a dangerous move on a stroke on the goal, which ​​Sierra Leone's Abu Sauna turned into a strong shot , substitute keeper  Hossein Hosseini  saved it and sent to the corner.

Team Melli starting Line up

 Hamed Lak, Ramin Rezaeian , MR Khanzadeh, Rozbeh Cheshmi, Saeed Aghaei,  Omid Ebrahimi, Ali Karimi, Ahmad Abdollahzadeh,  Omid Noorafkan, Ali Gholizadeh Moghadam and Kaveh Rezaei

Fifa gives green light to Sierra Leone friendly in Azadi

Sierra Leone Stars hopes of meeting World Cup-bound Iran in a friendly encounter in Tehran on Saturday, 17 March has been confirmed by football world governing body, Fifa.

The contest will take place in Tehran’s Azadi Stadium.

A Fifa spokesperson told Football Sierra Leone UK via email that there was a need for proper clarification ahead of schedule match.

The match was uncertain after FIFA’s recognised SLFA head, Isha Johansen, and her Scribe; Chris Kamara informed the organisation that they were unaware of the ‘friendly.

Extracts of the communication read -“For the captioned international friendly match, please be informed there was a need for some clarifications before the necessary authorisation could be extended, but the said match will go ahead in Tehran.”

It could be recalled that on October 2017, Isha Johansen and Kamara were both ordered by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to step aside following charges of abuse of office and pilfering of public funds. The matter is ongoing.

In spite of the above, Fifa says they recognise the Johansen leadership until Integrity checks and elections are conducted.

The arranged test scheduled will be Iran’s first 2018 World Cup warm-up encounter and the first between the two nations.

Leone Stars including just three foreign-based players will take on the best Asian football team.

The foreign-based are Finish-based TP-47 striker Thomas Koroma, JS Hercules midfielder Abdul Sesay and attacker Abu Bakarr Kargbo from fourth-tier German side Berliner AK 07.

The two countries have a very good international relation and Sierra Leone for the first time considered to play a friendly by a team heading to a World Cup.

The African minnows ranked 98th while Iran is the best Asian football team and 33rd in the world.

Iran are in Group B at the FIFA World Cup alongside Spain, Morocco and Portugal.

Carlos Queiroz’s men will open their Russia 2018 campaign with a match against Morocco at Saint Petersburg on June 15, before taking on Spain in Kazan on 20 June.

Team Melli Hopeful: Morteza Tabrizi

Morteza Tabrizi, is one more serious contender for a Team Melli jersey come June 2018 when the whole world will be enjoying the FIFA World cup 2018 A late developer in football, Tabrizi only came into contention a couple of season ago. Tall and skillful, he has an Ali Daei like style. His heading ability and goals from headers are becoming a trademark.

Tabrizi, unlike his surname suggests, was actually born in Hamedan on January 6th, 1991. Played his early football in Talar Vahdat in his home town then Mes Kerman. His senior career started at Pas Hamedan where the tall forward stuttered and only managed to score a few (5 goals) in just short of 3 years. Despite that , he was actually called for the Iran U23 team.

The break for Tabrizi came when he was transferred to Zob Ahan in 2013. The central forward was given ample opportunities to prove his worth and more playing time. Tabrizi`s confidence grew and with it came the goals. Tabrizi towering physique helped him in scoring freely and specifically beating his markers in the air. He eventually attracted Team Melli selectors attention and was called several times, however he has yet to make his debut. This season is by far the best that the 27 years old Tabrizi has played in his career. The AFC Champions league seems to be his favorite.

The only doubt that exists in this potentially great match winner is his confidence in front if the goal. He seems to be wasteful at times and could have scored many goals than he actually has if had more assertiveness and determination qualities. His conversion rate could be much better. A good mentor would make Tabrizi a great forward for steam Mell i.

The competition up front for places is quite stiff. In fact the best players of thus current Team Kelli are all forwards. Tabrizi will have a tough time dislodging the others for a place in that plane which will take team Kelli to Moscow, however, he has exceptional heading ability that only Azmoun can match in the squad.

Senior career*

 
Years Team Apps Goals
2010–2013 Pas Hamedan     35 5
2013–  Zob Ahan     133 37
National teams
2012–2014 Iran U23 5 2

 

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS..

Team Melli Futsal confirmed its continental superiority after it won the AFC Futsal Championship Title after defeating Japan 4 - 0  this evening in Taipei.

Iran has now won the title for the 12th time and has also successfully defended its last championship crown. 

The first half ended 1-0 for Team Melli when a late strike by Ali Asghar Hassanzadeh broke the deadlock.

The Asian MVP , Hassanzadeh opened the scoring early in the 2nd half to make it 2-0 . 

Farhad Tavakoli added a third while Hossein Tayebi consolidated his position as the top scorer of the championship with Iran's 4th goal to make his tally 13 goals.

Ali Asghar Hassanzadeh won the Championship Top Accolade, to make it a hat trick of titles for Team Melli.