Category: News

02/10/202202/10/2022

Group C: Iran end group stage with another sizzling show

the-afc.com

Sunday, 02 October 2022

Kuwait City: Defending champions Iran defeated Lebanon 9-0 to end their AFC Futsal Asian Cup™ Kuwait 2022 Group C campaign with a perfect record of three wins on Sunday.

The 12-time champions will face Vietnam in the quarter-finals, having booked their place in the knockout stage with a match to spare.

Iran were left frustrated by Lebanon’s early resistance with the West Asians threatening in the third minute through Fadi Greij’s shot, while at the other end Saeid Ahmad Abbasi did well to control Saeid Momen’s long throw but hit his half-volley high above the bar.

Iran gradually took control with Hossein Tayebibidgoli missing the target from just inside the box before Mohammadhossein Bazyar’s forced effort off a corner was easily collected by Lebanon keeper Karim Joueidi.

Iran finally broke the deadlock in the eighth minute with Salar Aghapour netting a beautiful individual effort, shooting into the top right corner.

Alireza Shahkhali was twice denied by the bar before he set up Tayebibidgoli in the 17th minute for the second goal, with Mustafa Rhyem then scoring an own goal.

Lebanon suffered more woe after Mouhammad Hammoud was forced out of the game through injury in the 18th minute, with Moslem Oladghobad then adding Iran’s fourth from distance.

There was no denying Iran’s superiority as they scored their fifth goal a minute into the restart through Bahman Jafari’s long-range effort before Oladghobad netted again seven minutes later.

Bahman Jafari’s long-range effort before Oladghobad netted again seven minutes later.

Lebanon tried to stem the tide but their efforts fell flat as Iran stretched their lead in the 27th minute with Mahdi Karimi scoring from the halfway line into an unattended goalmouth before Aghapour added his second goal five minutes later from close range.

Tayebibidgoli capped the victory in the 39th minute, beating two defenders on the turn before slotting home.

RANK	TEAM	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	PTS
1	IRAN	3	3	0	0	24	1	23	9
2	INDONESIA	3	2	0	1	11	8	3	6
3	CHINESE TAIPEI	3	0	1	2	3	15	-12	1
4	LEBANON	3	0	1	2	3	17	-14	1

02/10/2022

Bayern Munich fans express solidarity with Iranian protesters

Bayern Munich fans unveiled banners during their game with Bayer Leverkusen
They showed solidarity with those protesting in Iran over Mahsa Amini’s death
Amini died in police custody after being detained by morality police in Iran
The banners were unveiled when Leverkusen’s Sardar Azmoun was brought on
Azmoun is one of several Iranian footballers to speak out against the Iranian regime

By WILL PICKWORTH FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 10:37 BST, 1 October 2022 | UPDATED: 11:26 BST, 1 October 2022

Bayern Munich fans expressed solidarity with those protesting in Iran over the death of Mahsa Amini during their game with Bayer Leverkusen on Friday night, while also showing support for Leverkusen’s Sardar Azmoun.

Thousands of Iranians have taken to the streets over the last two weeks in protests over the death of Amini, a 22-year-old woman who had been detained by the morality police in the capital Tehran for allegedly wearing her mandatory Islamic headscarf too loosely.

The protesters have vented anger over the treatment of women and wider repression in the Islamic Republic. The nationwide demonstrations rapidly escalated into calls for the overthrow of the clerical establishment that has ruled Iran since its 1979 Islamic revolution. The protests have drawn support from all over the world with Amnesty International saying on Friday that security forces in Iran had killed at least 52 people since they have begun.

Iran’s national football team have also spoken up on the matter, including 27-year-old Azmoun, who plays for Leverkusen.

Iran played two games during the international break – against Uruguay and Senegal, both in Austria and behind closed doors in attempts to dissuade protest by edict of the Iranian FA, while media access was restricted.

Before kick-off against Senegal, their final match before the World Cup, they covered their national team’s kit and emblem during the national anthems. The team stood arm in arm prior to the match and only took off their black jackets to play the match in Austria, while several players also blacked out their Instagram profile pictures.

However, groups of protestors flocked to the stadium in an attempt to get their message heard on national broadcasts as the clamor for justice continues. Allegedly members of the national team squad were also living under strict orders to stay silent during the break.

However, Azmoun, who has scored 41 times in 65 caps for the national team, broke the silence in an Instagram post, speaking out against the Iranian government and providing his support for women’s rights. The 27-year-old could face expulsion from the national team as a result of speaking out, meaning he would miss out on the World Cup in Qatar.

His post on Sunday read: ‘At worst I’ll be dismissed from the national team. No problem.

‘I’d sacrifice that for one hair on the heads of Iranian women. This story will not be deleted. They can do whatever they want. ‘Shame on you for killing so easily; long live Iranian women.’

The black jackets were in solidarity with protestors against Mahsa Amini’s death

His post was later taken down in favor of a less strongly worded version, but the forward has since joined his teammates in blacking out his social media profile pictures as a show of solidarity.

During Friday’s game, as he came on in the 61st minute, Bayern fans unveiled the supportive banners. One said: ‘Women, life, freedom in Farsi, which is a common chant that has been heard during the protests.

Another protest read: ‘Solidarity with the feminist revolution in Iran.’

Leverkusen boss Gerardo Seoane had previously stated on Thursday the club had been providing Azmoun with all the support he needs and praised his forward.

He told his pre-match press conference: ‘This issue has made huge waves. He is a great role model in his commitment and his behavior.

‘It is now also up to us to put an arm around him and help in this difficult situation.’

Azmoun is one of a number of Iranian footballers to speak out.

After Amini’s death, Alireza Jahanbakhsh, captain of the national team, posted an image of a young woman with her arms raised toward a flock of doves.

Ehsan Hajsafi, who was also in the starting XI against Uruguay, published something similar. Both appear to have been forced to delete the posts, which mysteriously vanished.

Furthermore, Hossein Mahini, a former Iranian international, was allegedly detained due to his support for the protests.

30/09/2022

Hossein Mahini arrested for sympathizing with the people.

As the social unrest and protests marches across Iran continues unabated, the authority that has an iron grip on sports, especially football, has acted with brute force against any footballer or celebrities who dare side with the people’s protests or post messages in support of Mahsa Amini, the 22-year Kurdish girl who died under the custody of the Police in Tehran.

In the latest such move, the former Team Melli and Persepolis player Hossein Mahini has been arrested as a result of quote ” for publishing ed material supporting and encouraging riots on his online pages in the past few days” unquote. IRNA, the official Iranian news agency confirmed the arrest. While the 36 years old Mahini, a native of Bushehr on the Persian Gulf, has been arrested by the security apparatus the whereabouts of Ali Karimi whose house has been alleged to be confiscated by the authorities is still unknown. Karimi was targeted by the Mullahs for his outspoken comments and courage well before Mahsa Amini’s death made the world headlines.

Mahini played 26 times for Team Melli between 2011 to 2016.

Confidential information from the Team Melli camp returning to Tehran today, speaks of strong warnings to every player in the squad to refrain from expressing ani anti-government views in social media posts, speaking out against the security forces, or expressing sympathy with the late Mahsa Amini. The players are categorically prevented from participating in political rallies unless it is a pro-Khamenei rally. The consequences of disobeying these orders are severe for the players and their families.

30/09/2022

Futsal: Classy IR Iran cruise into quarter-finals

The AFC Futsal Asian Cup Kuwait 2022™, continued this Friday evening with Team Melli Futsal Playing Chinese Taipei in Saad Al Abdullah Hall, Kuwait.

With the biggest win of the championship so far, Iran confirmed their place in the AFC Futsal Asian Cup™ Kuwait 2022 knockout stage after cruising 10-1

Iran, who defeated Indonesia 5-0 in their opener, burst into action from the first blow of the whistle with Hossein Tayebibidgoli and Mohammadhossein Bazyar just missing the target from above the area.

SAEED AHMAD-ABBAS

Alireza Rafiei Pour forced Fu Li-wei into a diving save in the second minute before the Chinese Taipei keeper conceded moments later with Bazyar finding the back of the net off Moslem Oladghobad’s layoff.

Iran were just getting started with Tayebibidgoli etching his name on the scoresheet in the third minute, finishing off Oladghobad’s assist.

Chinese Taipei had a rare chance a minute later with captain Chi Sheng-fa bursting down the left flank, but his effort to get a cross into the danger area was foiled by Mahdi Karimi.

Chinese Taipei were no match for Iran’s brilliance as the Central Asian side scored their third goal after Salar Aghapour found an unmarked Saeid Ahmad Abbasi (pictured above), who finished with ease from close range.

Tayebibidgoli picked up his second goal of the evening in the 16th minute, scoring a volley off Oladghobad’s kick-in, before Ahmad Abbasi put Iran 5-0 up a minute later.

Chinese Taipei tried to mount a fightback but paid dearly as Iran caught them off a counter-attack with Ahmad Abbasi completing his hat-trick two minutes from the half-time whistle.

Iran grabbed their seventh goal two minutes into the restart with Tayebibidgoli threatening from the left flank before the two-time AFC Futsal Asian Cup Top Scorer sent an inviting lob for Aghapour to finish.

Chinese Taipei tried to push forward again but their efforts were cut short with Alireza Javan Shahkhali collecting the loose ball before squeezing a shot past Fu Li-wei in the 28th minute.

However, Chinese Taipei’s determination was finally rewarded when they found an opening in the 31st minute with He Chia-chen scoring from inside the box, finishing off Chi Sheng-fa’s pass.

There was no letting up from Iran as they continued to pressure their opponents with Karimi finding the net in the 35th minute before Ahmad Abbasi scored his side’s 10th goal a minute later.

Iran plays Lebanon next, while Chinese Taipei faces a must-win tie against Indonesia on Sunday.

30/09/2022

Gaps in Team Melli, Queiroz in battle with time to rectify.

After two quite useful matches for Team Melli, Carlos Queiroz has realized the magnitude of his mission in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 in order to qualify Iran for the next round for the first time in history.

Team Melli’s results against Uruguay and Senegal were excellent but that cannot be said about the performance. In fact, Iran was lucky that the Sengalese players forgot their shooting boots at the hotel. The African Champions players easily bypassed Iran’s midfield and tested the defensive line, however, their final balls were mostly wayward. The ease with which the Senegal players passed the Iranians would definitely worry Queiroz’s team in the World Cup.

The gaps specifically at the midfield despite fielding four defensive players were apparent. It took some heroics from Hosseini in the goal, Kanani and Majid Hosseini in the center plus Sadegh Moharrami to minimize the damage. Ehsan Hajsafi, on the other hand, is a serious liability as a left-back despite him providing an excellent assist for Sardar Azmoun. Of course, Iran must also thank the Senegalese players who kept aiming at the sky in their final balls.

The onus is on Queiroz to get his ideal formation in the defense and midfield, but as we all know he is battling against time and no more opportunity for training or friendly matches. What we saw in Austria is probably the formation in which Queiroz will line up the team. All the work that the head coach needs to conduct for the improvement and tightening of the team will be on paper. Observations of the domestic league players and the legionnaires should also help, except that most of Team Melli players are bench warmers in their European clubs.

Team Melli’s strongest line is the forward line, where Queiroz need not worry much, but with names like Azmoun and Taremi up front, they need to be fed with proper balls to finish them in the back of the net. In both the matches in the Austrian camp, the service was sub-standard and rare. Kudos to the two forwards for turning those chances into goals.

Without a good defensive structure, Iran will struggle in the World Cup as players like Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling, Gareth Bale, and Christian Pulisic can take advantage of these defensive gaps to hurt Iran. In any case, it is the Queiroz style to press and defend tightly while depending on quick counterattacks for scoring.

PLAYERS RATINGS:

Seyed Hossein HOSSEINI: One of the best players on the field with his good saves and confident handling of the ball [8.5]
Majid HOSSEINI: started well and created a good partnership with Kanani. He has his shortcoming though and could be passed at ease at times. [6.7]
Hossein KANANI-ZADEGAN: Majestic performance from a solid defender who hardly put a foot wrong and was quite confident against Saido mane. He only played one half but it was easy to convince Queiroz that he is becoming an indispensable player in the team [8.8]
Sadegh MOHARRAMI: Yet another good performance from Moharerami to solidify his claim for the right-back position. Under Queiroz’s game plan, he can be the winger that can be effective in quick counterattacks. [8.3]
Saeid EZZATOLLAHI: Lack of top-level football is adversely affecting him and it was obvious that at big games he is found wanting. His physique is quite important for the team but really needs to work on passing skills and game reading [6.5]
Ahmad NOUROLLAHI: At times he was lost among the better opposition players. He tried matching the Senegalese midfield but lacked the capability to win balls or provide effective passes for the forwards [6.7]
Milad SARLAK: Industrious and hardworking player whose role in Queiroz’s game plan is to form a defensive line in front of the central defenders. Mixed success but a player who can be also used in defense too. [6.9]
Ali GHOLIZADEH: The player has good dribbling skills and can be vital for the rare offensive moves in Team Melli. However, his final balls and passes leave a lot to be desired. Still has not reached his potential and his small physique could be a liability against big teams. [6.7]
Ehsan HAJSAFI: Operated as a left back and he was a liability. Easily dribbled , poor positional awareness and poor coverage marred his performance. His assist, however, plus a goal-line clearance gives him more rating than he may not deserve. [7.2]
Mehdi TAREMI: Did not get proper service and hence he was ineffective. Still tries to fake and falls proving that his ill-repute in Portugal is not unwarranted. Another player that can be a savior for Team Melli despite all the controversy around him. His lack of pace is worrying though [6.9]
Karim ANSARIFARD: A player who seems content with turning up it seems. Not effective in this match and was disconnected from his teammate Taremi up front [6.2]

Substitution:

Morteza POURALIGANJI: Unfortunate to concede the goal but overall he was a solid player and tackled well. [7.0]
Saman GHODDOS: At his best Ghoddos can be a real asset for Team Melli with his passes and vision. He was not given breathing space by the Senegalese players and that is where many Iranian players fail against hard-pressing teams. [6.8]
Omid EBRAHIMI: A hard-working midfielder who is tireless and fighting for every ball. He was overwhelmed in this match and was hardly in the game. [6.5]
Alireza JAHANBAKHSH: vitalized the team on his appearance as a sub. At times he was double-teamed and the Senegalese defenders knew how to curtail his threat. [7.2]
Sardar AZMOUN: A quality forward needs half a chance to score and that is what Azmoun did when he provided a quality cross. His jump for the Hajsafy’s perfect cross was majestic. [8.9]

30/09/2022

Iran’s request for hosting Olympics qualifiers turned down.

The Asian Football Confederation AFC announced on Friday that the final stage of the AFC U23 Championship which is also the 2024 Paris Olympic football qualifiers, will be hosted by Qatar. \

The decision was taken by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Competition Committee in its fifth meeting held today in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In this way, Qatar, which will host the FIFA World Cup 2022 in November, will then host the Asian U23 Competition. In addition to Qatar, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Uzbekistan also applied to host the tournament, but these requests were rejected in favor of Qatar. Iran’s Omid football team is currently non-existent. After the departure of Mehdi Mahdavikia, the situation of the head coach of this team is uncertain. With Mehdi Taj taking office in the football federation, Mahdavikia left and as yet there is no news about the team’s status or its coach.

While all the other teams are in training, Iran’s Omid team ( Hope team) is hopeless and technically speaking, is disbanded. The Iranian Olympic Committee has once again that this team will qualify for the Paris Olympic Games, a claim that has been regularly heard for the last 44 years.

29/09/2022

GARETH SOUTHGATE has travelled to Vienna to watch Iran play Senegal.

The England manager is busy preparing for the Qatar World Cup after the Three Lions’ Nations League campaign concluded with a 3-3 draw against Germany.

29/09/2022

Iran futsal starts the defense of the title with a win.

the-afc.com

Kuwait City: Defending champions Iran showed they mean business with a 5-0 win over Indonesia in Group C of the AFC Futsal Asian Cup™ Kuwait 2022 on Wednesday.

Twelve-time champions Iran cruised to a three-goal lead at half-time, leaving Indonesia with no chance of mounting a comeback.

Iran, playing with a cast missing most of the big names from their previous campaigns, started brightly and their aggression almost resulted in the opening goal when Mohammadhossein Derakhshani teed up Saeid Ahmad Abbasi, who flashed his effort above the bar.

Pegged in their own half, Indonesia were lucky to escape again in the second minute when Salar Aghapour displayed neat footwork before trying from distance but keeper Muhamad Nazil Purnama was up to the challenge.

Iran finally found the opening goal a minute later from a set-piece situation with Derakhshani setting up Ahmad Abbasi, who struck the ball home from just after the halfway line.
The goal rattled the Indonesians and another lapse in concentration moments later allowed Ahmad Abbasi to waltz into the area before cutting back for Moslem Oladghobad to score from above the arc.

Indonesia, despite being limited to counter-attacks, gave Iran a scare in the fifth minute when Samuel Eko pushed forward to set up Mochammad Iqbal Rahmattulah, whose attempt from an acute angle just failed to find the target.
That, however, boosted Indonesia but Iran goalkeeper Saeid Momeni denied Eko’s shot from close range moments later and Reza Gunawan’s follow-up from above the arc.

Iran continued to dictate the tempo and scored their third goal in the 10th minute following Mahdi Asadshir’s delightful curling effort, with the player striking the ball from the left flank with Muhamad Nazil rooted on the line.

Indonesia enjoyed a good start in the second half with the Southeast Asian side dictating the pace of the game, however, their urgency left them open in defense as Iran struck their fourth in the 23rd minute following Abassi’s fine effort.

Two minutes later, it was Hossein Tayebibidgoli’s turn to get on the scoresheet with the two-time AFC Futsal Asian Cup Top Scorer blasting his effort from above the area into the net following Oladghobad’s through pass.

Muhamad Nazil then denied Tayebi his second goal from the penalty spot in the 28th minute but it was a case of job done for Iran, who will play Chinese Taipei next while Indonesia will be hoping to collect three points when they face Lebanon on Friday.

28/09/2022

Is Team Melli’s unity under threat?

Across Iran, women are leading the charge in massive protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini. Morality police, who enforce the use of hijabs in public, arrested the Kurdish native 22-year-old in Tehran on September 16, 2022. Not long after she was taken into custody, she was dead.

What started with the women’s protest in Tehran and Kurdistan has now spread across the country with people taking to the streets, women burning their hijabs, and cutting their hair as a symbol of protest.

These protests have been so effective that celebrities across Iran started joining this massive movement, and that is the biggest nightmare of the clerical regime that has been governed by a known hardliner Ebrahim Raesi who was elected in an orchestrated election. Among the most prominent celebrities to stand with the people is none other than the icon himself, Mohammad Ali Karimi.

Karimi, a household name in Iran and a much-loved figure has been active n social media. The former Persepolis and Bayern Munich player has 12.2m Followers and his voice has been effective, leading the authorities to attempt to arrest him and confiscate his house unlawfully.

The protest does not stop at a former Team Melli icon like Ali Karimi as the current squad has many who sympathize with the people and mourn Mahsa Amini. Sardar Azmoun, the Team Melli current top scorer who plays for Bayer Leverkusen, after the goal celebration against Senegal on Tuesday was one of the saddest witnessed in the history of Team Melli.

Sardar Azmoun, despite the security apparatus ringing Team Melli in the Austrian camp, and everywhere outside Iran for that matter, managed to utter a few words that highlighted his status as a sympathizer for the people against the regime.

The situation gets more complicated if we contemplate that there are players in the squad who are regime agents. This has been a known fact in Team Melli since the 1980s. Some players are recruited by the security apparatus for spying on others and get rewarded for it. Football is not the only game in Team Melli as politics is deep-rooted.

It is clear that Team, Melli is split between three different factions. Dragan Skocic’s case was indicative of these differences with Azmoun and Taremi taking different views on the subject. It is a known fact that Taremi was the instigator and he pushed Jahanbakhsh and Hajsafi to meet the Iranian Minister of Sports while Team Melli was in camp in Doha to demand the removal of Skocic who guided Iran to the World Cup in what looked like Mission Impossible!. The government obliged and pushed for their man Mehdi Taj to be elected as head of the FFIRI with the main agenda item being the return of Queiroz.

No one in his right mind would think that Queiroz got the job on merits. His failure with Egypt and Colombia would relegate him to the third division of the top coach’s league plus the fact that he failed in two World Cups with Iran and two AFC Asian cups. Unknown to him, the Portuguese coach is the main beneficiary in the Iranian politics that could be threatening Team Melli which is ready for combustion in the struggle of the political factions.

These differences are directly related to the status of mass protests in the streets of Iranian cities. If the situation becomes calmer. The Team Melli camp tension will reduce, if things get worst in Iran, then there is a serious risk of disintegration or at least its weakening as a result of the loss of key players.

27/09/2022

Iran 1 – 1 Senegal: Team Melli remains unbeaten.

Team Melli played its last preparatory match against Senegal in Austria which ended in a 1-1 draw. Senegal scored first from an own goal by Morteza Pouraliganji (55′) while Sardar Azmoun (64′) headed Iran’s equalizer from an assist by Hajsafi.

Queiroz opted to change the starting lineup in this match from the one that played Uruguay bringing in Taremi, Majid Hosseini, Hossein Hosseini, Sarlak, Gholizadeh, and Ansarifard in the starting lineup.

The first half ended in a dull goalless draw in a half that was consistently interrupted by fouls.

Iran failed to register any shot on Senegal’s goal in this half, while on the opposite side Hossein Hosseini managed a couple of good saves. as Senegal threatened Iran’s side sometime by the virtue of much better physicality. The African side was pressing on every ball relentlessly as if they are playing in the final of the cup, however, their final balls were sometimes comical hitting the roof of the stadium more often than Hosseini’s goal. The Central defense of Team Melli, Kanani, and Hosseini combined well to thwart the dangerous Saido Mane who was the initiator of most of his team’s offensive moves near and inside the box.

Team Melli was truly offensively shy. This comes as no surprise because the Queiroz ideology is on tight defense and in numbers, the offense is a bonus. There were four defensive midfield players in the lineup and that was just a taste of things to come and what the fans will experience in the World Cup.

The second half was much livelier with Senegal continuing their offensive and being the team that was hungrier for a win. A few minutes after the start, Hajsafi made a brilliant save preventing the ball from crossing the line in an open goal. The consistent Senegalese offensive eventually paid off in the 55th minute as Pouralganji deflected a cross into his own net wrongfooting Hosseini in the goal.

Queiroz. feeling yet another defeat by Senegal, sent his top gun Azmoun, instead of Taremi. In one of the rare Team Melli offensives and from a clever ball by Jahanbaksh in the Senegal box to the on-rushing Hajsafi on his left, the Team Melli left back sent a sumptuous cross inside the box, where Azmoun majestically rose to head the ball in the met while Senegal goalkeeper was stranded. It was a great goal by Team Melli’s third-highest scorer.

Senegal continued to test Team Melli defenses and Hosseini, however, their efforts were going nowhere despite some close calls and a total of 11 corners won. Mane was a pest for the defenders and indeed he was once again the player who created for his teammates but to no avail.

At the final whistle, Alliou Cissé and Carlos Queiroz held each other in a friendly hug and exchanged what could be as friendly taunts. This time Cissé failed to beat Mr. Carlos.

At the end of Iran’s camp, the domestic league players will be back in Tehran on Friday, while the legionnaires will head back to their clubs direct from Vienna. It was a successful experience for Team Mell with more than satisfactory results registered against two top teams in FIFA Ranking. However, there was nothing exciting about Team Melli in terms of performance, tactics, or game plan. Queiroz will not change his preferred style, not at this age anyway, and will stick to the things that he believes in and knows best. Team Melli will remain offensively shy under Queiroz. Players like Taremi and Azmoun will get very little service comes the World Cup matches.