Category: News

Canada vs Iran match tickets are sold out.

After the official announcement by the Canadian football federation of the match between Canada and Iran, all the tickets for the friendly international have been sold out.

The match is set to be staged at Vancouver’s BC Place Stadium on June 5. The stadium can host 54,500 spectators.

The reports of a friendly encounter between Iran and Canada had surfaced days ago and were later officially confirmed by the two countries’ federations.

According to reports, the Canadian federation has been surprised by the warm welcome of both Canadian and Iranian fans for the match.

Some 27,000 tickets were sold in the first hour, reports suggest.

Thousands of Iranian immigrants live in different Canadian cities. According to Canada’s 2016 census data, there were more than 210,000 Iranians living in the country and the number is estimated to be higher these days.

The match is the first friendly game for Iran ahead of the 2022 World Cup and the last friendly match for Canada at home.

The result of Porto match and Taremi’s hat-trick are under investigation!

In the 30th round of the Portuguese Football League, Porto managed to defeat Portimonense 7-0 a result that solidified the leadership of Porto at the top of the table. In that match, Mehdi Taremi, Team Melli and Porto striker, and Payam Niazmand, the Iranian goalkeeper of Portimonense, faced each other for the first time as bother were in the starting lineups. Taremi scored a hat trick in that match and provided one assist to endure terrible suffering on his Team Melli teammate Niazmand. It was indeed quite a bitter experience for Niazmand in one of the few times that he was picked up as a starter for his team.

 The events of that match, however, raised quite a few questions and concerns with some allegations of complicity, betting, and bribery being mentioned.  The large victory margin and the social media activities on the match prompted the disciplinary committee of the Portuguese Football Federation to act and begin its own investigation into this result, which is questioned even by the media. All the attention on the result of that defeat is being focused on  Paulo Sérgio, the head coach of Portimonense, who did not play many of his fixed players against Porto, and even his substitutions were suspect as he sent players with little experience on to the field some who had only played a handful of games for the club.

Sergio, of course, reacted sharply to the decision to investigate the result of the game with Porto. “What they are doing is insulting me,” he said yesterday. “I have already said everything I should have said about this.” He added: “You can see that our substitution bench (due to the absence of a large number of players) was not even full. With two goalkeepers, there was still room for others on the bench. Just look at the players I had on the bench to see what I had for that match.”

The head coach of Payam Niazmand emphasized: “I have children, I have parents, I have a family and it is a shame for me to see that my name is associated with such trepidations.

Paulo Sérgio Bento Brito coached in Iran and was the head coach of Sanat Naft Abadan between July 2018 and May 2019 when he left for the Saudi club Al Taáwon before returning to Portugal to coach Portimonense in February 2020.

Meanwhile, Portimonense SAD club considers that the investigation process opened by the Disciplinary Board, on suspicion of fielding a weakened team in the game against FC Porto, at Estádio do Dragão, “a fierce, merciless and unfounded attack on the club and recalls that, even this season, Belenenses SAD was allowed to face Benfica with a team of nine players only.”

In a long statement, the SAD of the Algarve club was surprised to have known about the investigation through the media and recalls that the club has “scrupulously” complied with its financial obligations.

Portimonense still considers it “absurdity” to open an investigation for the reasons presented in a season in which a team was already allowed to enter the field with nine players, in allusion to Belenenses vs. Benfica.

Mehdi Taremi scores a hat-trick against Niazmand in a 7-0 win

Mehdi Taremi achieved a special achievement by recording his second hat-trick in the Portuguese league with his team Porto scoring an emphatic win against Portimonense.

In the 30th round of the Portuguese Football League Porto played against Portimonense who had TeamMelli’s reserve keeper Payam Niazmand in goal. Port won  7: 0. Taremi excelled in this match and managed to score a hat-trick with his dazzling performance. He scored in the 19th, 34th, and 47th minutes and also provided an assist.

Hattrick: Mehdi Taremi scored his second hat-trick of the season in this match. Benfica Uruguayan striker Darwin Nunz has the most hat-tricks in the Portuguese league this season three times.

Top scorers chart: The Iranian striker scored 18 goals in the league this season and is currently ranked second in the scorers’ table. Benfica’s Uruguayan striker is still in the lead. Darwin Nunes is the top scorer in the Portuguese league with 24 goals.

Assists: Taremi has the most assists with a goal against Portimonense, reaching a record of 13 assists, and after the Benfica player, Rafa Silva, The Team Melli forward lies in the second place in this category.

FFIRI negotiates friendlies with Argentina or Brazil.

The Iranian football federation FFIRI Secretary-General Hassan Kamranifar has declared that his federation is actively planning friendly preparatory games for Team Melli ahead of its participation in the FIFA World Cup Qatar, 2022.

Kamranifar said: “As you know, Brazil and Argentina have a postponed match in the World Cup qualifiers which is scheduled to be held in Qatar. We are negotiating with one of these two teams to agree to play an international friendly against them.

The Secretary-General of the Football Federation added: “4 teams out of 6 possible opponents of Team Melli are among the best and are in the top ranks of the FIFA rankings. Both teams are in the middle ranks, we are going to choose teams whose games are close to our opponents. Therefore, we have negotiated with Peru, New Zealand, and several other countries, which we will announce immediately after it is finalized.”

He continued: “Holding friendly games is difficult due to financial issues. One or two teams have requested to play behind closed doors and without television broadcasting, which is still good ”
in discussing the readiness of  Team Melli,  Kamranifar emphasized: “Skocic is also trying on his side to use his contacts to arrange friendly games and we hope this will happen soon so that we can play a friendly match in the first FIFA Day,”

UPCOMING FIFA DAYS 2022

Dates Matches
30 May – 14 June 2022 4
19–27 September 2022 2

Iran confirms its place in the AFC Futsal Asian Cup Kuwait 2022™

Bishkek: Defending Champion Iran and Uzbekistan have confirmed their places in the AFC Futsal Asian Cup Kuwait 2022™ after securing a top-two finish in their respective groups of the Central and South Zone Qualifiers on Monday.
Iran beat Turkmenistan 3-0 to stay top of the leaderboard in Group A with six points. The Kyrgyz Republic, meanwhile, revived its qualification hopes after beating the Maldives.

Uzbekistan were the first team from the region to qualify for the Finals after their 5-1 win over Afghanistan. The White Wolves are assured of a top two finish regardless of the result in the final match on Tuesday. One point is all Tajikistan needs to secure a second-place finish in Group B.
Group A
Turkmenistan 0-3 Iran
Turkmenistan were Iran’s toughest challenge yet, but that didn’t stop the defending champions from showing their prowess with Hossein Tayebi breaking the deadlock in the 12th minute before Saeid Ahmadabbasi doubled their advantage moments before the halftime break.
Turkmenistan were still very much in the game as they challenged the champions, but Shiri Bayradurdyyev’s own goal in the 38th minute ended their hopes of a comeback.

Vahid Shamsaei used his second-string players in most of the periods while inducting one or more first-choice players as support.
Iran will take on the Kyrgyz Republic on Tuesday, while Turkmenistan faces a must-win match against the Maldives.

Iran Futsal thrashes Maldives 17-0

Iran’s national futsal team defeated the Maldives 17 – 0  in their first match of the AFC Futsal Asian Cup qualifiers.

This was the first official match for the new coach Vahid Shamsaei the holder of the record goals scored at the international level.

Iran got their title defence off to a fantastic start, beating Maldives 17-0 with eight different players finding the back of the net.

Salar Aghapour opened the scoring in the fifth minute and got his second in the 15th minute. Hamzeh Kadkhoda also scored twice – in the 34th and 35th minutes – while Masound Yousef Shavardazi got his brace with back-to-back efforts in the 37th minute.

Mohammadhossein Derakhshani, Mahdi Karimi and Alireza Rafiei Poir also got into the goalscoring action with a goal each in the sixth, 20th and 38th minutes respectively.

Hossein Tayebi secured a hat-trick with goals in the 11th, 25th and 26th minutes, but the most valuable player was surely Saeid Ahmadabbasi with five goals to his name – two in the 20th minute, his hat-trick in the 23rd minute, before adding two more in the 33rd minute.

Iran will look to continue their fine form against Turkmenistan on Monday, while Maldives will have to bounce back against Kyrgyz Republic.
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Iran 1 1 0 0 17 0 +17 3
2  Turkmenistan 1 2 0 1 10 9 +2 3
3 Kyrgyz Republic 1 0 0 1 1 3 −2 0
4  Maldives 1 0 0 1 0 17 −17 0

Allahyar Sayyadmanesh settling in at Hull City – he just needs goals

IT can be dangerous to make predictions in football, but one can safely be made regarding Hull City’s Iranian striker Allahyar Sayyadmanesh.
By Leon Wobschall
Saturday, 9th April 2022, 6:00 am
The Yorkshire Post
When he finally breaks his scoring duck for the Tigers – hopefully, sooner rather than later – expect his teammates to quickly make a beeline for him and warmly embrace him.

It will mean a lot to him and his teammates, not to mention those close to him back in his home city of Amol, close to the Caspian Sea in northern Iran.

Moving between clubs in mid-season is rarely straightforward, more especially when you swap not only countries but differing cultures.

That is the reality that confronted Sayyadmanesh when he switched to East Yorkshire from Turkish giants Fenerbache at the end of January.

Brought in on loan with a view to the transfer being made permanent in the summer, the 20-year-old was always likely to require a period of integration.

With a full pre-season behind him, one school of thought suggests that 2022-23 might be his time when Hull – should they wish – will see the best of him.

So Hull may have to read beyond his current statistics – no goals in six games so far, with an injury not helping his cause.

Hull City's Allahyar Sayyadmanesh during a Sky Bet Championship match at MKM Stadium, Hull. (Picture: PA)

Hull City’s Allahyar Sayyadmanesh during a Sky Bet Championship match at MKM Stadium, Hull. 

In the here and now, he could just do with a goal to back the positive impression he has made on the training ground.

City head coach Shota Arveladze said: “If he’d scored last week, it would be much better for me and it would be a great leap. He has had two great chances in the last few weeks, but it will come.

“I would have liked to have used him much more, but he got injured and it takes time.

Allahyar Sayyadmanesh signed in January (Picture: Hull City)

Allahyar Sayyadmanesh signed in January (Picture: Hull City)

Given that this is his third loan spell away from Fenerbahce, having previously impressed during spells at İstanbulspor and Ukrainian outfit Zorya Luhansk, Sayyadmanesh clearly has a bit about him as an individual.

It is a view backed up by Arveladze, with the club going out of their way to help him assimilate into life in Yorkshire.

Events like on Thursday when Hull owner Acun Ilicali took players and coaching staff to an Italian restaurant for a team meal during a flying visit to the city, all help play their part.

Arveladze continued: “He (Sayyadmanesh) is good and passionate and he has a will to do well in football and they (Iranians) have this history.
“He has been raised well and knows about respect and his position and how to act with the boys in the dressing room from his mum and dad and friends.“If we want people and players to succeed, we have to try and get them involved in every case.

“Let’s say they spend four hours at the club from 9 am to one or 1.30 pm. For the rest of the hours, they are outside.

“I don’t believe being on Zoom and Skype and having lunch with their families on the screen will make them play better. They have to be integrated. His English is good enough and his girlfriend is here.”

While Sayyadmanesh could be involved today, Mallik Wilks, the club’s top-scorer last season with 22 goals, is unlikely to be.

Despite City’s struggles for goals of late, Wilks – despite being fit again after recovering from a foot injury – has been omitted from several match-day squads. Given that he has scored in his last two games against Boro, he might be useful today.

On Wilks – out of contract in June although City have an option to add another year – Arveladze said: “I’ve spoken to him two or three times. He is a fantastic lad. I am just waiting for when he gets really fit and have talked to him about getting his energy and speed back.

“I am still pulling him out and telling him: ‘Come on, Mallik, we need you’.

“It can be quite long for speedy, heavy-muscled boys, like him. It is difficult to get to the level he was before. He had six to seven weeks out, then had a small injury and last week, he was sick and missed sessions. It is a little bit complicated.”

What did the coaches say after World Cup draw?

 

Gregg Berhalter, USA coach

“We think it’s a good group. We know every opponent in the World Cup is difficult but with England, you definitely get an exciting match-up. Gareth (Southgate, England manager) and I go way back. He’s a guy I look up to and has always been there for me, and given me advice. I reached out to him when I got the job and asked if he’d be interested in telling me more about international football. I looked at him as something as a mentor and since then we have stayed in touch.”

Gareth Southgate, England manager

“The first two teams (USA and IR Iran) we’ve not played for quite a while. The third (Wales or the winner of Scotland-Ukraine) is a total unknown but throws up a possible British derby. We know what they’re all about! When you’re seeded, you get the advantage of missing out on those big six or seven teams. But there are some really high-ranked teams in Pot 2, the US in particular, and I know Gregg Berhalter quite well – we’ve met a couple of times and had long chats about things. They’ve got some very good players and we know what they could be capable of as a nation.”

How Iran fared against the opponents ?

Iran’s records against the teams of the group are quite healthy and that is quite a boost for Team Melli players ahead of the first game on November, 21st.

Team Melli played four times against possible and actual opponents. England remains the only team that has not faced Iran before. Team Melli managed 2 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss to the teams in the preliminary group.

By far the biggest and most famous result against the opponents here was in Lyon on 21st June 1998 when Iran beat USA 2-1 in one of the most anticipated matches of the 1998 World Cup. Estili and Mahdavikia were the heroes of the day scoring for Iran. But 20 years before that in Argentina, when the world cup had only 16 elite participationg teams, Team Melli gained a famous draw with overhyped Scotland or the Tartan Army coached by Ally McCloud who was promising the Scotland team will return home lifting the World Cup before a ball was even kicked. The Scottish team was a star spangle group of the best player in the English First Division, the predecessor of the Premiere League.

Team Melli also played a single match against Ukraine in a friendly international which at the time was making a name for itself in European football, in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. Ali Daei scored the only goal of the match.

Iran’s loss to Wales came in a friendly match in the Araymehr Stadium and was part of the team’s preparation for the Argentine 1978 World Cup.

USA asked Iranian for a friendly in the states in 2000 hoping to get revenge for the loss in Lyon two years before. This match was played in the Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California in front of 50,000 fans. Mahdi Mahdavikia was once again the scourge of the American team when he scored early in the sixth minute of the match. US team equalized through Armas in the second half, the match ending in a 1-1 draw with the USA not being able to exact revenge.

So, for all intent and purposes, Team Melli has no psychological disadvantage in preparing for the World Cup. Such head-to-head results should boost Iran’s hopes of qualifying from the group stages for the first time in history.

Head2Head Table

OPPONENT P W D L GD
England 0 0 0 0 0
USA 2 1 1 0 1
Wales 1 0 0 1 -1
Scotland 1 0 1 0 1
Ukraine 1 1 0 0 1

 

Iran in the third seed of World Cup draw.

The Iranian national football team was placed in the third round of the FIFA  World Cup 2022 in Qatar.

With nearly all matches except a few played in the World Cup qualifiers, the ranking of the teams present in this period of competition was also determined. Based on this, the Iranian national team will be in Seed 3 as in the previous period. The draw for the World Cup will be held on Friday in Doha, and Team Melli will know its opponents.

* What does it mean to be in Seed 3?

The placement of Iran in Seed 3 is a good thing, because a team from Seed 4, which is lower than Iran in terms of points in the FIFA rankings, will be in our group.

* Which teams will we not be in the same group with Iran?

Also, considering the ranking of Iran in the World Cup, Team Melli will definitely not be in the same group with the teams in seed 3. Iran will not be drawn in the same group with the other Asian teams such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Japan, and South Korea. Also, if Australia or UAE qualify for the World Cup through the playoffs, this team will not be drawn with Iran. Thus, the Iranian national team will definitely not be grouped with the teams of Senegal, Serbia, Poland, Morocco, Tunisia, South Korea, Japan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and “UAE or Australia” (in case of reaching the World Cup).

World Cup qualifiers are as follows:

Seed 1  Belgium (1), Brazil (2), France (3), Argentina (4), England (5), Spain (7), Portugal (8), Qatar (52)

Seed 2: Denmark (9), Netherlands (10), Germany (11),  Mexico (12) , USA (13), Switzerland (14),  Croatia (15), Uruguay (16)

Seed 3: Senegal (18), Iran (21), Japan (23), Morocco (24), Serbia (25), Poland (28), South Korea (29), Tunisia (36)

Seed 4: Canada (33),  Cameroon (38),  Ecuador (46), Saudi Arabia (53), Ghana (61), , 3 playoff teams

* Mexico and USA are still on the face, No, for all intents and purposes, we should consider these two teams among the teams that have qualified for the 2022 World Cup.

Note: In the World Cup draw, teams from different continents, except Europe, will not be grouped with a team from their own continent, and from Europe, a maximum of two teams can be in the same group.

 

Ali Daei will participate in the draw ceremony.

Iran’s legend and former Team Melli coach will be one of the 7 selected football personalities who will be drawing the names out of the pot.