Category: News

Iran youth wins big.

Iran’s U20 team under Hossein Abdi began the qualification with a resounding win against Host Laos in Vientiane with an 8-0 win in the AFC U20 Asian Cup™ China 2025 Group G tie on Wednesday.

Iran took the lead after eight minutes with Farhan Bozorgianasl nodding at the far post from a deep outswinging corner kick delivery.

The four-time champions continued to be on the attack and doubled their advantage four minutes later from another set-piece, this time from a free-kick that Amirmohammad Razaghinia powered into the net.

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Defender Yaghoob Barajeh increased their lead in the 31st minute with a Laos mistake five minutes later allowing Esmaeil Gholizadeh to get on the scoresheet with Kasra Taheri capping an impressive first half for Iran with the fifth goal in the 41st minute.

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Despite showing improved defending at the start of the second half, Laos were undone again by Iran in the 63rd minute, Abbas Kahrizi producing a clever turn inside the box before slamming past Kop Lokphathip.

Iran were awarded a penalty with two minutes left to play, Barajeh sending his spot-kick into the bottom corner for his second of the game before another penalty in stoppage time was tucked away by Taheri to seal the resounding win.

Iran U20 will meet India who defeated Mongolia 4-1 in the earlier game, on Friday 27th September.

GOAL SCORERS

FIRST HALF.

Farhan Bozorgianasl 1-0 (8′)
Amirmohammad Razaghinia 2-0 (12′)
Yaghoob BarajeH 3-0 (31′)
Esmaeil Gholizadeh 4-0 (36′)
Kasra Taheri 5-0 (41′)

SECOND HALF
Abbas Kahrizi 6-0 (61′)
Yaghoob BarajeH 7-0 (p 88′)
Kasra Taheri 8-0 (91′)

Iran U20 goals

Iran sink France to win group F

Salar Aghapour starred as IR Iran downed France to win Group F at the FIFA Futsal World Cup Uzbekistan 2024.

Iran’s futsal team outclassed France to win Group F at the FIFA Futsal World Cup Uzbekistan 2024™. Salar Aghapour was once again the hero for Team Melli, scoring twice to take his tally to the tournament to six. Iran will now play Morocco in a mouth-watering last-16 match-up. France, for their part, faces an easier-on-paper game against Thailand.

While missing several players due to illness and two due suspension, Iran was in full control of the game but their appetite for scoring was not evident. France, likewise was content with distributing the ball and waiting for a quick counterattack.

Salar Aghapour opened the scoring for Iran with Oladghobad and Rafieipour adding to the tally to make it 3-0, before Agahpour added a fourth to make it 4-0. Mamadou Toure scored France’s consolation goal for the match to end 4-1.

France lost to Portugal 4-1 in an earlier match and will be Team Melli’s next opponent in the round of 16 in Bukhara on 26th September. Winning that match, Iran will most probably meet Brazil in the quarter-finals.

France goals: Mamadou Toure (37) IR Iran goals: Salar Aghapour (25), Moslem Oladghobad (28), Alireza Rafieipour (30), Salar Aghapour (37) Player of the Match: Moslem Oladghobad (IR Iran)

Ahmad Abbasi treble helps see Iran through.

A hat-trick by Saeid Ahmad Abbasi helped Iran see off a stubborn Guatemala side and cruise into the last 16 of the FIFA Futsal World Cup Uzbekistan 2024™.

Guatemala stunned Iran in the first half with a quick counterattack goal to lead 1-0 in the Group F match. However, Ahmad Abbasi’s response was immediate and stunning, leveling the score shortly after.

Head Coach Shasaei employed an interesting game plan, constantly rotating players and taking off four at a time. This strategy seemed to test different player compositions for effectiveness. However, it also left Iran vulnerable, with the CONCACAF team exploiting these rotations. Iran’s goalkeeper had an off day, struggling with poor timing and situational awareness, which allowed Guatemala to capitalize on several occasions.

Despite these challenges, Salar Aghapour (11) and Hossein Tayyebi (14) managed to add to Iran’s tally. However, the resilient Guatemalan team fought back, scoring two more goals to end the first half at 3-3.

In the second half, Iran switched on the style to secure their place in the last 16. Guatemala, with Patrick Ruiz and Marvin Sandoval performing superbly, went into half-time level but had no answer for Team Melli’s onslaught in the second half, particularly from Saeid Ahmad Abbasi.

Salar Aghapour (21), Behrooz Azimi (25), Saeid Ahmad Abbasi (27), Mahdi Karimi (32), Hossein Tayyebi (37), and Saeid Ahmad Abbasi (40) all scored for Iran, leading to a resounding 9-4 victory in Bukhara.

Iran will remain in Bukhara to face France, who won 7-3 against Venezuela, in one of the most anticipated games of the group stage. Meanwhile, Guatemala will head to Tashkent for a must-win meeting with Venezuela.

Iran up to 19 in latest FIFA Men Ranking.

Iran climbed one step higher in the latest FIFE Men Ranking for September 2024. Iran stands at 19, sandwiched between the USA and Denmark. Japan remains the highest-ranked Asian team at 15 after impressive results in the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers.

With more qualifying matches in the World Cup, it is a good chance for Iran to reach higher ranks with wins against the group rivals Uzbekistan and Qatar.

At the top of the ranking, the Argentines maintained their 1st position despite losing points, followed by France, Spain, England, and Brazil.

In the AFC ranking, there are no changes in positions with Japan at the top followed by Iran, Kores Rep, Australia, and Qatar. Notably, Qatar has lost 10 ranks from the previous one .

Ramin Rezaeian’s Stellar Form and Team Melli’s Dilemma

Ramin Rezaeian’s impressive form in the league and his man-of-the-match performance in the AFC Elite League yesterday against Al-Gharafa, where Esteghlal triumphed over the Qatari side with a comprehensive 3-0 victory, highlight a significant gap in Team Melli’s current lineup. His absence from the national team is increasingly difficult to justify, especially given his recent performances.

Rezaeian has been missing from Team Melli’s roster for some time now. Coach Amir Ghalenoei has not provided a clear explanation for this, aside from his general tendency to introduce younger players—a strategy that is both acceptable and admirable. However, when a player of Rezaeian’s caliber, who excels in providing assists, scoring goals, and defending with true grit, is available, his exclusion raises questions. His powerful shots alone make him a strong candidate for a place in the squad. Team Melli, particularly on the right flank, lacks depth, and Rezaeian’s skills could significantly bolster the team’s performance.

If Ghalenoei’s justification for excluding Rezaeian is based on age, it appears inconsistent. The squad includes Shoja Khalilzadeh, who is older than Rezaeian, and Ghalenoei himself has stated that “age is just a number.” Therefore, age should not be a barrier to Rezaeian’s selection.

If disciplinary issues are the reason for Rezaeian’s exclusion, Ghalenoei should clarify this, as he did with Ahmad Nourollahi, whose unauthorized departure from the squad led to his exclusion from future selections.

The most complex reason could be personal differences. While the coach has the right to select players he deems best, personal feelings should not overshadow the team’s greater needs.

One does not need to be an expert to see that, at 34, Ramin Rezaeian is currently the best right-back in Iran by a considerable margin.

Similarly, Rouzbeh Cheshmi, the defensive midfielder from Esteghlal, is another player who could easily replace the struggling Saeid Ezatollahi in the team. Cheshmi’s agility and quality in both defensive and offensive roles make him a strong candidate for the squad. Team Melli does not have an abundance of defensive midfielders, making Cheshmi’s exclusion puzzling. Notably, both Rezaeian and Cheshmi have scored in the World Cup, further proving their worth.

Behrouz Azimi

Iran thrashes Venezuela in the opener of the FIFA Futsal World Cup.

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.

Ghalenoei and fans expectations

The fans must be less than impressed at Team Melli’s performance so far despite the minimalistic wins. The expectations were high, but the delivery has been underwhelming.

There weren’t many cheers at the end of the Kyrgyzstan game on that truly embarrassing and awful pitch of Fooladshar. The 1-0 win against a Kyrgyz team ranked 82 places lower came with a bit of luck too, as Beiranvand managed a fantastic save towards the end. The pitch conditions were a significant factor, making it difficult for both teams to play their best football. The fans, who are used to seeing their team dominate, were left disappointed by the lackluster performance.

Then came the UAE. Team Melli’s win in Al-Ain was not a vintage performance by any stretch of the imagination. However, there were positives and progress. Ghalenoei is slowly realizing that his team has many shortfalls and admitted that this was a lucky escape for his team with the late penalty against Hardani overruled by VAR. Adding to that were the many misses by the profligate Team Melli strikers, which highlighted the need for better finishing and composure in front of goal.

Two games have been played in the third – and decisive – round of FIFA World Cup qualification. So far, it has confirmed the feeling that while Team Melli relies on their legionnaires playing in professional leagues to deliver in the big moments, a team like Japan is a well-oiled winning machine. Ruthless, clinical, and disciplined, Japan hardly relies on one or two individuals. Their team cohesion and tactical discipline are exemplary, setting a benchmark for other Asian teams.

Ghalenoei and Ghoddos on touchline
Soccer Football – AFC Asian Cup – Quarter-Final – Iran v Japan – Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan, Qatar – February 3, 2024 Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani

While Iran has the bragging rights for arguably having the two most lethal forwards of Asia in Azmoun and Taremi, who amassed more than 100 goals between them, regrettably, they were both guilty of not only failing to deliver but also raising questions about their attitudes and commitment. Their performances have been inconsistent, and their body language on the pitch has sometimes suggested a lack of motivation.

This is where Ghalenoei can make a huge difference. Granted that he will never be a Carlos Queiroz, and the culture of Iranians is different than that of Portuguese or European. Ghalenoei, for example, keeps distributing thanks to everybody and anything that moves between earth and sky. Queiroz was aggressive, demanding, and always critical of the same. Two extremes, mind you, that need to be balanced by Ghalenoei. No one is interested in his sermons of thanks and appreciation; the fans expect results and a beautiful game. If players are not delivering, especially the likes of Azmoun, Taremi, Jahanbakhsh, Ghoddos, and Ezatollahi, then the bench is their place.

Of course, it is easier said than done. The Iranian domestic league is simply not producing quality players en masse. The poor league standard, on top of atrocious playing fields and extremely amateurish management and administration, are some of the factors for poor player production. One must sympathize with Ghalenoei in this sense as he can only play with what is available to him, unlike other countries who have no issues with naturalizing the hundreds of available Brazilian and European players for hire, most of whom are second or third-rate players.

The level of expectation of the Iranian fans is high, and they are not to be blamed. Few accept ridicule, and most of the fans understand and appreciate good football when they watch one. Iran has a footballing pedigree. It is ranked among the top 20 in the world. The sport is the most popular in a land where wrestling, martial arts, and weightlifting are the real sports that bring glory to the nation. So yes, the expectations are high, tolerances low, and the patience of fans is wishful thinking.

The hope is with Ghalenoei and his coaching staff to address the various shortcomings with less than a month left for a crucial tie with the Uzbek team. A Team Melli at its near best can beat Uzbekistan at Tashkent. However, what Team Melli will turn up on October 10th? Anything like the two that played against Kyrgyzstan and UAE, then we are in trouble.

The upcoming matches will be a true test of Ghalenoei’s ability to inspire and organize his team under pressure.

Iran’s Head Coach Reflects on Strong Start to World Cup Qualifiers

IThe head coach of the Iranian national football team, Amir Ghalenoei, expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance in the World Cup qualifiers. Following a 1-0 victory against the UAE in the second match of the third qualifying round for the FIFA World Cup 2026, Ghalenoei shared his thoughts in a press conference.

Commendation and Critique

“I must congratulate Mr. Bento for the excellent team he has built. It is one of the best teams the UAE has produced. However, we were almost punished in this game. A match that could have ended with a three or four-goal difference in our favor was nearly a draw. Iran’s goal expectancy was 1.61 to 0.21, but possession was 60 to 40. We played with a plan, identifying and exploiting the UAE’s weaknesses. Despite this, we failed to convert 90% of our opportunities into goals. Football can be unforgiving, but fortunately, we were not punished today. We need to address our issues with poor chance conversion.”

Tactical Insights

Ghalenoei highlighted the tactical approach: “We had two plans. One without a leader to press in their midfield, targeting their number eight player, (Tahnoon Al Zaabi). The other plan involved Sardar, who created many chances that we unfortunately did not capitalize on. We hope that Jahanbakhsh, Ghoddos, and Saeid Ezatollahi will return to form for the next game.”

Fan Support and Criticism

He also acknowledged the fans: “I thank the fans who supported us today. Despite being fewer in number than the local fans, they did not let us down. Criticism is good and leads to improvement, but it should aim to help the team. The previous game was played on an unfavorable field, but today we played on a beautiful pitch. We gained six points and kept a clean sheet, but I expect more from my players.”

Looking Ahead

Regarding the upcoming match against Uzbekistan, Ghalenoei said: “All games in Asia are tough now, with teams becoming more competitive. There was criticism about inviting players like Saeed Ezatollahi, who is recovering from injury, and Jahanbakhsh and Saman Ghoddos, who are without clubs. However, their conditions will improve in the next month. After a short break and monitoring the domestic League and AFC Elite League games, we will discuss the next game plans.”

Pressure and Expectations

When asked about the pressure of qualifying for the World Cup, Ghalenoei responded: “Iran has been an Asian powerhouse for many years, and expectations are high. This pressure motivates us to work harder and make our people happy with good games and results. We aim to improve game by game and advance to the World Cup, with bigger goals in mind.”

Comments on Iran’s win against UAE

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.

Players ratings UAE vs. Iran

Perhaps the performance of Team Melli was not impressive, but compared to the last time out against Kyrgyzstan, it was a positive improvement. Ghalenoei managed to shake the team and it yielded results. Individually, no player made a big impact, while some key players were quite disappointing, some have improved. Declining performance by key players must worry the head coach as he counts on them in crucial moments as they are the ones who can turn the game and results upside down.

Goalkeeper

Alireza Bieranvand – 7.3

The Iranian custodian too didn’t really face many serious challenges, as he was vigilant throughout and made two saves when needed. He also bagged a clean sheet here. He was helped by some lackluster UAE shooting and a strong defense in front of him

Defenders

Saleh Hardani – 6.5

A vital figure in defense for Team Melli, Hardani made three clearances and blocked one shot. He was quite sloppy in possession though, giving it up 16 times during the game. His runs on the flank were missing.

Hossein Kanaani – 7.0

Kanaani was important in circulating the ball from the defense and showed exemplary positional awareness. His partnership with Khalilzadeh was solid and they covered each other very well.

Shoja Khalilzadeh – 7.4

With six clearances, Khalilzadeh demonstrated wonderful reading of the game and won three of his four ground duels too. The center-back’s passing, though, was questionable at times. Despite a lack of pace, he was never caught off-guard behind any of the UAE forwards due to his excellent positioning awareness.

Milad Mohammadi – 6.9

Mohammadi was overwhelmingly involved in defense, making vital clearances to nip UAE’s chances in the bud while also laying one key pass to open up a chance for his side. He tends to drift in and out of the game. He missed a good opportunity to score.

Midfielders

Omid Noorafkan – 6

An average performance from Noorafkan, who offered no great shakes either defensively or while going forward. He does not seem to be comfortable playing a midfield role

Saeid Ezatolahi – 7

Tough in tackles, Ezatolahi was biting at the heels of the UAE forwards, always looking to pluck the ball off them. In fact, he won five of his six ground duels and made two interceptions. His defensive work was good but his long passes forward lacked the accuracy to create any danger for the opposition

Saman Ghoddos – 6

He was rarely involved during the game, completing just 10 passes in 57 minutes while his only effort at goal was off-target too. If that wasn’t enough, Ghoddos was also booked for an ill-timed challenge early into the second half. Way off his normal standard and showing no sign of improvement from the previous match.

Forwards

Alireza Jahanbakhsh – 6

The Iranian ace struggled to win his duels but made some vital interventions defensively throughout the game. He even mustered two shots in the game, one of which was on target. Not effective as expected. He got cautioned for a wild tackle.

Mehdi Ghayedi – 8.1

The 25-year-old winger put Team Melli in front with a clinical finish just moments before half-time. He kept giving his marker a hard time. Before his goa, Ghayedi scored a goal that was disallowed. His shortfall was too much reliance on the referee to whistle for fouls on him! His goal was an excellent piece of skill, persistence, and accuracy. Man-of-the-match for Iran.

Mehdi Taremi – 4.9

An uncharacteristically poor game for Iran’s prolific hitman, who misfired badly. All three of his efforts on the night were off target, missing two big chances too. His miss from a brilliant assist by Azmoun was unforgivable for a player of such stature and playing in Serie A.

Substitutes

Ali Gholizadeh – 6.3

He can be a much more productive player if he concentrates on his game and refrains from playing referee. His dribbling skills are a delight to watch. He replaced Ghayedi just before the hour.

Sardar Azmoun – 5.8

The Iranian Messi had an off day, failing to light up the stadium with his usual attacking brilliance. The highlight of his performance was the accurate weighted pass to set Taremi which yielded nothing due to his partner’s failure to connect properly.

Mohammad Ghorbani – 6

He made sure the UAE don’t find a late equalizer to share the spoils. More playing time has to be given to this player to integrate with the team. Good potential.

Mohammad Karimi – N/A

He came in the dying embers with only a few seconds remaining on the clock.

Head Coach

Amir Ghalenoei – 7.4

He dared to bench Azmoun and that says a lot about his character. His defensive game plan was executed to perfection against a stubborn and determined opposition, however, upfront, his players failed him. Needs to re-think the route one football though. Unlike the Kyrgyz match, his substitution was positively effective.