Team Mellu U17 will meet the African side Guinea on 5th October in its first match in the FIFA U-17 World Cup at Goa India. 

This is the same venue that Iran's U-17 played in during the AFC U-16 championship which qualified Iran to the World Cup after finishing runners-up to Iraq on penalty kicks.

Iran’s first appearance at the Under-17 World Cup finals was in 2001 in Trinidad and Tobago and ended in three straight defeats. Since then, they have participated in two more editions – 2009 and 2013 – but fell at the last-16 stage both times.

But they have a fair amount of history and pedigree in Asia and that was evident in the way Iran took apart India last year, two goals from penalties notwithstanding. They lost in the final of the 2016 AFC U-16 Championship to Iraq in the shootout to secure their place in the world finals. Since then they have played numerous friendlies, mostly against European sides, to prep-up for the October event.

Abbas Chamanian has done a wonderful job of the group of players at his disposal. The team have been in camp for a long time and are currently just completed the final part of their preparation in Malaga, Spain.

During the training camp in Malaga, Iran played two friendly match and scored a remarkable result in both. In the first match , Iran U-17 defeated the European Side France 4-0 , while in the second match they played against Mexico they scored 3 goal without reply. Both France and Mexico teams will be taking part in the FIFA U-17 competition in India.

Mohammad Sharifi (Iran)

Iran’s finishing runners-up in AFC U-16 Championship last year means they return to India for FIFA U-17 World Cup. Clubbed alongside relatively easy opponents Costa Rica and Guinea and Germany, Iran may end up being the most successful Asian team in the tournament. However, head coach Abbas Chamanian may want his skipper Mohammad Sharifi at his absolute best.

Iran’s a squad that doesn’t rely on a single person for goals, as four players scored three goals in Goa last year, but the Saipa midfielder’s experience and track record – seven goals in 13 appearances for Iran U-17 – mean he carries Iran’s high expectations for success.

KNOW THE COACH

Abbas Chamanian: A physical education professor, Chamanian, 53, has been with the team since 2016 and guided them to the final of the AFC Under-16 Championship. Chamanian, who has managed numerous clubs in Iran, was previously in charge of the under-17 team between 2003 and 2004 too.

PAST PERFORMANCE

Round of 16: 2009, 2013. Group stage: 2001. Did not qualify: 1985-1999, 2003-07, 2011, 2015.

PASSAGE TO INDIA

Qualified by virtue of being runners-up in the AFC U-16 championships.

Results in AFC U-16

Group Matches:

Bt Saudi Arabia 3-2;

dw V UAE 1-1;

bt India 3-0;

Quarter Finals: def. Vietnam 5-0;

Semi Final :def North Korea 7-6 via penalties (regulation time 1-1);

Final Match : lost 3-4 via penalties to Iraq (regulation time 0-0)

The official list of 27 players invited to join Team Melli squad for the matches against Togo and Russia have been announced.

Queiroz has picked 4 new members of the squad including the naturalized Iranian Swede, Saman Ghoddos.  Earlieer reports indicated that Ghoddos did not satisfy the requirements to play for Iran, however, there was no official communique from the federation.

Interestingly, the player who is not allowed to participate in any footballing activity after the FIFA sanction , is also picked. Mehdi Taremi is included in the list and it is unclear if he will play or just added for good measure.

Akbar Emani, Ahmad Abdolahzadeh and Mohammad Hossein Kanani-Zadegan are the other new faces. There is a return for Kaveh Rezaei who is now playing in Belgium, while the previous Captain of the team, Masoud Shojaei remains absent.

The squad, already started training in Team Melli training camp in Azadi complex before moving to the Oil Company practise ground for continuation of their training.

Team Melli, which has already qualified for the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018, will be playing several friendlies until the summer of 2018.

The Squad

The head coach of Team Melli, referring to the suspension of the Persepolis and Team Melli striker by FIFA, said that one person should at least be brave enough and accept accountability and take responsibility for this shameful event.

Carlos Queiroz told reporters after Friday's training session that the preparation for the FIFA World Cup has started today and will continue until late April and into May next year.

He added: "We will have a match against Togo and a match against Russia this month, and next month we will have a match with an African team and a European team, and then we will wait for the World Cup draw to be held, so that we can identify our opponents and plan our friendly games accordingly.”

Queiroz continued “In this group that we chose, 37 to 40 players who are among the best in Iranian football. We have to be fair and just by giving young players opportunity. The national team is a home with a window but no door, it is a place for the best Iranian footballers to show their worth based on merits.”

Queiroz added  "In May of the next year, we hope we can reduce the number of players and choose the top 23 players for the national team and the FIFA World Cup."

Commenting on the selection of other players like Kaveh Rezaie and Soroush Rafiee, he said "As I said, the national team doors are open to the players who deserve to play for the team. The two players you mentioned are currently unable to join the national team, but if they are good enough , then they will definitely be invited. The two players are on our list.”

Commenting on Mehdi Taremi’s suspension , he said: "I just tried to find more details about the whole affair of Mehdi Taremi. Personally, I think it's a shame for such an act to occur for Mehdi Taremi and particularly for Iran’s football. The international football reputation of Iran has received a huge blow and put into question its creditability.”

He further noted: "I'm sure that this would hurt both Mehdi Tarami and the supporters and the national team." The effort we make is to be able to keep this player in form for the next few months in order for him to be able to return to football. This is very strange, and one person should take responsibility for this. This is completely shameful.”

Carlos Queiroz continued: "Whatever happens, we should try to keep the player physically and mentally at top. I still emphasize that this should never have happened.”

He also mentioned  Saman Qoddos “ When you talk about the national team, you are talking about your previous feelings and interests. When you talk about joining the squad, it is not like thinking about a proposal from Real Madrid or other teams. You are talking about your culture and identity to know if it's in your blood or not.”

Carlos Queiroz responded to a journalist question on the reason why the squad list of Team Melli was not published , he said that after Sunday's European, we will announce the final list on Sunday.

Team Melli started its first training session in preparation for the double-header against Togo and Russia.

Queiroz invited 23 players including Mehdi Taremi who is under FIFA suspension for 4 months !!!

The first match will be in Azadi Stadium against the African team , Togo  currently ranked 121 in the FIFA Ranking. The most famous player in the squad is the 31 years old Emmanuel Adebayor currently playing for Turkish first division side,  İstanbul Başakşehir. 

Togo has many foreign based players however they have been on a downhill for any years suffering lack of resources and internal problems within the team.

Team Melli will resume training tomorrow but in a closed session. Another of Queiroz eccentric moves in dealing with media and journalist who will be banned from watching the session. 

The squad is as follows.

1. Ahmad Abdollahzadeh
2. Akbar Imani
3. Ali Golizadeh
4. Alireza Beyranvand
5. Ashkan Dejagah
6. Daniel Mahini
7. Hamed Lak
8. Hossein Mahini
9. Kamal Kamibinya
10. Mehdi Taremi
11. Mehdi Torabi
12. Mohammad Ansari
13. Mohammad Hossein Kananizadegan
14. Morteza Tabrizi
15. Omid Ebrahimi
16. Omid Noorafkan
17. Roozbeh Cheshmi
18. Saeed Aghaei
19. Sasan Ansari
20. Seyed Jalal Hosseini
21. Vahid Amiri.
22. Vahid Mohammadzadeh
23. Vouria Ghafouri

IRAN, UZBEKISTAN TO CLASH FOR SUPREMACY IN ASHGABAT

/ Sep 24 2017 /

Ashgabat: Islamic Republic of Iran showed their attacking prowess as they beat Afghanistan 8-2 in the Ashgabat 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games men's futsal semi-final on Sunday.

IR Iran will face Uzbekistan – who beat Japan 3-2 on penalties after their semi-final finished 3-3 following extra time – in the final on Tuesday.

The defending champions are on course for a fifth consecutive futsal crown after outplaying Abdul Razaq Momrak’s men early on, firing six goals in the first half.

The intensity was high from the start as IR Iran got their goals from Abolghasem Orouji in the third, Ahmad Esmaeilpour (fourth), Hossein Tayebibidgoli (eighth), Saeid Abbasi (11th), Mahdi Javid (13th) and Hamid Ahmadidazaj (14th).

Afghanistan responded with two of their own through Akbar Kazemi in the 17th – his 10th goal of the tournament  – and Ali Jafari in the 25th to put the score at 6-2 at halftime.

There was no respite for Afghanistan as Shahrzad Mozafar’s men piled on more pressure after the break.

Javid completed his hat-trick with goals in the 36th and 37th – to lead the scoring charts with 11 goals.

"It probably looked like an easy win, but it was not easy. 

We were just very concentrated because yesterday against Thailand, we went down twice in the first minutes and we didn't want to do that again,” said Iran's Ali Asghar Hassanzadeh.

Meanwhile, goalkeeper Rustam Umarov was the hero for Uzbekistan after saving two penalties in the shootout against Japan to earn their spot in the final.

Japan’s Kasho Tamura opened the scoring eight minutes into the match, with his shot taking Umarov by surprise.

Uzbekistan however, found the equaliser on the stroke of halftime, with Konstantin Sviridov finding the net.

The three-time bronze medallists went ahead three minutes after the restart through Davronjon Abdurakhmonov’s effort.

Kazuya Shimizu leveled the tie with a strike in the 27th minute but his joy proved to be shortlived when he picked up his second yellow card a minute later as Japan were left with a man down.

The 2013 runners-up went ahead through Shinsuke Hara in the 34th but the tie was even again after Uzbekistan found the net a minute later through Davron Choriev to send the match into extra time.

The tie went into penalties as neither side could find a breakthrough after the two periods of extra time.

At 2-1 down in the shootout, Umarov stole the show when he saved Takashi Morimura and Atsuya Uemura’s spot kicks as Uzbekistan’s Davronjon Abdurakhmonov scored the winner for a 3-2 win.

"I think my team deserved the victory. We had chances. Our style was different. They played many long balls and we play with it on the floor. That is the way I prefer," said Japan coach Bruno Jose Garcia Formoso.

"Uzebekistan lost only by 2-1 to Iran in the last AFC final so it will not be easy for Iran. Uzbekistan can win.

"Iran will be the favourites but they will have a tough match," he added.

This will be Uzbekistan's first appearance in the final.

"This final for us is kind of winning the championship already, we feel now like champions. It was our target to reach the final and of course we are not going to stop here,” said Uzbekistan team leader Jahangir Usmanov.

---

Semi-Finals

Results

Iran 8-2 Afghanistan

Japan 3-3 Uzbekistan

(AET, Uzbekistan win 3-2 on penalties)

Sept 26

3rd-4th playoff:

Afghanistan v Japan 

 

Final:

Iran v  Uzbekistan

Source: ashgabat.com

Confusion supreme is the theme of Team Melli once again after news from Russia that Iran vs. Togo match has been cancelled.

The match against the African Nation was arranged to coincide with Team Melli's trip to the World Cup host in October

The friendly international match against Russia has been scheduled for 10th October  while 5 days before that match , Iran was scheduled to face African nation Togo in a friendly match in the Cit of Kazan in Russia.

Apparently some rules does not allow a foreign nation to play in the host's official FIFA World Cup venues, but the host country is exempt from such rule. 

Today, Mehdi Taj insisted that the match against Togo is not cancelled. He said that "I am the head of FFIRI and I am saying that the match against Togo is on. It is the venue that has been moved out of the original planned venue of Kazan. We are actively looking for an alternative venue."

The Friendly Matches are in the FIFA days which in October is between the 2nd and the 10th.

Russia will be hosting Iran in St Petersburg.