Team Melli endured a torrid spell with goalkeepers in the last few years, according to Esmael Ardalan the ex-goalkeeping coach of Paykan and Sepahan. He pointed out that there is no inclination to correct this problem either.

In a statement to the MehrNews sport editor, Ardalan said “replacing the long serving Mehdi Rahmati in such a critical game for Team Melli, created much pressure and stress on Rahman Ahmadi and that is why he did not perform to the level he displays at club on consistent basis”

“ During the Qatar game, there was 4 or 5 real chances for the Qataris that did not result in any goals, but it also underlined some hesitancy in Rahman Ahmadi timing out of his area and crosses.” The ex- Team Melli player added. “If we need to have a reliable goalkeeper, we must ensure that Ahmadi performs to high standard particularly during the opposition attacks from the flanks.”

“Expectation of Rahman Ahmadi to reach the ideal form and be on the same wavelength as his defenders , is not fair in such a short period of time. The goalkeeper needs time to work with the coaches and the defenders to synchronize well during the matches. The goalkeeping coach has a crucial role to play in this area and requires much work on the psychological side in addition to the tactical. Boosting the confidence of the keeper is a crucial issue.” Ardalan said.

“Recently , Team Melli had a long history of goalkeeping problems. We have failed to produce high class goalkeepers and that has cost us dearly. In order to rectify this shortcoming, a long term program needs to be set to produce a group of high quality keepers. We have offered such program, but no one seems to be interested.”  Esmael Ardan concluded

Since the days of Ahmadreza Abdezadeh , who was perhaps the last of the great Iranian goalkeepers , Team Melli went through several goalkeepers. From calamitous Ebrahim Mirzapour to the erratic Mehdi Rahmati.

In one of its worst drops in recent years, Iran dropped 10 positions to 67th position in the latest FIFA ranking accumulating 506 points. This is the worst result of Iran for 17 years  since Team Melli dropped to number ranked 83 in 199.

The drop is attributed to the inactivity of Team Melli as is sat idol while other teams were either involved in official competition matches or arranged friendlies to enhance their standing. Team Melli had a bye in the last round of FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, while playing its first FIFA World Cup qualifier of 2013 last Tuesday in Qatar.

3 valuable points from Qatar will enhance the points tally for Team Melli in the next ranking while a similar 3 points against Lebanon will even make it better.

#	Player Name
11	HAJSAFY, Ehsan 25-Feb-90 21 years Sepahan Defender
20	NOSRATI, Mohammad 10-Jan-81 30 Years Tractorsazi Defender
5	AGHILI, Hadi 15-Jan-81 30 Years Sepahan Defender
4	HOSSEINI, Jalal 03-Feb-82 29 Years Perspolis Defender
6	NEKOUNAM, Javad 06-Sep-80 31 Years Osasuna Midfield
1	RAHMATI, Mehdi 02-Feb-83 28 Years Esteghlal Goalkeeper
14	TEYMOURIAN, Andranik 06-Mar-83 28 Years Esteghlal Midfield
19	GHOLAMI, Mohammad 13- Feb-83 28 Years Steel Azin Foreward
7	REZAEI, Gholamreza 6-Mar-84 27 Years Perspolis Midfield
10	ANSARIFARD, Karim 03-Apr-90 21 Years Saipa Foreward
2	HEYDARI, Khosrow 14-Sep-83 28 Years Sepahan Defender
9	KHALATBARY, Mohamad Reza 14-Sep-83 28 Years Zob Ahan Forward
18	NOURI, Pejman 3-Jul-80 31 Years Malavan Midfield
8	SHOJAEI, Masoud 09-Jun-84 27 Years Osasuna Midfield
23	MOBALI, Iman 03-Nov-82 29 Years Esteghlal Midfield
17	NOURI, Mohammad 09-Jan-83 28 years Perspolis Midfield
21	AFSHIN, Arash 21-Jan-89 21 years Foolad Khuzestan Foreward
13	BENGAR, Mohsen 06-Sep-79 32 years Sepahan Defender
22	GORDAN, Shehab 22-May-84 27 years Zob Ahan Goalkeeper
15	HADDADIFAR, Ghassim 12-Jul-83 28 years Zob Ahan Midfield
3	TALEBI, Farshid 24-Aug-81 30 years Zob Ahan Defender
16	NOUROZI, Reza 21-Sep-82 29 years Foolad Khuzestan Foreward

The atmosphere in Iran football was more than positive in the aftermath of the Team Melli victory away to Qatar. Joy and celebrations was aplenty in Iran’s football circles after the crucial victory , despite the fact that Queiroz said that there is still  a lot of football and work to be done. “ we will hold on to the celebrations until the end of the match against Korea Republic.” The jubilant Portuguese announced to the media.

The media in Iran was full of praise for the performance and result that was achieved by Team Melli beating Qatar 1-0 in Doha. The majority of the reports talked about the methodology and the tactics employed by Queiroz used that lead to what was comfortable win in the end. Iran deserved a better goal margin victory , according to the press but the majority seem to be content with that solitary goal.

Heshmat Mohajerani, the legendary Team Melli coach who was the first coach to lead Iran to the World Cup 1978 in Argentina, said “ this match was the best I have seen of Team Melli since Carlos Queiroz took over at the helm of the team.”

Mahmoud Yavari, another ex-Team Melli coach and player believed that Queiroz preparation of the team , mentally and physically was a winner. The veteran coach praised the media in Iran which supported Team Melli till the day of the match. “There was lots of room for criticism especially after that embarrassing losses in a friendly against Oman, but to their credit , the press had been marvelous backing the team and the coach.”

Afshin Peyrovani , ex-Team Melli player and Captain said that Queiroz decision to employ the skeleton of the Esteghlal defense was a ingenious decision. The Champions Esteghlal , had the best defense in their way to win the title and using 3 out of 4 of their players proved to be a wise move.

Karim Bagheri and Khodadad Azizi , the scorers of the goals in Melbourne which took Iran to 1998 World Cup finals, were special guest of the federation for the match in Doha. Azizi express his delight with the victory and believes that “beating Lebanon next Tuesday should not be a big deal, but unless Queiroz patches up the team with more sharp and stronger players, we will have a tough time against the powerful Koreans.”

Reza GhoochanNejad the scorer of Iran’s solitary goal believes the team played quite well “I am happy that I managed to convert the supremacy of the team and the good work of the players into a deserved goal for us”

Amongst the many cheerful voices, there was some that advised caution against Lebanon. In the midst of that sweet victory in Doha, the team can easily lose focus and be surprised by a Lebanon that has no aspiration but also nothing to lose either.

* Ghoochannejhad’s goal boosts Iran’s campaign

* No celebration yet, says assistant coach

* Qatar’s hopes all but over after narrow defeat

June 4 (Reuters) – Iran got their World Cup qualifying campaign back on track after Reza Ghoochannejhad’s 66th-minute strike gave them a 1-0 win against Qatar at Doha’s Al Sadd Stadium on Tuesday.

Carlos Quiroz’s team stay third in Group A on 10 points from six games, a point behind second-placed Uzbekistan and leaders South Korea, who drew 1-1 with bottom side Lebanon in Beirut.

“We will not celebrate as we have still two matches remaining,” Iran’s assistant coach Antonio Simoes said.

“We have achieved an important three points and a good victory and I want to thank the players who followed the tactics and this helped us to get a positive result.”

The defeat all but ended Qatar’s hopes of a first World Cup finals appearance as they are now three points behind Iran and have only one game left away to Uzbekistan.

The top two from the group qualify directly for next year’s finals in Brazil, while the third-placed team will still be in with a chance of joining them via the playoffs.

There was little goalmouth action in the early stages in Doha with Mojtaba Jabari’s 21st-minute effort for Iran from the edge of the box presenting the first goalkeeping test.

The hosts maiden opportunity came when Ibrahim Khalfan rolled the ball to Hasan al Haydos but his effort hit the bar.

Qatar keeper Qasem Burhan then made two outstanding saves, tipping Masoud Soleimani Shojaei’s curling free-kick over the bar and beating out Ghoochannejhad’s point-blank header with one hand while moving in the other direction.

The second half was more physical and Iran’s sustained pressure eventually paid off when a defensive error sent the ball to Ghoochannejhad who scored past the advancing Burhan.

Iran could have doubled their lead in the 79th minute but this time Ghoochannejhad could not beat Burhan who charged out of the box, earning himself a yellow card for a foul on the forward but denying the visitors another goal.

Qatar coach Fahad Thani said a draw would have been fair, adding: “Iran were physically strong and were good in defence. We played well but didn’t take advantage of the chances we had as we were without the player who could finish those chances.

QATAR 0 – 1 IRAN

AFC.COM

Reza Ghoochannejhad strengthened Iran’s hopes of securing a fourth appearance at the FIFA World Cup finals with the only goal of the game as Carlos Queiroz’s side saw off Qatar at Al Sadd Stadium on Tuesday.

Ghoochannejhad’s 66th minute strike (pictured) earned the Iranians all three points and moves them on to 10 points from six games while Qatar’s chances of reaching Brazil 2014 suffered a blow.

Fahad Thani’s side are three points adrift of the Iranians in fourth place in Group A with just one game remaining while Iran have a game in hand over the Qataris. The top two nations qualify automatically for the finals while the third place side in the group progresses to a playoff.

“We deserved to win today as we played well which helped us to get three important points. We took advantage of our good preparations and the team had a good show in the match today,” said Iran assistant coach Antonio Simoes.

“We will not celebrate as we have still two matches remaining. We have achieved an important three points and a good victory and I want to thank the players who followed the tactics and this helped us to get a positive result.”

Sebastian Soria was not available for the home side after picking up a suspension and the Qataris missed the Uruguay-born forward’s presence in attack, despite the enthusiasm and positive running of former AFC Player of the Year Khalfan Ibrahim.

After a tepid opening 30 minutes, Qatar were just inches away from taking the lead when Ibrahim slipped the ball into the path of Hasan Al Haydos, but his shot came back off the woodwork with Rahman Ahmadi beaten.

Qatar monopolised possession but had little to show for their time with the ball and, in the dying minutes of the half, Iran twice went close to taking the lead.

With three minutes left in the period, Masoud Shojaei’s free kick almost caught out Qusam Burhan, only for the goalkeeper to readjust his positioning as the ball swung towards goal to tip the ball to safety.

The resultant corner led to Ghoochannejhad stealing in at the far post to head goalward, only for Burhan to pull off a fine save to deny the Standard Liege forward.

Iran’s ascendancy in the dying minutes of the first half continued into the second half and, by the 66th minute, the three-time Asian champions had taken the lead when Queiroz’s team took advantage of a defensive error.

Ghoochannejhad was on hand to capitalise when the ball ricocheted off Ibrahim Abdulmajed and into the path of the forward, who made no mistake as he slotted the ball calmly beyond Burhan’s reach.

Qatar grew increasingly desperate as time ran out, throwing the ball forward at every opportunity but the Iranian defence held out to secure a third win of the final phase of qualifying and improve the nation’s hopes of a place in Brazil next year.

“The fair result tonight would have been a draw as we did not expect to lose tonight especially as we had many chances which we didn’t take advantage of. Iran were physically strong and they were good in defence,” said Qatar coach Thani.

“We played well but we didn’t take advantage of the chances that we had as we were without the player who could finish those chances.

“We knew that the match would be very hard and we were hoping to get a better result.”

*****************************************************************************

AFP report:

Iran boosted their chances of clinching an automatic berth from Asia at next year’s FIFA World Cup™ with a 1-0 win over Qatar in their crucial qualifying game tonight.

Iranian-Dutch striker Reza Ghoochannejhad struck the vital goal in the 66th minute to end 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar‘s hopes of reaching the finals.

It was the first time Iran had beaten Qatar in four qualifying matches for Brazil 2014. Their three previous matches, including two in the third and penultimate phase of qualifying, had ended in draws.

Tuesday’s victory took Iran to ten points in Group A, and with two more games in hand, the Asian giants look set for their fourth appearance in the FIFA World Cup finals.

Qatar‘s already slim hopes of qualifying for football’s showpiece event relied heavily on a victory over Iran, and for the better part of the first half they appeared on course with speedy moves that occasionally caught the Iranians napping.

Former AFC Asian Player of the Year Khalfan Ibrahim came close to beating the Iranian defence on a couple of occasions, but Qatar‘s first real chance came in the 30th minute when Hassan Haydos found himself clear just inside the penalty area. However, much to Qatar‘s dismay his cracking shot slammed the crossbar.

Qatar goalkeeper Qassem Burhan then brought off two splendid saves in quick succession – blocking a dipping free-kick from 25 yards by Masoud Shojaei and then producing a reflex save to stop a Nournia header from close range.

Iran, however, moved up a gear in the second-half. Playing with more purpose and speed they kept probing at the Qatari defence and eventually it cracked under pressure when a move initiated by Qatar-based Andranik Teymourian saw the ball come Nournia’s way and the former Dutch U-19 international made no mistake from close range. Qatar tried their best to get the equaliser but the Iranians held firm to deny the hosts.

The worst Iran can do at this stage is to qualify as the third team for the play-off series, it is a hard and challenging task which will probably involve travelling a long distance to the other side of the World to Latin America. At the moment, both Lebanon and Qatar are realistically out of the competition for the top three spots, although mathematically Qatar is still in with a slim chance provided Iran loses against Lebanon in Azadi while Qatar scores a wide margin victory in their last match away against Uzbekistan. Such victory will take them to 10 points and in par with Iran who still has a match to play against the Koreans. Any points from Korea by Iran, and Qatar is out.

 More realistically, the competition will be between the three current top teams in Group A,  Korea Rep, Uzbekistan and Iran.

Next Tuesday will see the two top teams, Korea Rep and Uzbekistan facing off in Seoul. While Iran would be entertaining the bottom team Lebanon whom they have already trounced this year 5-0 in the 2015 Asian Cup qualifiers. Assuming Iran wins the match against Lebanon by any margin making their points tally 13 , the hopes are for the first match to end up with a draw giving Korea Rep 12 pts ( GD +6) , Uzbekistan 12pts (GD +2) and Iran 13 pts (GD +2 or better).

That will make the last round; the decider round between the three teams concerned where Iran will travel to Korea for their last match and Uzbekistan will face Qatar at home.

Iran needs a draw from Ulsan to qualify directly to Brazil accumulating 14 pts to Koreas 13 ( or 14 pts if they beat Uzbekistan in the previous round). Uzbekistan needs to beat Qatar by any goal margin to accumulate 15 pts to qualify ( assuming they drew with Korea previous round). with 14 points (if they lost to Korea), the Uzbeks might be looking at goal margin.

In case Korea Rep defeats Iran in Ulsan (15 pts) against Iran’s 13 pts.  Uzbekistan needs to beat Qatar to get 15 pts,  Iran will be playing in the play-off against the third rank team of the Group B.

If Either of the teams Korea Rep or Uzbekistan win that match next week ( the winner gets 15 pts (loser still on 12) , then Iran need to draw at least in the last round against Korea to make it directly (14 pts).

In all cases , to ensure Iran qualifies directly, they need a win in Azadi versus Lebanon and at least a draw in Ulsan against their nemeses Korea Rep.

Doha

Team Melli revived its chances to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup by defeating Qatar 1 -0 in Doha. The only goal of the match was scored by Reza Ghoochannejd in the second half (66′) when he received a lose ball sent by Jabbari and neatly slotted in under the advancing Qatari goalkeeper.

Iran has 10 points with two more matches to play. Iran’s next match will be at Azadi against Lebanon.

Queiroz , who was serving his second match ban , elected to play with a relatively new defensive line up. The Team Melli coach selected 3 Esteghlal players to cement the defenses in addition to the veteran Jalal Hosseini. Amir Hossein Sadeghi, partnering Hosseini in center of defense,  was recalled after 6 years while Beighzadeh, who was playing left back,  last featured for Team Melli in 2010.

The match kick off time early evening , eased the worry that high temperatures and specifically the humidity , will be a handicap for Iranian players. With Doha enjoying a mild summer, the weather was relatively pleasant under the circumstances.

The first 30 minutes of the first half saw Team Melli control most of the play by taking the initiative on offensive moves and controlling the rhythm of the match, while not allowing the hosts to create any real chances. Qatar was content to defend while depending on the pace of their wingers for the counter attack. Iran played its usual game plan that they have stuck to throughout the qualification matches. The offensive moves was based on crosses from the flanks , mostly by the lively Khosrow Heydari on the right while on the left wing , Shojaei was lethargic and his contribution was minimal.

Despite the various attempts and the crosses that Heydari sent from the right , most such crosses ended up long or collected by the tall and towering Qatari GoalKeeper Qassim Burhan. The only variation to TM tactic was a single long range attempt shot by Capt Nekounam which was comfortably collected in two attempts by Qatar Keeper Burhan.
But after the half hour, things changed dramatically as Qatar got a new lease of life and initiated several attacking moves on Iran’s goal one of which was chipped by Hassan AlHaydos but hit the bar to safety. However , the Qatari attacks did not last long as Iran once again took control of the match under the end of the half.

The second half was a carbon copy of the first with the host hardly getting any chances while Iranian enjoying most of the possession as it continued controlling the pace of the game. The first fifteen minutes saw Team Melli launch several attacks while the Qatari’s were on the defensive. The most clear chance fell to Shojaei who was put cleared by a neat through ball to face Qatar goalkeeper, but the Osasuna player was far too slow to pull the trigger as the ball was cleared in front of him by young defender Misa’ab.

Iran’s supremacy paid dividend in the 66th minute when Nekounam put a nice through ball to Jabbari who squared the ball to Ghoochannejad through a deflection. The Standard Liege forward neatly controlled the ball and slotted under Qassim Burhan to score the only goal. It was a cool and clinical finish no more than Iran deserved.

The rest of the match saw team Melli play logical game and had little problem controlling the game with a sterling display from the midfield and particularly an outstanding from  Ando Teymourian who was one of the stars of the match.

in the injury time of the match, the Qatari’s were throwing all to score the equalizer but their desperate efforts did not result in a goal.
Despite what was commonly believed, Nelo Ningada did not sit on Iran’s bench but accompanied Queiroz in the stands of the Al Sadd Stadium.

In the other group match today , the South Koreans scored deep inside the injury time to secure a point at Beirut after Lebanon surprise the fancied Koreans with a goal in the first half.Korea leads the table on goal difference with Uzbekistan.

Next week’s matches.

• 11th June 2013  Korea Republic vs. Uzbekistan  11:00 GMT
• 11th June 2013  Iran vs. Lebanon                        16:30 GMT

#	Player Name
	ARAB, Mostafa 13-Aug-41 31 years Oghab Defender
20	ASHTIANI, Ebrahim 04-Jan-42 30 Years Perspolis Defender
5	BEHZADI, Homayoun 20.Jun.42 30 Years Perspolis Foreward
4	GHURAB, Javad 30.Jul.50 22 Years Taj Defender
6	HALVAEI, Majeed 007-Feb-48 24 Years Pas Defender
1	HAGHVERDIAN, Karo 11-Jan-46 26 Years Esteghlal Midfield
14	HEJAZI, Nasser 14-Dec-49 23 Years Esteghlal Goalkeeper
19	IRANPAK, Safar 03.Dec.47 25 Years Perspolis Foreward
7	JABBARI, Ali 20-Jun-47 25 Years Taj Midfield
10	KALANI, Hossein 23-Jun-40 32 Years Perspolis Foreward
2	KARGARJAM, Akbar 6.Dec.1944 28 Years Taj Defender
9	KASHANI, Jaffar 04.Mar.45 27 Years Perspolis Defender
18	MAVADAT, Bahram 30.Jan.50 22 Years Perspolis Goalkeeper
8	MAZLOOMI, Gholamhossein 13-Jan-50 22 Years Taj Foreward
23	MONAJATI, Mehdi 29-Jun-47 25 Years Pas Midfield
17	GHLEECHKHANI, Parviz 04.Nov.46 26 years Pas Midfield
21	SHARAFI, Asghar 22-Dec-42 30 years Pas Foreward
13
22
15

Doha.

The Portuguese head coach of Iran national football team, Carlos Queiroz, says his side is ready to defeat Qatar in Doha. Tomorrow, Qatar will host Team Melli in Doha and both teams need to grab all three points of this match in order to increase their chances for getting qualified for Brazil’s 2014 FIFA World Cup.

“The team is fully prepared to defeat Qatar in upcoming match. Fortunately, all invited players are available to serve the team. I expect to get a good result from this match, because the points are really important for the destiny of Team Melli.” Carlos Queiroz addressed the pre-match press-conference in Qatar.

“This match is important for Iran, but it is far more important for Qataris. There are three more games left in the way of reaching 2014 FIFA World Cup, and we will try to do our best to get qualified for World Cup.” Queiroz added.

Carlos Queiroz also went on to criticize the behavior of Qatari Football Federation toward Team Melli. Qatari side didn’t provide any buses to Iranians for transferring the players from the airport to hotel. “It is disappointing. Qatar will host 2022 World Cup, and they must consider allocating all facilities to visitors.”

Javad Nekounam, the captain of Team Melli, also said that his fellows are looking to grab all three points from the upcoming match.

Singapore referee Abdul Malik Abdul Bashir, who will referee  the crucial match in Doha between Qatar and Iran , in the FIFA World Cup qualifier match , won the inaugural ASEAN Football Federation Referee of the Year Award. -TNP

David Lee of The New Paper, reports:

SINGAPORE – He was once the sort of player referees would hate to handle.

But in a curious twist of fate, Abdul Malik Abdul Bashir is now the one holding the whistle.

And on Wednesday, the former “bad boy” won the inaugural ASEAN Football Federation Referee of the Year Award.

Said the 45-year-old: “I played in the National Football League, and the only consistent thing I was known for was getting yellow and red cards.

“Then there was this one day when I seriously injured an opponent. The next day, I felt really down and I happened to see an advertisement looking for referees.

“I cannot explain what happened, but I went for it and got into the world of refereeing.”

If there is a more thankless job than being a goalkeeper, the match officials are probably it.

Assistant referee Tang Yew Mun, who picked up the Assistant Referee of the Year 2012 on Wednesday, said: “Nobody cheers the referees if we get a decision right.

“But if we get it wrong, you can be sure they will let us know what they think.”

Two-time S-League Referee of the Year Abdul Malik added: “For sure, there is pressure, especially in international games. If we make a mistake, they won’t say Abdul Malik is not good. They will say Singaporean referees are lousy.

“Everyone of us flies our country’s flag when we officiate a game and we know the importance of doing a good job.”

Yet, the appreciation of the crowd is not what spurs them on in this part-time career. Both referees insist it is their love for the sport.

Focus

Tang, a 37-year-old operation team leader at Singapore Flyer Pte Ltd, said: “There are no two ways about it. To be a good referee, you need to have passion and commitment.

“You must also be able to take criticism positively, stay focused and work hard.”

Abdul Malik, who is a referee executive with the Football Association of Singapore, added that in order to keep fit, he religiously goes for his runs, even if it is after midnight.

“It’s all about honesty and discipline,” he said.

But it is not all just work and no play.

Refereeing has allowed Abdul Malik and Tang, both Fifa-accredited referees who have officiated World Cup and Olympic qualifiers, to travel far and wide to countries they never dreamed of visiting.

Tang said: “The most memorable place I went to referee was Tajikistan.

“Not many people would know where this country is, and it is not somewhere most people would go for holiday. But I’m thankful that I had the opportunity to go to places like this.”

For history buff Abdul Malik, to be able to visit historical sites in Isfahan, Iran and Samarkand, Uzbekistan, was a dream come true.

However, in a few months’ time, he will have to call time on his international refereeing career as the retirement age for Fifa referees is 45.

Yet, Abdul Malik says he has no regrets about not officiating at a World Cup.

He does have one more refereeing dream though.

“I hope that with the two of us winning these awards, it will inspire more to explore refereeing as a career,” he said.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) -Carlos Queiroz and his Iran team came into qualifying for the 2014 World Cup as one of the favorites to advance. Now, with three group matches left, they’re in danger of missing out.

The Iranians will take on 101st-ranked Qatar at Doha on Tuesday in what both teams consider a must-win match, with each trailing Uzbekistan and South Korea for one of the two automatic qualifying spots from Group A.

On paper, Iran should be favored to win, but nothing can be taken for granted from a team whose injury-plagued attack has scored just two goals in the past five qualifiers.

“It’s a crucial, crucial match for both teams. We are running now out of time,” Queiroz told The Associated Press. “As you know, everybody can be in and everybody can be out. Even Lebanon still has a chance so these final three games are crucial for all the teams.”

Iran captain Javad Nekounam was even more blunt, insisting the match “probably will be one of the most important games of my career” and adding that he was hopeful the team could still reach the World Cup for a fourth time despite a qualification campaign he described as a “very difficult journey.”

Qatar, with only two group matches remaining, can still book a spot for Brazil despite a losing record against Iran. Iran has three victories to Qatar’s one in past World Cup qualifiers, but the teams have drawn the past three qualifiers, including a 2-2 draw that ensured the 2022 World Cup host reached this stage of the competition.

“We are ready for Iran,” Qatar national team director Abdulrahman al-Mahmoud said on the Qatar Football Association’s website. “It won’t be easy, but with the support of our fans our team can win this match …The players have a huge responsibility.”

The match with Qatar also has political overtones, since both countries have been flexing their muscle on the regional stage and often have been at odds – most recently over Syria. It is unlikely that Qatar – where political dissent is prohibited- will allow protests to spill into the stadium, but experts say a victory will carry extra weight due to the growing rivalry between the countries.

“As much as people try to say sport is neutral, you can never separate sports and politics,” said Mustafa Alani, an analyst at the Gulf Research Center in Geneva. “Athletes are representing a country. This is, by nature, a political act. The history of sports is full of political backstories: U.S. versus the Soviet Union, Israel being shunned by many Muslim countries and, to add to the list, Iran and its rivals in the Gulf.”

Amir Hosein Hoseini, a spokesman for the Football Federation of Iran, called the match with Qatar “very sensitive” and complained Iranian reporters had not yet been issued visas.

It isn’t the first time that politics has overshadowed a match between Iran, which has overwhelming Shiite population, and Persian Gulf nations ruled by Sunnis. The United Arab Emirates cancelled a friendly against Iran last year due to a simmering territorial dispute, while FIFA appointed a security expert to monitor an earlier World Cup qualifier between Iran and Bahrain due to fears of fan violence.

Queiroz and Nekounam insist politics will play no part in the match and that their only concern is winning for the football fans back home. The team hasn’t played in the World Cup since 2006.

“We will play with our heart and soul and give it 100 percent as we have done previously,” said Nekounam, who played seven seasons with Spanish side Osasuna and now plays for the Iranian club Esteghlal. “We know our people, our nation wants our team to be in the World Cup. This gives us double motivation.”

Queiroz, a former Portugal and Real Madrid manager, said he has “no doubt” the team will reach the World Cup. But he acknowledged it faces plenty of hurdles, including the loss several players to injury including Hadi Aghili, Mahdi Rahmati, Ali Karimi and star midfielder Ashkan Dejagah, who was hurt playing for Fulham.

Several other stars had not yet arrived by the weekend including Osasuna’s Masoud Shojaei – a problem that has plagued the team throughout the campaign.

“In Asia, there are a lot of circumstances sometimes outside the game that can influence the performance of the players like traveling, the distances, the weather,” Queiroz said. “We can only bring players 48 hours before a crucial game for the World Cup. Qatar has its team in camp and they are preparing all the players. It is unfair or an unbalanced situation.”

Qatar has injury woes of its own, announcing Monday that star striker Sebastian Soria won’t be available.

“We respect the Iranian team knowing they are better ranked than us,” Qatar coach Fahad Than said. “But football is game of small details and the match on the pitch will tell a different story to the form team. We will miss Sebastian Soria. However, we have quality replacements. Our team is made of players who are ready to work for each other.”

Iran’s U-17 team played a its second friendly game against Iraq in Shahid Dastgerdi Stadium today. The match ended 1-0 for Iran with a late goal scored by Hossein Mehraban in the 88th minute.

The Iran U-17 team is preparing for the FIF U-17 World Cup to be held in OCtober n the UAE. Iran qualified from the Asian zone. Ali Doustimeher has been coaching the teams from since the qualifying rounds and has selected a large squad while gradually shoer-listing to the ideal number for the tournament.

Mehdi Mahdavikia, who has shown a keen interest in the team , was present in the match and participated in the team briefng and the half time talk.

Iran’s U-17 Line up:

Mehdi Amini: AmirHossein Karimi, Saeid Ezattolahei (77″ Milad Badreghah), Komeil Haghzadeh, Milad Dai, MohammadReza Kaveh (67″ Ali Hazami), Amir Mohammad Mazloom,  Youisef Sayyedi (75″ Reza Karmalachaab), Mohammad Bazaj, Sadegh Moharrami (65″ Hossein Mehraban), Ali Shojaei (46″ Sasan Jaffary)