Friday, 21 March 2025: Pattaya.

Iran kicked off their AFC Beach Soccer Asian Cup™ Thailand 2025 campaign with an emphatic 12-2 victory over Indonesia in Group C at the Jomtien Beach Arena on Friday.

The win gives the three-time champions an early boost in their title defence and they next take on Afghanistan on Sunday, while Indonesia will aim to bounce back against the United Arab Emirates.

A miscommunication between Ketut Sudiartawan and goalkeeper Pratama proved costly for Indonesia, as his attempted pass ended up in their own net, giving Iran an early lead.

The Central Asian side doubled their advantage when Mahdi Shirmohammadi found the net with a right-footed shot from close range in the sixth minute of the first period. 

Iran had a chance to extend their lead further, but Mohammadali Nazarzadeh’s free-kick from the right flank ricocheted off the post just as the timer signalled the end of the first period.

Naderi Hossein’s side continued to dominate the game after the break, with Mohammad Masoumi sending the ball past Indonesia’s custodian following a goalmouth scramble.

There was no stopping Iran as goalkeeper Seyedmahdi Mirjalili moved forward to the centre of the pitch before slotting the ball past a helpless Pratama for the defending champions’ fourth of the game.

Iran’s Syed Ali Nazem missed a penalty in the 15th minute to give the Southeast Asians some respite but Nazarzadeh then made up for his earlier squandered effort by scoring from the spot.

Indonesia pulled one back through Made Adhi Kurniawan’s penalty shortly after but with just 12 seconds remaining of the second period, defender Movahed Mohammadpour calmly slotted home Iran’s fifth goal.

The 2023 champions wasted no time in the third period, as striker Mahdi Shirmohammadi made it 6-1 and as the  game neared its end, Mokhtari scored twice, Nazarzadeh added his second while Seyed and Ali Mirshekari netted one each. 

Indonesia pulled one back through Angga Pratama but it was a totally dominant performance from Iran. 

A sudden power failure on the northeast side of Azadi Stadium caused the Iran-UAE World Cup qualifier to be temporarily halted, presenting an embarrassing scene for Iranian football on the international stage.

According to a Mehr reporter, the match between the national teams of Iran and the UAE kicked off at 19:30 on Thursday, March 20, 1403 (Persian calendar) at Azadi Stadium. However, the game was not without its controversies and notable moments:

• Mixed Reception for Beiranvand: When the Iranian players entered the stadium, most received warm cheers from the crowd. However, goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand—who transferred from Persepolis to Tractor at the start of the Iranian Premier League season—was met with hostile chants from sections of the spectators. The keeper has been suffering verbal abuse from the beginning of the season. This unfortunate condition was not helped by Beiranvand’s own rhetoric’s.
• Paulo Bento’s Active Presence: UAE head coach Paulo Bento displayed great enthusiasm from the sidelines, actively leading and encouraging his players from the very beginning of the match.
• Stadium Lights Malfunction: In the 10th minute, the projectors on the northeast side of the stadium suddenly turned off, forcing the match to be paused.
• Extended Break and Players Sent to Locker Rooms: After an initial 15-minute stoppage, the referee instructed both teams to return to their locker rooms while officials worked to resolve the lighting issue. The game eventually resumed after an 18-minute delay.
• Players’ Reactions: While waiting for the match to restart, players from both teams attempted to stay warm by keeping their legs active on the field. Meanwhile, the UAE goalkeeper engaged in a discussion with the referee, urging him to restart the game as soon as possible, but his request was met with resistance.

This unexpected interruption during a crucial World Cup qualifier raises serious concerns about Azadi Stadium’s infrastructure, casting a shadow over Iranian football’s global image.

This failure occurred after a long period of maintenance conducted on the old and frailing stadium built in 1973 for the Asian Games 1974. It once again exposed the sports authorities failure and management of Iran’s football infrastructure which has fallen way behind the neighboring countries. Such failures are a source of embarrassment for all concerned. Iran has never staged any major sports events, particularly football, since the revolution! At this rate, it is doubtful that this generation will ever witness such an event.

According to Mehr, Iranian national team striker Mehdi Taremi shared his thoughts following Team Melli’s victory over the UAE.

“First of all, I would like to congratulate the Iranian people on the New Year. I hope this year brings blessings and prosperity,” Taremi said. “We struggled in the first half but performed much better in the second half. Overall, I think we played well.”

Taremi then spoke about his injury concerns and the need for rest. “For the past four or five months, I have trained and played through niggling injuries. But now, I have decided to rest to avoid worsening my condition.”

Calls for Structural Improvements

Taremi emphasized the need for better planning and organization within the national team setup. “Our qualification is almost certain, but we need to improve many aspects of the team’s structure. Certain things I observed on the bench should not have happened. I am not used to be on the bench in Azadi,” he stated “and from there, I observed some awkward things that belittles the team”

Highlighting the gap between Asian and international competitions, he added: “The World Cup is a completely different level. International matches are far more challenging than Asian fixtures. In the past, we were eliminated with dignity due to minor details. But now, as we aim to progress further in the tournament, we must be much better prepared.”

Criticism of Azadi Stadium Facilities

Taremi also addressed the power outage at Azadi Stadium that disrupted the match. “I don’t know whether to call it mismanagement or something else, but those involved know that while the surface details look fine, the actual conditions are far from acceptable. The locker rooms are in terrible shape, and even the mixed zone is poorly maintained. This is an embarrassment. We have always had to deal with such issues, low standards and low quality of the surroundings” he lamented.

Expressing his frustration, he added: “I feel sorry for the officials. I honestly think that some people out there want to tarnish Iran’s image, and I feel bad for those responsible for managing these situations.”

On the Presence of the President & Economic Conditions

Taremi acknowledged the efforts of the country’s leadership: “Despite all the difficulties, the president, Dr. Pezeshkian came to support us, and I appreciate such a gesture.”

Regarding Iran’s economic situation and the weakening of the Iranian currency, he said: “When I predicted that the dollar would reach 90,000 tomans, people criticized me. Now that it has hit 100,000 tomans, they are attacking me even more.”

Future at Inter & Career Aspirations

Discussing his future at Inter Milan, Taremi reassured fans: “There’s good news. The club and the coach are aware of my injury, which is why my recent performances may not have been ideal. I know this and truly regret it. If the coach continues to trust me, I will definitely stay at Inter next season.”

When asked about signs of frustration on his face, he admitted: “Yes! I am ambitious, and this much passion can sometimes make me appear tense. I hope to fully recover from my injury this year.”

Addressing potential offers from Asia, Taremi remained focused on his European career: “I’ve received offers from Asian clubs before, and while I respect them, I haven’t seriously considered leaving Europe. My goal is to maintain my performance at the highest level.”

Taremi was an unused substitute on Thursday when Iran played the UAE. It is unclear whether the former Porto player will feature against Uzbekistan on Tuesday.