Twenty days after the shocking loss of Team Melli to Japan, Ehsan Haj Safi is the first player to publicly talk about the match.

Talking specifically about that strange first goal that Iran conceded, the Tractorsazi player said “It was an irresponsible act that I deeply regret when I think about it. It was a child mistake which lead to conceding the first goal. We were growing in confidence by that time and were sure to score against them if it was not for that regrettable goal that broke our heart. That unfortunate scene is still lingering on all the players’ mind. It is still like a nightmare scene to all of us “HajSafi, who was himself one of the guilty players in the scene pleading with the referee, said.

“It was not the fault of any players for seeking an advantage at that moment (…). When we saw the Japanese player play acting to get a foul on the edge of the box and falling to the ground, we went towards the referee, demanding to punish the player and show him a yellow card for un-sportsmanship conduct, without realizing that the referee has waved play on and the other Japanese player collecting the loose ball, took his time and crossed creating a great opportunity for the forward to score the first goal. In any case, it was a collective mistake of all the 5 players for being negligent. We are to be blamed, the 5 players on that part of the field. This was a costly mistake and a valuable experience for all of us, at international and club level which we hope is never repeated again.”

Iran lost 3-0 to Japan in the semi-finals of the AFC Asian Cup 2019 in Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain, UAE.

Qatar won the title for the first time in its history by defeating Japan 3-1 in tn a memorable match in Abu Dhabi..

After the loss to Japan, the FFIRI terminated the contract of coach Carlos Queiroz.