Team Melli defeated India 4-0 in the match played in Azadi stadium on Thursday as part of the qualifying rounds of FIFA World Cup 2018. Iran leads group D with 17 points and +21 goal difference ahead of Oman (14 points and GD of + 6 ) . The two teams will meet next Tuesday in the final match of the group competition.
Despite fielding a reserve team , Carlos Queiroz men did not find much difficulty in beating India 4-0 in Azadi Stadium this evening. The first half ended with a narrow 1-0 margin after the Captain Ehsan Hajsafy scored a penalty. Three more goals were scored in the second half with Hajsafy scoring another penalty as Azmoun and Jahanbakhsh added to the tally each side of the Hajsafy spot kick.
The experimental line up of Carlos Queiroz however did not function as he hoped. There were two debutants in today’s match. In the goal, Mohammad Rashid Mazahari, Zob Ahan’s keeper made his debut from the start. He was hardly tested, however. While Dariush Shojaeian of Gostarish Foolad , a player who has certainly generated much attention in the league, made his debut as a substitute in the second half.
As expected from such line up , there were quite a few shortfalls and disappointments. Amiri , Ezatolahie and Taremi failed to match their previous good performances , while Jahanbakhsh and Azmoun wer not linking well to make their team’s superiority pay. Hordes of corner kicks won by Iran resulted in just one goal and that was a penalty. The yield was poor in that area which should have been a major source of goals. Some of the finishing and last ball lacked quality and in cases failed to reach the recipients by a wild margin.
India were galant in defending and there is no doubt that in their goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu , they have a quality custodian. The only player in India team who plays in Europe, Singh Sandhu single handedly kept Team Melli attackers at bay with some brilliant saves. India, with the absence of Chhetri had very little to offer in the offense line, however , there were good attempts and in the ones with pace they managed to penetrate Iranian defenses but their finishing was short of the required to bother the strong Iranian defenders and Mazaheri in goal.
For Iran , topping the group is virtually assured and they will be in the pot for the next round. The last match against Oman is no more than a formality as even a narrow home defeat will be enough for heading the group ahead of Oman. For India, they need to once again try to establish a good national team. With the professional league in India going from strength to strength , India should have a good chance to establish a national team that can challenge the tops Asian teams.
In any case, Carlos Queiroz seems to be on the right course in his attempt to produce a new look team that can qualify for the next World Cup. His introduction of new players is creating a competition for places.
Man of the Match : Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (India)
IRAN vs INDIA
4 – 0
Half-time 1 – 0
Competition: WC Qualification Asia
Date: 24 March 2016 Game week : 9\
Kick-off: 17:3 Half-time 1 – 0 Full-time4 – 0
Venue : Azadi Stadium (Tehrān)
Attendance: 29,900
GOALS
Ehsan Hajsafi (PG) 33′
1 – 0
Sardar Azmoun 61′
2 – 0
Ehsan Hajsafi (PG) 66′
3 – 0
Alireza Jahanbakhsh 78′
4 – 0
LINEUPS
IRAN
M. Mazaheri : P. Montazeri [83′ J. Hosseini] , M. Pouraliganji , R. Rezaeian , E. Hajsafi (Capt.), O. Ebrahimi [68′ D. Shojaeian] , V. Amiri , S. Ezatolahi, M. Taremi [ 66′ K. Ansarifard], S. Azmoun , A. Jahanbakhsh
Coach: Carlos Queiroz
INDIA
G. Singh Sandhu ; A. Khongjee [ 20′ P. Kotal ], Augustin Fernandes , S. Jhingan, N. Das, P. Halder , R. Borges , B. Jairu 36′ H. Khabra] , J. Lalpekhlua , H. Narzary [ 64′ L. Fanai] , U. Singh
Coach: S. Constantine
SUBSTITUTES
IRAN: K. Ansarifard , D. Shojaeian, J. Hosseini, E. Pourghaz, K. Kamyabinia, M. Akhbari, M. Shojaei, M. Torabi, Milad Mohammadi, R. Ghoochannejhad, V. Ghafouri
INDIA: P. Kotal, H. Khabra, B. Jairu, L. Fanai, Arnab Mondal, C. Lobo, F. Fernandes, K. Singh, S. Pal, S. Passi, S. Singh, V. Rai
