Tag: Competition

16/01/2015

“Iran’s Messi” a class above Qatar in the AFC Asian Cup

by Luke Costin

MELBOURNE, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) — Any scout in the world not aware of Sardar Azmoun should be now after “Iran‘s Messi” delicately scored the winner over Qatar in Sydney on Thursday.

Sardar cleverly drew a defender before dragging a low cross under himself and sealing Iran’s 1-0 win and qualification for the knockout stage.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE), Iran’s next opponent, scored a goal within 15 seconds on their way to sealing their quarter-final berth over Bahrain in Canberra.

Sardar, having run just past the low cross from the right field, stuck out his right leg to flick the ball under himself. He made no mistake with his second touch sending the mostly-Iranian crowd wild.

The 20-year-old has been linked with English powerhouses Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham in the current January transfer window, and based on this form, his Russian club, Rubin Kazan, may get another few pounds from a transfer of their young star.

Three minutes in, Sardar had already shown Asia why he has been compared to the three-time World Player of the Year with a delightful header that narrowly missed its target.

The only blemish in Sardar’s performance was something partially out of his control.

Acute cramp struck Sardar down on the hour and forced an early substitution.

It showed that, perhaps, playing in Russia had left him under- conditioned for the Australian warmth.

Qatar’s goalkeeper Qasem Burhan, coming off a 4-1 loss to UAE, was clearly low on confidence and often found himself lucky not to concede earlier than the 52nd minute.

Not 60 seconds after the break, an Irani corner drew Qasem into “no-man’s land,” but resulting strike missing an open goal.

Desperate defending from the Maroons was necessary throughout as Iran peppered the goal with plenty of near chances.

Morteza Pouraliganji flew in over the top to meet a corner kick sweetly in the first half, only to beat the unguarded right post.

Minutes later, Ashkan Dejagah had a speculative crack from wide in the area that zipped past the goal, barely missing the far post.

Those in the stadium commended Iran’s frenetic fans for making the 22,672 crowd feel closer to 100,000.

Earlier in nation’s capital, the Emirates took just 14 seconds to puncture the Bahraini defenses and kick-start their 2-1 win.

A shocking defensive error from the kick-off led to Omar Abdulrahman delivering a pinpoint ball to Ali Mabkhout, who put away his third goal of the tournament.

Jaycee John Okwunwanne equalized in the 26th minute but it was his captain Mohamed Hussain’s own-goal header that was the decider.

UAE produced their best chances from free kicks including the pieces and, through some luck, scored in the 73rd.

From a free kick in left field, Hussain rose highest, only for his errant clearance to find the top corner of his own net.

Straight after the kick-off, right back Abdulla Omar took on the Emirati midfielders only to give the ball up to his Emirati namesake.

A sublime lofted through ball from Omar to Mabkhout allowed the tournament’s leading goal scorer the time to run around the goalkeeper.

Nigerian-born Okwunwanne’s one goal, from a perfect corner kick by Faouzi Aaish, so easily could have been a brace just three minutes later.

But it was not to be, his powerful header denied by an aware keeper.

Bahraini center-back Mohamed Duraj may miss the dead rubber against Qatar after painfully pulling a groin and being stretchered off midway through the second half.

UAE’s superior goal difference means Iran needs a win in Brisbane on Monday to steal top spot and potentially avoid the reigning champions, Japan, in the quarter-finals.

15/01/201515/01/2015

Iran 1 -0 Qatar : Match reports

Goal.com

A solitary goal eight minutes into the second half was enough to send Iran and United Arab Emirates through to the second phase with one game left to play in the group stage

Sardar Azmoun demonstrated why he is reportedly attracting the interest of top Premier League clubs with a sublime individual goal as Iran beat Qatar 1-0 in Sydney to reach the Asian Cup quarter-finals and knock the Gulf champions out.

Rubin Kazan striker Azmoun has been linked with Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool and it was easy to see why on the evidence of his stunning second-half strike at the ANZ Stadium on Thursday

Azmoun produced a fine turn and finish to ensure Carlos Queiroz’s side will progress from Group C with the United Arab Emirates, both nations having won their first two games.

Iran beat Bahrain 2-0 in their opening game of the tournament last weekend and did just enough to see off Qatar, who produced a much-improved showing following their 4-1 hammering at the hands of the UAE but crash out with a game remaining.

Iran and UAE, 2-1 winners over Bahrain on Thursday, lock horns in Brisbane on Monday to determine who will finish top of the group.

Both sides looked short of ideas going forward in a frantic start, but it was Iran – backed by an impressive contingent of vociferous supporters – who looked more dangerous as the first half progressed.

Midfielder Karim Boudiaf came to Qatar’s rescue with a crucial intervention when Masoud Shojaei looked poised to get on the end of Ashkan Dejagah’s cross from the right 23 minutes in.

Iran were happy to let Qatar see plenty of the ball, before trying to pick them off on the break, although an initial lack of quality in the final third made it hard to see where the opening goal would come from.

Morteza Pouraliganji had a header cleared off the line by Ahmed El Sayed and Dejagah let fly with a right-footed strike that flashed wide of the far post as Iran ended the half on the front foot.

Queiroz’s side then moved in front seven minutes into the second period, and it was a moment of quality that was worth the wait as Azmoun sent the Iran fans into raptures with a sublime goal.

The 20-year-old took a pass from the lively Dejagah with his back to goal, spun Almahdi Ali with a sharp turn and kept his composure to apply a right-footed finish.

Azmoun’s night was cut short 10 minutes later when he was carried off with an injury, which did not appear to be serious, soon after Qatar had lost Ismaeel Mohammad to injury.

Mohammed Muntari had half a chance to draw Qatar level, but Ali Reza Haghighi comfortably saved the striker’s header.

Qatar pushed forward in search of an equaliser, but were unable to fashion one and crash out in disappointing fashion as Iran march on.

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Iran beats Qatar to make Asian Cup quarter

Adrian Warren, AAP January 15, 2015, 10:12 pm

A sublime piece of skill from Sardar Azmoun booked Iran’s passage into the Asian Cup football quarter finals and condemned Gulf Cup champions Qatar to an early exit.

Sardar’s slick turn and clinical shot in the 52nd minute at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium on Thursday earned Iran a 1-0 win, their second victory from as many games.

It leaves them second in their group on goal difference behind the United Arab Emirates, who earlier in the day defeated Bahrain 2-1 in Canberra, and will now meet Iran in Brisbane next Monday.

Qatar, who were coming off a 4-1 opening game loss to the UAE, had a decent share of possession, but struggled to create good chances.

Russian-based Sardar’s goal delighted the vast majority of the 22,672 fans in attendance in Sydney, with Iran’s passionate and colourful fans ramping up the noise level of support to the max each time their team got close to Qatar’s penalty area.

Iran one of the pre-tournament favourites, were more consistently dangerous than Qatar and were good value for the win, which they achieved with a second straight clean sheet.

Qatar, who entered the tournament on a long unbeaten run, lacked penetration and didn’t get a single shot on target in the first half.

Just before halftime, Morteza Pouraliganji’s flying header from an Iran corner was headed off the line by Ahmed Elsayed, while Sardar had a firm fourth minute header saved by Qatar goalkeeper Qasem Burhan.

It was a similar story in the second half, even after an apparently injured Sardar came off just after the hour.

His substitute Reza Ghoochannejhad had four shots at goal, three of them saved, as Iran sought the cushion of a second goal.

The Qatar goalkeeper also had to push away a shot from Ehsan Haji Safi.

Qatar Substitute Meshaal Abdullah hit a post with a header in stoppage time, but he was judged offside.

Iran midfielder Andranik Teymourian was named man of the match.

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15/01/201515/01/2015

Team Melli through to AFC Asian Cup quarter finals

Team Melli have clinched a berth in the AFC Asian Cup quarter finals after beating Qatar 1-0 in ANZ Stadium ,Sydney.

The only goal of the match was scored by Sardar Azmoun in the 52nd minute after brilliantly turning his marker and beating Burhan Qassim in Qatar goal.

With UAE beating Bahrain 2-1 earlier , Iran and UAE will be competing for the table lead in the final match on Monday. UAE have a 1 goal better goal difference and need only a draw to top the group.

#	Team	MP	W	D	L	F	A	D	P	Last 5 matches
1	UAE	2	2	0	0	6	2	+4	6	W W
2	Iran	2	2	0	0	3	0	+3	6	W W
3	Bahrain	2	0	0	2	1	4	-3	0	L L
4	Qatar	2	0	0	2	1	5	-4	0	L L

14/01/201514/01/2015

Iran vs. Qatar : “keep it tight at the back”

14th January 2015

In addition to being the match that could decide Team Melli qualification, the match against Qatar on Thursday, will also be another test of Carlos Queiroz’s defensive game plan. A win by Team Melli will take it to the sixth consecutive quarter finals appearance of the Asian Cup. Iran’s proud record started in 1996 edition , in which Team Melli played in 5 consecutive tournament and never losing a match in regulation time.

Iran will be facing a wounded Qatar, and that could be a two edged sword. The multi-National team of Qatar could have already conceded although publically they are putting up a brave face and a defiant attitude. On the other hand, they still believe that there is nothing to lose, they still stand a chance for qualifying and end up playing their best football, the one that we have seen they can excel in, in front of Team Melli.

Ismaeel Abdulatif batteling with Morteza Pouraliganji

Djamal Belmadhi has assembled a decent team including many new faces. He dispensed with the Latin American contingents as they were failing to deliver and instead he picked a few North Africans and players from his native Algeria to replace the likes of Fabio Cesar, Andrés Sebastián Soria. Neutralizing foreign players is a fundamental standard procedure in Qatar sport including the National Football team.

The result against UAE was hardly an indication of Qatar weakness neither was it in any way and sign of the might of the UAE team. The difference between these two Gulf nation teams are minimal hence a 4-1 result was a freak result that should not be read too much into.

The reality remains that Qatar is strong opponent for any team and still stands a chance in the tournament. The Qataris will be hoping that Thursday’s match will be the turnaround point in their fortunes.

On the other hand, Iran is placed comfortably in the table. A win will be a perfect result, but a draw is not going to be a disaster either. No Team Melli fan should hold his breath hoping that Team Melli will be going to the jugular either. Carlos Queiroz will stick, and religiously so , to his strong defensive ideology regardless to the opposition.

Since the World Cup and the term parking the bus was associated with Team Melli , even the offensive minded Iranians are becoming convinced with the Queiroz ideology in a classic bandwagon effect. The reality is that Team Melli does not have the ingredients of an lethal offensive team , so why play some tactics that the coach does not have the right resources for it? It makes sense to everyone even with a stronger position and a few field advantages over Qatar, for Team Melli to play the same old game plan hoping for a low margin win.

If you do not have the players like Khalatbary to run havoc on defenders , or a schemer such as Mojtaba Jabbari or Ali Karimi to masterfully orchestrate the midfield and feed your forwards, then offensive plans have to be shelved and Queiroz stick to “keep it tight at the back” approach.

Carlos Queiroz has to be credited with introducing the new players in the defense line, hopefully he would give more playing time to Azmoun and Jahanbakhsh instead of the inert Shojae, whose selection remains an enigma with his pathetic and lethargic performances.

also It will be a tight match but surprises in football can be expected. We hope those would be in the shape of a handsome victory for Team Melli.

Reza Ghoochannejad chased by Hussain Ali Baba of Bahrain

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Head 2 Head

This will be only the second time that Iran and Qatar meet in the Asian Cup. The first was in Doha in 1988 edition when Team Melli beat the host nation Qatar 2-0 with goals from Karim Bavi and Farshad Peyous. That match was also the first official game between the two teams.

H / A / N	Matches	W	D	L	Goals	+ / –
Home	6	4	2	0	16 – 4	+12
Away	13	7	3	3	15 – 11	+4
Neutral	0	0	0	0	0 – 0	+0
Total	19	11	5	3	31 – 15	+16

Date	Comp.	H / A / N	Final score	Stadium	Attendance
04.06.2013	World Cup Qualifier	A	1 – 0	AlSadd Stadium , Doha	11872
12.06.2012	World Cup Qualifier / Round 4	H	0 – 0	Azadi Stadium , Tehran	80000
29.02.2012	World Cup Qualifier / Round 3 – Group E	H	2 – 2	Azadi Stadium , Tehran	55000
06.09.2011	World Cup Qualifier / Round 3 – Group E	A	1 – 1	Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium , Doha	8125
28.12.2010	Friendly	A	0 – 0	Khalifa Stadium , Doha	3000
28.12.2009	Friendly / Qatar Intl. Friendly Tournament	A	2 – 3	Suhaim Bin Hamad-Doha Qatar Stadium	3000
09.11.2008	Friendly	A	1 – 0	Al Saad Stadium , Doha	5000
11.08.2008	WAFF	H	6 – 1	Takhti Stadium , Tehran	5000
10.01.2008	Friendly	A	0 – 0	Al Saad Stadium , Doha	2000
24.03.2007	Friendly / Friendly	A	1 – 0	AlGharafah Stadium , Doha	7000
13.10.2004	World Cup Qualifier / WCQ	A	3 – 2	Doha	3000
18.02.2004	World Cup Qualifier / WCQ	H	3 – 1	Azadi – Tehran	0
01.08.2001	Friendly / Friendly	A	1 – 2	Doha	0
27.09.2000	Friendly	A	2 – 1	Al Sadd Stadium , Doha	5000
07.11.1997	World Cup Qualifier / WCQ	A	0 – 2	Doha	20000
03.10.1997	World Cup Qualifier / WCQ	H	3 – 0	Azadi – Tehran	70000
01.06.1996	Friendly / Friendly	A	1 – 0	Khalifa Stadium , Doha	10000
17.05.1996	Friendly	H	2 – 0	Takhti Stadium , Tabriz	30000
02.12.1988	Asian Cup / Group 1	A	2 – 0	AlAhli FC Stadium , Doha	20000

13/01/201513/01/2015

No serious injury fears in Team Melli squad.

Amir Hossein Sadeghi , Andranik Teymourian and Masoud Shojae carry slight knocks that is not considered to be too serious according to Team Melli medical staff.

Teymourian & Shojae played against Bahrain and both received a slight knock in the game , while Sadeghi is believed to had these knocks during the training sessions in Australia. Amir Hossein Sadeghi was an unused substitute in the Bahrain game which Team Melli won 2-0.

All the three players are being given special treatment and recovery training.

Dr. Khanlori also confirmed that Hashim Beigzadeh , who was replaced by Khanzadeh is suffering from a broken bones in his palm. “We could have placed a special protective element as a precaution in order to make him ready for playing , but at the end we decided not to take a risk.” The head of Medical staff of Team Melli announced.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Hossein Haymathi , who is in-charge of Team Melli squad security, a task which involves keeping an eye on Team Melli players whereabouts and movements , denied that any players have been reprimanded or cautioned for indiscipline, according to his statement to ISNA. The security section ensures that tight measures are implemented to deter the squad from meeting undesirable personnel from abroad especially opposition figures and remind everyone that they are being closely watched. However, the official declared tasks of this security apparatus is ensuring discipline and conforming to curfew hours , routine tasks that are assigned to Team Mangers in every other squad.

“As you might have witnessed, other squads like Oman and Bahrain have quite a lot of freedom of movements and their players are seen to be coming and going out at will. Our team is much more disciplined and abide by the rules” . Haymathi said.

About the rumors of the caution for 3 players “That is totally false. We have not cautioned any player no singled out any squad member for disciplinary issues. Amir Hossein Sadeghi, Andranik Teymourian and Masoud Shojae have left the hotel for some medical treatment with the approval of Team Manager.”

It is not clear if Mr. Haymathi is attached to the FFIRI the Iranian Government Security and intelligence system.

Alireza Haghighi and Amir Hossein Sadeghi

12/01/2015

Queiroz fuming despite Asian Cup win over Bahrain

Iran coach Carlos Queiroz let rip at Bahrain for their “dangerous” tackling after his side won a tempestuous Asian Cup clash 2-0 on Sunday.

The Portuguese accused Australian referee Ben Williams of failing to control the Group C match in Melbourne.

“I was not happy because after nine, 10, 12 fouls, stopping the game systematically. The referee must take action,” Queiroz said.

“There were some aerial duels where especially their No 12 [Faouzi Aaish] elbowed my players and, as you know, the elbow is very dangerous.”

Ehsan Hajsafi’s volley in first-half stoppage time lit the touchpaper for Iran,who are seeking to end a 39-year wait for a fourth Asian Cup title, before Masoud Shojaei added a second in the 71st minute to end Bahrain’s resistance. But Queiroz, who had two spells as Alex Ferguson’s assistant at Old Trafford, was furious at what he said was a lack of consistency from referee Williams.

“For a referee so quick to show a yellow card when one of my players didn’t hear the whistle, I was completely surprised that when he sees Bahrain’s negative game, after 10 fouls in a row, he didn’t give them a single yellow,” the former Portugal and Real Madrid coach said.

Asia’s top-ranked side, Iran almost opened the scoring after 20 minutes when the dangerous Ashkan Dejagah forced a smart stop from Sayed Abbas in the Bahrain goal. But Bahrain had already served notice that they were not about to simply roll over as their bulldozing Nigerian-born striker Jaycee Okwunwanne blazed wide during the frenetic early skirmishes.

Sayed Shubbar then squandered a golden opportunity by heading over as Bahrain threatened to capitalise on a sluggish start from Iran.

It was then Hajsafi who, with almost the last kick of the first half, expertly trapped a looping clearance with his left foot and instantaneously smashed it past Abbas with the outside of his right boot from just outside the box.

“It was a brilliant, fantastic goal,” Queiroz said. “A goal to grace any stadium in the world. Bahrain made it difficult for us, but we deserved to win and should have scored more goals.”

Tempers flared in the second half when Iran goalkeeper Alireza Haghighi barged into Aaish, Bahrain’s playmaker, who appeared to block off the keeper as he attempted a quick throw.

Moments later, Shojaei popped up to steer a right-footed shot just inside the post from another corner to trigger wild celebrations from a crowd of 17,000.

“You saw what happened with the goalkeeper,” Queiroz said. “He tried for a quick transition and the No 12 stopped him.

“The laws of the game are clear – an elbow is a yellow card, no doubt about that.”

Queiroz and Markar Aghajanian last minutes instructions.

11/01/201511/01/2015

Perfect start for Team Melli in AFC Asian Cup

Team Melli defeated Bahrain 2-0 lead in the first match for the two teams in group C of the Asian cup. The goals scored in the dying seconds of the first half by Eshasan Hajsafi , while Masoud Shojaei made it 2-0 in the 71st minute in the second half..

Carlos Queiroz started with the nucleus of the world Cup team with two exceptions. Morteza Pouralganji and Vouriya Ghafoori were replacing Khosro Heydari and Amir Hossein Sadeghi in the defense line

hajsafy-scores-vs-Bahrain — Hajsafy’s strike seconds after his shoot floats over towards the goal.

The Iranian fans in the Melbourne created a wonderful atmosphere turning the Rectangle stadium into what the Australian TV commentator called a “Mini Azadi”. The vociferous fans loud chant was only challenged by a very whistle happy Australian referee whose continuous whistling threatened to spoil what was an intriguing encounter. Both teams started lively sharing possessions without creating any serious scoring chances.

Ashkan Dejagah was by far the most active of Iran’s players on the right flank. He managed to give the Bahrain defense some real work out, however the ex- Fulham player delivery and finishing were quite poor in comparison to his skills and work rate . He missed a glorious chance to give Iran the lead when Hajsafy put him through with a brilliant pass in the box ,

Ashkan only managed to find Bahrain Keeper Seyed Jaffar’s legs instead while he had better options including squaring to unmarked Ghoochannejad,

The game went on with Iran having a strong grip on the match but the end product was lacking despite being the more controlling side.

And then came a brilliant piece of work by Ehsan Haj Safi from a corner kick in the finals seconds of the half. Teymourian’s floating corner kick, was too close to Bahrain Keeper Seyed Jaffar who ball punched it away only to find Hajsafy. The Sepahan midfielder controlled the ball with a perfect touch before he chips a wonderful ball with side footing over a crowd of players in front of the goal into the net. A truly wonderful strike by one of the two best Iran players of the half.

The first half ended 1-0

Shojaei sidefoots his shoot towards the far end of Bahrain keeper

The second half continued with the rhythm of the first with both teams playing openly. The first real threat came from Bahrain on the stroke of the hour when Alireza Haghighi mad his first save of the match from a powerful strike by Bahrain’s Jessi John , whose ferocious shot was deflected by Iran’s keeper. However , 10 minutes later Haghighi left the crowd ins suspense and anxiety for a few seconds when he collected a ball and then ran into Bahrain’s Fouzi Aaish who dropped on the ground. The referee whistled for a foul, thankfully it was against Bahrain player who protested and was clearly upset at the decision. The replay clearly showed that it was in fact Haghighi who charged into Aayesh. Hs indiscretion and foolish act could have been quite costly except for the mercy of the Aussie referee.

Not long after that incident , Iranian fans were relieved to see Team Melli scoring again. in the 71st minute Masoud Shojaei , whose contribution to the team up to that moment was absolutely minimal , scored from another corner kick. The floating ball was sent to the left corner of the stretched arms of Bahrain keeper to end up in the net. 2-0 for Iran

With the 2 goal margin , Team Melli opted to control the match leaving the Bahraini team to venture forward. Queiroz introduced his new players , with Azmoun , Jahanbakhsh and finally Soroush Rafei coming into the game. Although their contribution were minimal , it gave the team a new look and certainly raised the confidence of the young players.

Despite Bahrain’s gallant attempts , except for one case where Haghighi had to deflect a shot into a corner, Iran defense remained solid and intact. The rookie Pouraliganji was superb in partnering the veteran Hosseini in the middle of the defense, Ghafoori on the right flank was also a revelation while Pooladi was the same solid defender of the World Cup games.

The lack of creativity on the midfield was quite evident. Nekounam and Teymourin doing their routine defensive duties and hardly venturing towards opposition territories. Masoud Shojaei , as poor as always and looked like a lost figure in the midfield simply walking the match off , while leaving the bulk of the offensive load on Hajsafy and Dejagah to feed Team Melli’s lone forward Reza Ghoochannejad who was trapped between 5 Bahrain defenders.

Despite all the preparations problems and many side issues that the team and coach Queiroz had to endure with , this was perfect start for Team Melli . There was the obvious shortcomings but at the end of the day , Iran had the higher quality and experience to finish the match on winning all the 3 points and deservedly so.

10/01/201510/01/2015

History of Iran vs. Bahrain

The tiny Persian Gulf Island state of Bahrain , has given Iran quite a few problems in football matches.

In 1974 during the Asian games , Bahrain came to Tehran not so much to challenge the Big Boys of Asia , but more to learn how the masters of the continent play their football. A 6-0 drubbing against a Team Melli which had a large number of reserves players in the team , was the beginning of what looked like a long domination by mighty Iran.

However, the first shock to the Iranians came in 2000 in Syria, when Bahrain defeated team Melli in Damascus during the Asian Cup 2000 qualifiers, thus recording the first setback of Team Melli against the minnows. Despite winning 7 out of 16 matches played between the two, Iran’s record against Bahrain can hardly be described as dominant and assured.

The worst result for Team Melli must have been the 3-1 defeat in Bahrain , when Iran needed just a draw to make it to the finals of the World Cup in 2002. This left a permanent mark in the ego of Team Melli and the fans especially since some Bahrain players did carried out unsportsmanship act by carrying the Saudi Arabian flag on their victory march at the end of the match.

This is only the 2nd time that the teams meet in the AFC Asian Cup finals. The first , back in 2004 in Workers Stadium , Beijing, China was the third place play off where Team Melli scored a 4-2 victory against the best team that Bahrain ever produced in its history.

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Quotes

Hadi Tabatabaei , Former Team Melli goalkeeper ” Bahrain is not going to be an easy team to defeat. One of the advantages of our team is their fighting spirit than can come to our advantage.”

“Since it is the first game of the competition , we need to tread carefully and ensure that we have strong defensive. We should not allow their players much maneuvering space. From what I have seen of other teams, our task is going b e quite hard to make it all the way, but let us not forget one of our strongest attributes and that is our fighting spirit .”

Vahid Talebloo, Former Team Melli goalkeeper “Our biggest advantage is the solid defense. We have performed very well in this area during the World Cup and since the standards in the Asian Cup is not as high as the World Cup , we should be doing fine. First matches always have this intriguing feel to it and can spring surprises. We did will in our first match against Nigeria in the World Cup and that gave us a boost for the nest against Argentina. We need to repeat that in Australia”

“I think we can make it to the finals but that is not going to be an easy job at all. There are so many strong teams in this edition and it is very difficult to pick a winner at this stage. We have the resolve, the quality and the willpower to make it all the way. the boys need to focus and do their best.”

Mahmoud Fekri , former Team Melli defender ” We must defeat Bahrain to have any chance of qualifying ti the next round. If we fail to qualify , then this is a real wake up call for Iran’s football and a disaster in making.”

“The normal cliché of the first match difficulties still applies, but the quality and standard of Iranian football is way above Bahrain’s despite this team being a stubborn opponent for us. If we have any aspiration , any claims for lifting the title , we have to win such matches. Let us not forget that our neighbors on the other side of the Persian Gulf , are progressing steadily and firmly in football. They have managed to build strong teams and are in the top ranks of Asian football.”

Mehdi Foonoonizadeh , Former Team Melli midfielder ” Considering the current team status and the poor preparation, I seriously doubt that our Team, Melli will be among the top 4 in this competition.”

“I also have virtually no hope of Team Melli lifting the trophy. In order to make the grade, the team should have had a proper program with as many friendly games as possible starting way back. This team has not had such preparation and all that the coaching staff have done is to summarize a six months work in two-week of intensive physical training in South Africa and Australia. You cannot substitute proper training by intensified two weeks hard labour camp. One other problem in the team is the high average age of the players compared to other teams. We have not really embarked in renewing the blood in our Team Melli in earnest. I hope that Queiroz starts doing that in Australia.”

“Japan and then Australia , are the two strongest candidates for the championship. ”

Mohammed Hussain , Bahrain Captain and central defender “The difference in standards between Bahrain and Iran is marginal. However , we still have to play to our best level against Iran else it will be difficult for us. We have several players playing in professional leagues out of Bahrain , many of them in Qatar where a number of Iranian national team players are also playing. We have a good knowledge about them and hopefully such knowledge will help us to gain the right result tomorrow.”

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

Betting odds

Iran Win	Draw	Bahrain Win
1.62	3.5	6.25

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Match Details.

Iran vs. Bahrain

AFC Asian Cup 2015 – Group ‘C’

09:00 (GMT) – 12:30 (Tehran)

Rectangular Stadium , Melbourne.

Referee: Benjamin Williams (Australia)

Past records Head to Head

H / A / N	Matches	W	D	L	Goals	+ / –
Home	6	5	1	0	19 – 0	+19
Away	5	0	2	3	4 – 9	-5
Neutral	5	2	2	1	7 – 3	+4
Total	16	7	5	4	30 – 12	+18

Date	Comp.	H / A / N	Final score	Stadium	Attendance
12.12.2012	WAFF	N	0 – 0	Kazma SC Stadium, Kuwait City	1200
11.11.2011	World Cup Qualifier / Round 3 – Group E	A	1 – 1	National Stadium – Riffa	18000
11.10.2011	World Cup Qualifier / Round 3 – Group E	H	6 – 0	Azadi Stadium , Tehran	83000
24.09.2010	WAFF / Group A	N	3 – 0	King Abdullah Stadium – Amman	12000
31.08.2009	Friendly	A	2 – 4	NATIONAL STADIUM , Manama	1500
21.03.2008	Friendly	A	0 – 1	National Stadium	3000
08.06.2005	World Cup Qualifier / Second Round	H	1 – 0	Azadi – Tehran	90000
09.02.2005	World Cup Qualifier	A	0 – 0	Manama	30000
06.08.2004	Asian Cup / 3rd Place	N	4 – 2	Workers Stadium , Beijing	10000
19.10.2001	World Cup Qualifier / WCQ	A	1 – 3	NATIONAL STADIUM , Manama	8000
14.09.2001	World Cup Qualifier / WCQ	H	0 – 0	Azadi – Tehran	50000
07.04.2000	Asian Cup Qualifier / Group 2	H	3 – 0	Azadi – Tehran	40000
04.04.2000	Asian Cup Qualifier / Group 2	N	0 – 1	Al Hamdaniya Stadium , Aleppo	30000
03.10.1994	Asian Games / Group A	N	0 – 0	Hiroshima	5000
20.08.1975	Olympics Qualifier	H	3 – 0	Amjadiah – Tehran	25000
07.09.1974	Asian Games	H	6 – 0	Amjadiah , Tehran	10000

10/01/2015

Queiroz: Iran should treat Bahrain opener as final

AFC: Melbourne (January 10, 2015) Carlos Queiroz has called on Iran to treat Sunday’s AFC Asian Cup Group C opener with Bahrain as a final, with the much-travelled Portuguese coach insisting the three-time champions are now fully prepared for the meeting at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium.

Iran are ranked as the number one team in Asia, although having only played two friendlies since returning from an encouraging FIFA World Cup, Queiroz had raised doubts over Iran’s chances of finally adding a fourth continental title to the hat-trick of crowns won between 1968 and 1976.

But following training in both Sydney and Melbourne which included a friendly win over Iraq last weekend, an upbeat Queiroz is now eyeing a successful start to Iran’s record-equalling 13th AFC Asian Cup appearance.

“We’re going to play this game as if it is the Asian Cup final, and for the moment, our full concentration is for the team we play tomorrow,” said Portuguese coach Queiroz following Iran’s final training session at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium on Saturday.

“We have our expectations and our motivation and we are ready to compete. We are going to try and do our best to finish the game and win the game against a very good team that is Bahrain.”

Photo courtesy AFC.

Prior to last Sunday’s 1-0 win over Iraq, which was secured thanks to a first half strike from highly rated forward Sardar Azmoun, Iran had only beaten Korea Republic by the same scoreline in Tehran in November having drawn with Nigeria and lost to both Argentina and Bosnia & Herzegovina in Brazil.

“The preparation since we have arrived has been fantastic,” added Queiroz.

“We are ready to compete and fight. We have a big soul, big mind, big heart and we are ready for tomorrow.”

Iran’s outing in Melbourne represents their first game in Australia since ending the Socceroos’ 1998 FIFA World Cup hopes in 1997 when Khodadad Azizi’s late strike at the nearby Melbourne Cricket Ground earned the visitors a crucial 2-2 draw in what was then an intercontinental play-off.

The meeting also brings back memories of previous high-profile matches with Bahrain, most notably FIFA World Cup qualifiers in 2001 and 2012.

“It will be difficult against Bahrain, we have a tradition of big games, that’s football and that’s why this is the beauty of the game,” said Queiroz, who saw his side beat Bahrain 6-0 at home during the third round of qualifiers for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

“All the teams come here with good expectations and huge dreams and we’re no different from the other teams. Our approach is only to be focused on the next match. We put all our concentration and our energy into the next match.”

07/01/2015

Iran’s Asian Cup chances weakened by poor preparation, says coach Queiroz

Michael Lynch

Senior sports reporter with The Age

Iran has been touted as one of the favourites to go all the way and take out the Asian Cup, but if you listen to coach Carlos Queiroz their chances have been vastly over-rated.

The former Manchester United assistant manager and Real Madrid and Portugal coach has been in charge of Team Melli since 2011 and led them to the World Cup in Brazil, where they acquitted themselves honourably against Argentina, Nigeria and Bosnia.

But on his arrival in Melbourne on Wednesday ahead of Iran’s opening Asian Cup game against Bahrain on Sunday, Queiroz was quick to play down his side’s hopes, saying their preparation had been compromised by a lack of money and had been far from ideal.

Managing expectations: Carlos Queiroz unhappy with Iran’s build up to the Asian Cup Photo: AFP

When asked if Iran was now a better team with the experience of the World Cup behind it, Queiroz simply said “no” before pausing.

He added: “Its worse now. Because we did not have the preparation we should have. “When you gamble too much with a bad preparation your chances are not so high as before.”

Queiroz’s frustration has been fuelled by Iran’s lack of activity since their three World Cup matches – a scoreless draw with Nigeria, a 1-0 loss to Argentina (when Lionel Messi’s late winner proved the difference) and a 3-1 defeat to Bosnia.

Since then Team Melli have played only twice, a 1-0 friendly win over South Korea in Tehran in November and a victory over Iraq by the same scoreline in a friendly in Wollongong last Sunday.

“The only thing which is disturbing for our team is the preparation. My team is not prepared as it should be according to the demands and dreams of the Iranian FA because we struggle with some problems, financial problems, to support the team,” Queiroz said.

“Our expectation was to come here with more camps and more games. You can’t have too much expectations when we only play two games from July until now. Its not enough. But I can count on the spirit of the players and the strong mentality to try to make the right balance.”

Queiroz has probably the strongest CV of all the coaches at this tournament, having spent five years (in two separate stints) as Sir Alex Ferguson’s number two at Old Trafford sandwiched by a spell in charge of the Galacticos of Madrid.

In addition he managed perhaps the sport’s biggest star, Cristiano Ronaldo, in the Portuguese national team during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

His pessimism over Iran’s prospects are at odds with those pundits who have rated their form on their World Cup exploits.

Queiroz agrees that if they were at the same level as their Brazilian preparation that might be the case.

“A competition like the Asian Cup is always a very difficult and complex situation for all the teams, especially the ones that come from far away. We are mentally prepared to fight for a win in every single game but our explanation and approach is just to think about the next game.

“We know that without the first game, the second game there is no future. For us it’s a very simple approach: be focussed and concentrate on Bahrain, and that’s it, after we start to think about the next game.

“We have been struggling a little bit with the jet lag [and] the environment is very warm and humid for us.”

Looking back at the World Cup, he believes the Iranians were satisfied by the performances against strong opponents.

“I think the priority, the main goal of our participation, was to bring joy and honour to the country for sure. Iran was not one of the teams that were expected to win the World Cup … we didn’t embarrass ourselves against the best teams in the world.

“The game against Argentina, the second game, when you have Messi on the other side and a referee that didn’t have the courage to do his duties, it was more difficult for us. It was clear and embarrassing for the referee not to give a penalty to Iran. If in that game we had got a draw, I think we at least had deserved it.”