Futsal Team Melli started strongly in the opening match of Group
Team Melli started the campaign strongly and with intent on Monday beating the Latin American side Venezuela 7-1 in Bukhara in Group F.

Vahid Shamsaei’s team will meet Guatemala and France on September 19 and 22, respectively.

Iran started strongly and easily managed to control the game scoring early but the goal was ruled out after a VAR review. It did not take long for Team Melli to register the first goal from Salr Aghapour from a perfect assist by Moslem Oladghobad in the 8th minute. Within a minute Sangsafidi was lucky not to get a red card for an unwarranted unprofessional foul on a Venezuelan player away from action although he escaped with a yellow.
Two minutes later Karimi scored a delightful second and followed it with his second goal and third for Iran on minute 13.
In the 15th minute, Iran keeper Momeni made a horrible blunder when a weak ball passed through his hands into the goal for Venezuela to register its first goal. However, Behrouz Azmi scored a splendid goal just a minute before the break to make it 4-1.

In the second half, Aghapour scored his second in the match with a superb ball distribution and an assist from Karimi to make it 5-1. Two more goals from Davoudi and Azimi finished off the Latin American team, which could not match Team Melli’s skills and tactics.
Interestingly enough, Shamsaei decided to play a power play in the last minute of the match. Normally, power play is used by a defeated team looking for an equalizer or reducing goal deficit, but Shamsaei was using this game as a practice for his players in case it is used at a later stage of the World Cup.
Another interesting point is that none of the two superstar forwards, Hossein Tayyebi and Ahmad-Abbasi, managed to score in this match.

From “The National”

Mehdi Ghayedi’s first-half goal deep in added time gave Iran a narrow 1-0 win over the UAE in their World Cup qualifier at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain on Tuesday.

Defender Khaled Ibrahim saw his clearance blocked by Ghayedi and the Iranian was able to pick up possession drift into the box and fire home inside Khalid Essa’s near post via a slight deflection off Khalifa Al Hammadi that left the goalkeeper helpless.

It proved to be the only goal of the game in an absorbing showdown at the packed 25,000-capacity stadium that leaves Iran joint top of Group A with Uzbekistan after successive 1-0 victories and the home side unable to repeat the heroics that saw them beat Qatar in their opening match.

The result maintained Iran’s tight hold of their undefeated record over the UAE, stretching it to 12 wins and three draws in tournament meetings dating back to 1980.

Paulo Bento started with an unchanged line-up with the side that whipped Qatar 3-1 four days ago but they just could not raise the bar against a team that is seeking a fourth consecutive appearance at the World Cup and seventh overall.

The first half was evenly contested with neither side able to take control of the game and few clear-cut chances.

Iran’s Saman Ghoddos saw a right-footed strike drift wide of the post early on, while Yahya Al Ghassani’s effort from outside the area was blocked by goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand.

Caio Canedo saw his header from the left side of the six-yard box from a Tahnoon Al Zaabi cross following a set piece drop wide of the target.

After the break, UAE substitute Ali Saleh – scorer against Qatar last week – made an immediate impact with an effort that was saved by Beiranvand but moments later Iran should have doubled their advantage only for Mehdi Taremi to get his feet in a tangle and fluff an opportunity from inside the six-yard box.

Azmoun was denied again this time due to a fine save from Essa and while Bento’s men kept the pressure on the other end, the Iranian defence remained solid.

With four minutes to go, UAE thought they had been handed a lifeline when they were awarded a penalty after Ali Saleh’s cutback appeared to hit the arm of Iranian defender Saleh Hardani only for the decision to be overruled after VAR review.

While UAE threw caution to the wind after 10 minutes of injury time but were mostly restricted to speculative efforts from distance with either flew way off target or were comfortably stopped by Beiranvand.

In the other Group A matches, Qatar were held to a 2-2 draw against 10-man North Korea in Laos while table-topping Uzbekistan came out on top 3-2 away to Kyrgyzstan, leaving the UAE third in the table.

The national team’s next match is at home to North Korea on October 10 before they take on Uzbekistan five days later in Tashkent.

The UAE will host Iran’s Team Melli in the third round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers, on Tuesday, September 10th, in Al Ain. This match is pivotal for both teams, especially with each securing victories in their opening matches, albeit under different circumstances. A win for either team in Al Ain will be a major confidence booster and an important step toward World Cup qualification.

The UAE’s victory over Qatar in Doha was both impressive and unexpected. Not only did they come from behind to win, but they also executed a game plan of high quality, leaving observers surprised by the result. On the other hand, Iran’s lackluster performance against Kyrgyzstan has been met with heavy criticism, both toward the players and the coach. The match on Tuesday is crucial for Iran, as history has shown that a poor result for Team Melli often leads to a series of underwhelming performances.

The Importance of Iran’s Legionnaire Players

The backbone of Team Melli is formed by its legionnaire players, many of whom play for top European clubs. These players have access to world-class facilities, a dream for most domestic footballers in Iran. However, despite their potential, their performance against Kyrgyzstan was far below expectations. A repeat of that performance against the UAE could prove detrimental to Team Melli’s hopes of qualification.

One of the pressing concerns is that Iran’s legionnaire players often fail to replicate their club form when playing for the national team. Iran, a vast country with abundant resources, currently has only one international-standard stadium, which is under renovation. This forced Team Melli to play in less-than-ideal conditions, such as the poor pitch in Fooladshahr. However, in Al Ain, the pitch will meet international standards, offering no excuses for a subpar performance.

For example, Mehdi Taremi, who shines at FC Porto, was unable to display the same quality in the national team against Kyrgyzstan. The inadequate facilities and the inconsistent motivation among the players are often cited as reasons for this drop in performance.

Iran’s Struggles with Motivation

There is widespread belief that Iran’s players, particularly the legionnaires, lacked motivation in their match against Kyrgyzstan, a team ranked 102nd in the FIFA rankings. That won’t be the case against the UAE, a much stronger team that demands a higher level of performance and focus.

UAE’s Advantages

The UAE boasts a well-organized league that features a number of high-quality foreign players. While it may not yet match the level of Saudi Arabia’s league, the presence of these talented foreigners has already made a positive impact on the UAE national team. The UAE plays a modern, possession-based style of football, heavily influenced by these foreign players.

Paulo Bento, the UAE’s head coach, is a seasoned figure in international football with a long track record of success. Bento’s tactical flexibility, experience, and discipline have already added significant value to the UAE squad. He is known for making tactical changes during games when things aren’t going well, and he doesn’t hesitate to bench even star players if they aren’t performing. The Iranian crowd presence in the UAE will likely counteract the home crowd advantage, even though Al Ain is not a major center for the Iranian diaspora.

Iran’s Weaknesses

Iran’s head coach, Amir Ghalenoei, initially presents a solid game plan, but he struggles when the game requires tactical changes or substitutions. This has been a persistent weakness throughout his coaching career. A competent coach must be able to adapt when things don’t go according to plan, and this is where Ghalenoei often falls short.

On paper, Iran’s individual players possess more talent and experience than the UAE’s squad. However, individual skills alone won’t be enough; teamwork and coordination will be crucial. History is certainly on Iran’s side, as the UAE has never beaten Iran in an official match. The last time these two teams met was in the AFC Asian Cup 2023 a few months ago, where Iran triumphed 2-1, though three of Iran’s goals were controversially disallowed by VAR.

The biggest concern for Iran is the lack of coordination between players across all positions. The defense and midfield remain suspect and vulnerable. Even the team’s strongest assets, the attacking duo of Taremi and Azmoun, seem out of sync. Sardar Azmoun’s attitude has come under scrutiny, as he often appears disinterested and at times, no more than a pedestrian, while Taremi’s constant movement without proper positioning has confused his own teammates more than the opposition.

Key Player: Alireza Beiranvand

Alireza Beiranvand, Iran’s goalkeeper, will play a crucial role on Tuesday. His performance against Kyrgyzstan was a highlight, with several key saves that arguably saved the game. He will need to replicate that level of performance to compensate for the weaknesses in Iran’s defense.

Head2Head

Iran vs UAE

Amir Ghalenoei, seems to be living in denials with some of his post-match statements proving that. Despite winning 1-0 against Kyrgyzstan, that match was one to forget for Team Melli supporters who are surely least interested in Ghalenoei’s justification that Real Madrid HAS NOT STARTED THE SEASON WELL! an improved version of the match report:

Hamid Derakhshan , a former Team Melli player, was one of the persons who expressed concerns and doubts following the narrow victory calling it a wake-up call for the team. Derakhshan evaluated the performance, stating, “This game did not meet our expectations of Team Melli. Although we secured three points, this result does not align with our World Cup aspirations. We need to make changes in our gameplan, player selection, and tactics to improve quality and tactics.”

The system that Ghalenoei has implemented has created a dependency on individual performance, hence his pre-match statement about giving Taremi the freedom of the field. Derakhshan emphasized the importance of teamwork and a robust game system, warning, “If we rely solely on individual creativity, we will face significant challenges.” He urged for changes in the type of game, tactics, and system to enhance player performance and spectator enjoyment.

Addressing the poor field conditions, Derakhshan dismissed it as an excuse, noting, “The pitch was equally bad for both teams, yet Kyrgyzstan played better. We must acknowledge our shortcomings and seek realistic solutions rather than blaming external factors.”

Despite having skilled players in attack, midfield, and defense, Derakhshan pointed to systemic issues. “Our problem lies in the game system and teamwork. We have quality players, but we need to use them effectively to advance and increase their technical knowledge.”

In his assessment of the Kyrgyz team, Derakhshan acknowledged their strong performance, adding, “If not for a mistake by their goalkeeper, we might not have scored. We expected to score at least three goals against them. This result is a clear signal that the national team needs immediate improvements.”

one of the statistics that amplified the poor performance of Iran against Kyrgyzstan was in the shots on goal. While Team Melli attempted 20 shots, only 3 were on target. Kyrgyzstan attempted 7 shots on goal of which 6 were on target and thanks to Beiranvand, they failed to score. This figure is alarming for Team Melli. Whether these wayward shots were due to a lack of discipline where players just randomly shot way off target, or if it was part of the coach’s game plan, it went wrong.

PLAYERS’ SELECTION

There is little doubt that Ghalenoei picked his best lineup. Playing the likes of Yousefi and Hezbavi in defense, and Gholizadeh and Noorafkan in the midfield was a sound decision on paper. Unfortunately, the team as a whole performed badly and that is little to do with the selection. To make matters worse, the substituted players were nowhere near as good as the ones they replaced. What remains for Ghalenoei is a re-think of the game plan and strategy. He has immense power at the front, but they are not being served well by the midfield and the backs.

PLAYERS THAT NEED TIME OFF.

Jahanbakhsh: undoubtedly a key player when fit and in form, the records prove that. Without regular competitive matches, he remains less of an ordinary player who cannot compete at the highest level.

Yousefi: A player for the future with some good potential, however, his few appearances with Team Melli indicate to us that it is too early for this player to be in the lineup.

Noorafakan: Slow thinking, short of pace, and easily out-maneuvered, which makes him a bad choice for midfield.

Ezatollahi: Still that ineffective player who cannot influence that game and has no individual technique to cover much of his weaknesses. His continuous selection and playing for Team Melli remains an Enigma especially since he played against Kyrgyzstan after being out of action for 3 months!

And finally, Saman Ghoddos. What happened to that creative, Dynamic player of the past is indeed sad. He was way off his best against the Kyrgyz, however, the alternatives in Team Melli are lacking. Simply said, Iran’s domestic football lacks creative and influential midfield players. We can only think of one player that could perhaps be a good replacement, Mohammad Javad Hosseinnejad the 21-year-old who plays like a seasoned professional, however, he is not even in the squad.

PLAYER SORELY MISSING.
Ramin Rezaeian. Surely the omission of the Esteghlal right back is not based on performance, but more personal or other factors. It is not also based on age as those older than him are in the squad. His magic run, shots, dynamism, and even goal-scoring, were missing against Kyrgyzstan. Ghalenoei needs to re-think his exclusion and come to terms with that.

FIFA officially announced the squads of all the teams taking part in the FIFA Futsal World Cup Uzbekistan 2024. Team Melli’s list included all the players available, with no major concerns about injuries or suspensions.

The squad:

Matches

Group F

[edit]

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Iran	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Knockout stage
2	Venezuela	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Guatemala	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Possible Knockout stage
4	France	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

First match(es) will be played: 16 September 2024. Source: FIFA

16 September 2024

17:30

16 September @ 17:00	Iran		Venezuela	Bukhara Universal Sports Complex, Bukhara
16 September @ 20:00	Guatemala		France	Bukhara Universal Sports Complex, Bukhara
19 September @ 17:30	Iran		Guatemala	Bukhara Universal Sports Complex, Bukhara
19 September @ 20:00	France		Venezuela	Bukhara Universal Sports Complex, Bukhara
22 September @ 20:00	France		Iran	Bukhara Universal Sports Complex, Bukhara
22 September @ 20:00	Venezuela		Guatemala	Humo Arena, Tashkent