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.

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Head2Head

Iran vs UAE

H / A / N	Matches	W	D	L	Goals	+ / –
H	5	4	1	0	4 – 0	+4
A	8	6	1	1	14 – 4	+10
N	6	5	1	0	10 – 1	+9
Total	19	15	3	1	28 – 5	+23

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:

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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.

 

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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:

#	POS	FIRST NAME(S)	LAST NAME(S)	DOB	Age	CLUB	HEIGHT (CM)
1	GK	Bagher	MOHAMMADI	21-Jun-91	33	Giti Pasand Isfahan FSC (IRN)	184
2	GK	Saeid	MOMENI	23-Nov-92	31	Kerap Alvand FSC (IRN)	185
3	MF	Sajad	YOUSEF KHAHROUDSARI	17-Apr-95	29	Shahrdari Saveh FSC (IRN)	182
4	DF	Alireza	RAFIEI POUR	09-Oct-93	30	Giti Pasand Isfahan FSC (IRN)	184
5	DF	Mohammadhossein	DERAKHSHANI	01-Apr-93	31	Giti Pasand Isfahan FSC (IRN)	184
6	DF	Mohammadreza	SANGSEFIDI	02-Nov-89	34	Giti Pasand Isfahan FSC (IRN)	173
7	MF	Ali Asghar	HASSANZADEH NAVLIGHE	02-Nov-87	36	Mes Sungun FSC (IRN)	170
8	MF	Moslem	OLADGHOBAD	29-Nov-95	28	Gohar Zamin F.C. (IRN)	183
9	P	Saeid	AHMAD ABBASI	31-Jul-92	32	Giti Pasand Isfahan FSC (IRN)	184
10	P	Hossein	TAYEBIBIDGOLI	29-Sep-88	35	Gohar Zamin F.C. (IRN)	178
11	MF	Mahdi	KARIMI	28-Jan-97	27	Giti Pasand Isfahan FSC (IRN)	178
12	MF	Salar	AGHAPOUR	07-Mar-00	24	Gohar Zamin F.C. (IRN)	173
13	MF	Amirhossein	DAOUDI	16-Aug-02	22	Giti Pasand Isfahan FSC (IRN)	177
14	P	Behrooz	AZIMIHEMATABADI	25-Aug-01	23	Mes Sungun FSC (IRN)	185
			Averages		29.60		180.00

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

Passing Woes and Twisted Logic

When players cannot pass properly to their teammates—a basic skill in football—what can you expect from them? These were the words of a veteran ex-Team Melli player commenting on the match. However, according to Ghalenoei’s logic, Iranian fans should be grateful to his players even turning up, because even Real Madrid, Australia, and South Korea have bad days too! Twisted logic at its best!

Kyrgyzstan’s Improved Performance

Kyrgyzstan, a third-tier team in Asia, was comprehensively defeated last time out against Team Melli. However, this time, we witnessed a respectable highly disciplined. The Kyrgyz team was more organized and defensively solid, even on the same atrocious turf that Iran was playing on. The good performance of the Kyrgyz team was aided by the Iranian players’ lackluster performance.

Goalkeeping Errors and Missed Opportunities

If it wasn’t for the unfortunate error by the Kyrgyzstan goalkeeper—his only mistake of the game, where he parried a long-range shot from Noorafkan—the match would have ended goalless. On the other end, a fingertip save from Beiranvand prevented a freak goal in the first half. The Team Melli keeper repeated his heroics in the second when he prevented Joel, the nifty African-Kyrgyz winger, from scoring at close range.

Iran’s Lack of Superiority

Let us remember that Iran scored due to a goalkeeping error and not because of the superiority of their players. The most noticeable weakness of Team Melli was the midfield. The old dependable player who dictated the rhythm and pace of the team is no more. Perhaps the turn-up by name, but NOT the performance.

Ghoddos and Ghaedi had a forgettable game, Gholizade tried but his final ball always missing target, even an empty net. Noorafakn was out of place and out of pace. The comp[position of the midfield was not ticking.

Pitch Conditions and Tactical Failures

The embarrassing shape and status of the grass field and the solid, compact defensive style of Kyrgyzstan caused Iran to run out of ideas. Ghalenoei failed to adjust the team tactics to counteract such a style. The quality was lacking in every aspect of the game plan for Team Melli—passing, penetration, crosses, covering spaces, and most definitely, dribbling were all poor. Ghalenoei must fundamentally rethink the defense line and midfield. If this continues, Team Melli will have very tough days ahead, especially when they meet UAE, who came out as winners against the AFC Asian Cup holder Qatar with a convincing 3-1 score.

Beiranvand’s Mixed Performance

Alireza Beiranvand was a mixture of heroism and stupidity. His fast reflexes saved Iran’s blushes when he stopped Kyrgyz winger Joel from scoring from close range. However, his stupidity was evident when he was caught lingering around the halfway line, taking a stroll due to no action on his side. The Kyrgyz player cleverly noticed this and sent a hopeful ball from inside Kyrgyzstan’s half toward the empty goal. Beiranvand had to make an Olympic-style dash to save his blushes with a fingertip save over top of the bar for a corner.

Substitution Decisions

Ghalenoei’s substitutions were mixed. He was quite right in pulling out Gholizadeh, Gaheydi, and Ghoddos as the trio were just not ticking. However, apart from Torabi, Jahanbakhsh and Ezatollahi were even worse.

Feeble Performance and World Cup Qualifiers

The players did not perform as expected. It is quite fortunate that at least eight teams from AFC Asia will qualify for the World Cup. If only 2 to 3 teams were to qualify, Iran would definitely face a huge problem based on such a feeble performance.

PLAYERS RATINGS:

Alireza BEIRANVAND: Although had not much to do throughout the match, two brilliant timely saves rescued Iran from an embarrassing result. Guilty of leaving his goal wide open for no reason.[6.5]

Amin HEZBAVI: Despite a solid performance, he was found wanting when outfoxed by Joel who nearly scored, otherwise an acceptable performance. [6.0]

Arya YOUSEFI: Surprisingly had much action and balls on his side. He had difficulties dealing with all the action. He was not assertive in his passing or positions. His decision-making was suspect although he did not have much defending to do. [4.6]

Shojaa KHALILZADEH: Facing an average side without much appetite for attacking, Khalilzadeah had an easy shift, however, he was the target of his head coach for some bad passing [4.9]

Milad MOHAMMADI: an easy day for defensive duties but much was expected from him on the left flank. Simply said, he failed to deliver and was disappointing [4.6]

Ali GHOLIZADEH: Skillful player without a doubt. His dribbling is at times a joy to watch, but the end result was disappointing against an average team. He was guilty of the miss of the match as a perfect pass from Taremi found him meters from an open goal, but he managed to shoot over the bar. It seemed to be easier to score than missing [5.0]

Omid NOORAFKAN: Poor ball distribution, suspect in defending in the middle of the field, slow in tackling, and generally seemed to be out of place in a midfield role rather than half back, His only positive efforts was trying to shoot, mostly inaccurate but one of them yielded a result. Perhaps, the midfield is not his optimal post [5.1]

Saman GHODDOS: Totally out of the game. A very disappointing performance from a player who at one stage was the maestro of the team. He lacked in every department. His performance proves for the umpteen times that regular competition and playing are vital for a player. [4.3]

Sardar AZMOUN: Disappointing day for such a star. There is no doubt in his abilities as a striker and lethal finisher, however, there are many questions about his attitude. His body language seemed to be of a player who was uninterested. Sardar contributed little to the team until he mysteriously fell on the ground late in the match for him to be substituted!. [4.3]

Mehdi TAREMI: Best of the lot. Scored Iran’s goal and his running and dynamism in changing posts, confused the opponent’s defense. Had his own shortfalls but no one can accuse this player of lack of effort [6.8]

Mehdi GHAEDI: a forgettable game for this tiny winger who could not do anything right. No contribution to the team’s offense and could not create any threat from his side after being tightly marked by the Kyrgyz defender [4.0]

SUBSTITUTES:

Mehdi TORABI -> Ali GHOLIZADEH (59): His efforts and runs, briefly, energized the midfield, however, on his own, the contribution was lost. Torabi needs to be utilized as a ball carrier as he was with Queiroz days as that is his best role. [6.0]

Alireza JAHANBAKHSH -> Mehdi GHAEDI (59): On paper, a perfect substitution but in reality, Jahanbakhsh was quite disappointing. Like Ghoddos , he is without a club and lacks practice which was quite obvious in his shaky performance. Many passing errors which brought the wrath of Ghlenoei on the sidelines [4.2]

Saeid EZATOLAHI -> Saman GHODDOS (66): Only recently out of injury and has not played for 3 months, yet Ghalenoei in his wisdom, chose him to play him hoping to revitalize the midfield against the Kyrgyz. When at his best, Ezatollahi is no more than average, with a lack of match practice, he was quite poor. It was a risk that the coach took a risk that could cost him high against better teams in the group [4.0]

Shahriyar MOGHANLOU -> Sardar AZMOUN (80)
Saleh HARDANI -> Arya YOUSEFI (80)

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