On Thursday, Team Melli will face Kyrgyzstan for the fifth time at Fooladshahr Stadium in Esfahan. The two teams last met in the CAFA Nations Cup, where Team Melli secured a dominant 5-1 victory in Bishkek.
There have been few changes in both squads, with the most significant being the appointment of Maksim Lisitsyn as the new head coach for Kyrgyzstan, replacing Š. Tarkovič.
The teams first crossed paths in the preliminary round of the FIFA World Cup France 1998 in Damascus, where Team Melli comfortably defeated the newly independent Kyrgyz side with a 7-0 win.
With almost all key players available for Amir Ghalenoei, Team Melli is expected to secure a convincing victory. The forward line of Team Melli is arguably the strongest in Asia, featuring the likes of Mehdi Taremi and Sardar Azmoun up front, with Ali Gholizadeh, Alireza Jahanbakhsh, and Mehdi Ghayedi operating on the flanks.
However, concerns remain in defense, particularly with an aging center-back duo and a lack of defensive cohesion that has seen Team Melli concede goals against various opponents. Alireza Beiranvand, a stalwart in goal for many years, has experienced a dip in form, making his position less secure.
The midfield also presents challenges, as players like Saman Ghoddos, Jahanbakhsh, and Saeid Ezatollahi have struggled with match fitness and practice, with the first two currently without clubs. The team will rely on Gholizadeh to inject creativity and dynamism.
Despite these issues, Team Melli should have little trouble winning this match, and anything less would be considered a significant setback, especially in a competitive group that includes AFC Asian Cup holders Qatar and strong opponents like Uzbekistan and the UAE.
Teams Last 5 matches
Kyrgyzstan
Iran
| 07/02/24 | Qatar | 2 – 3 | L |
| 21/03/24 | Turkmenistan | 5 – 0 | W |
| 26/03/24 | Turkmenistan | 0 – 1 | W |
| 06/06/24 | Hong Kong | 2 – 4 | W |
| 11/06/24 | Uzbekistan | 0 – 0 | D |
Head2Head Results
| H / A / N | Matches | W | D | L | Goals | + / – |
| H | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 – 1 | +8 |
| A | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 – 1 | +4 |
| N | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 – 0 | +7 |
| Total | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 21 – 2 | +19 |