Category: News

Iran and Uzbekistan Play to a Goalless Draw in Azadi Stadium

In a lackluster match at Azadi Stadium, Iran and Uzbekistan settled for a goalless draw on Tuesday evening at Azadi Stadium. Despite both teams securing qualification, their lack of urgency was evident throughout the final game of Group E of the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers.

  • Player Attitude:
    • Iranian players seemed content with a draw, displaying little energy or drive to excel.
    • The forwards often fell into the offside trap, allowing Uzbekistan to maintain defensive comfort.
    • Uzbekistan, as promised by their coach Katanec, attacked with organized moves but lacked clinical finishing.
    • Saleh Hardani was probably the Most Valuable Player with his fine work in the first half.
    • Azmoun was hardly been awarded any meaningful ball and surrounded by two and sometimes three markers, he was easily neutralized by the Uzbek.
  • Key Moments:
    • Taremi came closest to scoring when he rattled the Uzbek upright. The move originated deep within Team Melli’s defense zone.
    • Azmoun’s deflection set up Jahanbakhsh, who delivered a sublime ball to Taremi. Unfortunately, the upright denied Iran a goal.
    • Omid Nourafkan attempted long-range shots.
    • Ali Beiranvand had little work to do but a late blunder nearly Iran the points while he did manage to deflect one Uzbek ball through the game.
  • Group Standings:
    • Despite the draw, Iran maintains its lead in the group.
    • Iran, Japan, and South Korea will be in pot one for the third-round draw.

Lineup:

  • Alireza Beiranvand
  • Mohammad Hossein Kanaanizadegan
  • Shoja Khalilzadeh
  • Saleh Hardani (yellow card in the 89th minute)
  • Milad Mohammadi
  • Omid Nourafken (substituted by Mohammed Ghorbani in the 73rd minute)
  • Saman Ghoddos (substituted by Shahriar Mughanlou in the 87th minute)
  • Alireza Jahanbakhsh
  • Mehdi Torabi (substituted by Abolfazl Jalali in the 87th minute)
  • Mehdi Taremi
  • Sardar Azmoun

Team Melli Aims for Top Spot in Group E Clash Against Uzbekistan

In tonight’s crucial match at Azadi Stadium, Team Melli faces Uzbekistan, both teams having already secured their place in the third round of FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers. The stakes are high as they battle for supremacy in Group E.

Key Points:

  1. Uzbekistan’s Confidence:
    • In the pre-match press conference, Uzbekistan Coach Srečko Katanec emphasized that his team feels no pressure after qualifying. They intend to take the game to Iran and aim for victory.
    • Two Uzbek players, Auston Aronov and Jalaluddin Masharipov, who play in Iran for Esteghlal and Persepolis, could pose a challenge for Team Melli.
  2. Head-to-Head History:
    • Team Melli and Uzbekistan have faced each other 13 times, with Iran holding the upper hand, having secured 10 wins against a lone defeat.
    • The previous encounter between the two teams ended in a 2-2 draw.
  3. Unbeaten Streaks:
    • Both teams have lost only to Qatar in their last 10 games, specifically during the AFC Asian Cup 2023.
    • Their overall form remains strong, with no defeats in other matches.
  4. Defensive Concerns for Team Melli:
    • Critics have raised concerns about Team Melli’s defensive system. Despite aging center-back Shoja Khalilzadeh’s inclusion, cohesion remains an issue.
    • Coach Amir Ghaleneoi has introduced young talent into the defense, but better coordination is needed.
    • Defending as a unit has not been very well executed, a job the Team Melli defensive coordinators like Rahman Rezaei, need to focus on.
  5. Midfield and Attack:
    • Defensive midfielder Mohammed Ghorbani has performed well in recent matches, while Saman Ghoddos orchestrates offensive moves.
    • Strikers Mehdi Taremi and Sardar Azmoun are poised to strike if provided with quality service.
  6. Referee and Match Details:
    • The match will be officiated by Kim Jong Hyuk from South Korea.
    • Kickoff time: 20:30 local Iran time.

In summary, Team Melli faces a critical test against Uzbekistan, and fans eagerly await an exciting clash between these two talented sides. 🌟🇮🇷⚽️

Taremi Set to Elevate Inter Milan’s Attack in 2024-25

By Matteo Pifferi, Editor | June 8, 2024

Mehdi Taremi

Inter Milan is on the cusp of officially securing Iranian striker Mehdi Taremi. The Italian club has yet to officially announce the news of ex-Porto joining the club. Having already completed his medical, Taremi is poised to play a pivotal role for the Nerazzurri in the upcoming season.
Taremi is a free agent and would cost Inter Milan no transfer fee to be paid for Porto, although there is the customary signing-on fee that is usually awarded to players on joining.

Taremi scored a hat trick for Iran against Hong Kong in the FIFA World Cup Qualifying rounds.

A Determined Arrival

Taremi arrives at Inter with clear intentions. He emphatically states, “I’m not here to be a reserve player. I aspire to be more than just an option from the bench.” His ambition is palpable, and he aims to climb the ranks, leaving no doubt about his desire to contribute significantly from the first minute.

Beyond Luxury Alternatives

The Iranian forward won’t settle for a luxury role. Instead, he seeks to surpass expectations. Taremi’s mission is to become indispensable, not merely a backup to Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martinez. Unlike Alexis Sanchez and Marko Arnautovic, who played supporting roles this season, Taremi aims for greater importance within the squad.

Instilling Confidence

Tuttosport highlights Taremi’s determination to win over teammates and fans alike. He plans to impress Inzaghi, ensuring that the coach considers him for every game and competition. Taremi’s debut in Portugal, where he scored a hat-trick for Rio Ave, serves as a testament to his capabilities.

Training Advantage

Unlike his national team-bound counterparts, Taremi can start training immediately. This advantage positions him well enough to convince Inzaghi of his readiness to lead Inter’s attack during a demanding season.

Mehdi Taremi’s arrival promises excitement and ambition at Inter Milan. Fans eagerly await his impact on the pitch.

1: Source: Taremi & Carboni to complete revamped Inter attack in 2024-25

H2H: Uzbekistan

On Tuesday, Team Melli will play its final match in the FIFA World Cup 2026 round 2 qualification against Uzbekistan.

The match will determine who will lead the group as both teams have accumulated 13 points from their five matches with Iran leading by the +12 goal difference while Uzbekistan is +9.

The first time these two teams met was in the 1998 Asin Games in Bangkok, where Ali Daei single-handedly swept past the Uzbek with a hat trick, and Ali Mosavi completed the rout with a goal.

It took 14 years for Uzbekistan to register its first and only win against Iran in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers.

Azmoun, Taremi, and Daei are jointly the top scorers against Uzbekistan with 3 goals each.

Group E standing

#TeamMPWDLGF/GAGDPTS
1IRAN541016-4+1213
2UZBEKISTAN541013-4+913
3TURKMENISTAN50144-14-101
4HONG KONG50144-15-111

All Time Heas2Head records

IDDateOpponentMatch TypeScoreResultScorers
21961998-12-14UzbekistanAsian Games4 – 0WDaei (3),Mousavi
23332007-07-11UzbekistanAsian Cup2 – 1WAzmoun, Taremi
23982009-09-05UzbekistanFriendly0 – 0D
24492012-06-03UzbekistanWorld Cup Qualifier1 – 0WKhalatbary
24572012-11-14UzbekistanWorld Cup Qualifier0 – 1L
24952015-06-11UzbekistanFriendly1 – 0WTorabi
25102016-10-06UzbekistanWorld Cup Qualifier1 – 0WHosseini
25162017-06-12UzbekistanWorld Cup Qualifier2 – 0WAzmoun , Taremi
25292018-05-19UzbekistanFriendly1 – 0WCheshmi
25382018-09-11UzbekistanFriendly1 – 0WTorabi
25632020-10-08UzbekistanFriendly2 – 1WAzmoun, Taremi
25942023-06-20UzbekistanCAFA Nations Cup1 – 0WAzmoun
25972023-11-21UzbekistanWorld Cup Qualifier2 – 2DRezaeian, Taremi

Summary

MPWDLGFGAGDwin%GPM
1310111851376.9%1.38

Scorers

ScorerGoals
Ali DAEI3
Sardar AZMOUN3
Mehdi TAREMI3
Jalal HOSSEINI2
Mehdi TORABI2
Javad KAZEMIAN1
Ali MOUSAVI1
MohamadReza KHALATBARY1
Rouzbeh CHESHMI1
Ramin REZAEIAN1

Taremi’shat trick sinks Hong Kong

Soft spot-kick turns the tide for Iran in the Fifa World Cup qualifier, but Hong Kong shows guts with new boys Timmy Ma and Anthony Pinto on target

Paul McNamara

Paul McNamara+ FOLLOW

6 Jun 2024

Hong Kong football christened two new heroes on Thursday night, but Wolfgang Luisser’s first game in temporary charge ended in a controversial 4-2 World Cup qualifying defeat at home to Iran.

Timmy Ma Hei-wai adeptly swept home a cross from Tan Chun-lok after 15 minutes of his senior international debut. Anthony Pinto was even quicker off the mark, dispatching a low effort past Payam Niazmand only two minutes after replacing Ma in the second half.

Ma’s stunning introduction was sandwiched by a pair of penalties from Mehdi Taremi, the second awarded after Yapp Hung-fai appeared to legally dispossess the striker in the box.

Taremi, on the verge of a transfer from FC Porto to Inter Milan, chipped in a Panenka kick before completing a hat-trick 11 minutes after half-time. But Pinto, released by English League One club Bolton Wanderers, soon fired home to give Hong Kong hope.

Yapp Hung-fai dives to meet Mehdi Taremi in the incident that led to the second penalty. Photo: Sam Tsang

Sardar Azmoun finally killed off the hosts when he escaped the attention of Leon Jones to slip home Iran’s fourth with 25 minutes left.

There were no complaints about the first penalty. Jones, another full Hong Kong debutant, used his arm to block a floated 11th-minute cross from Mehdi Ghayedi. Taremi ignored the howls to place his penalty into the bottom-left corner.

There was a 137-position gulf between the teams in the Fifa world rankings, but after a slow start, the hosts gave as good as they got on a stirring night at Hong Kong Stadium.

They had an early let-off when Helio Goncalves deflected a Taremi strike onto the crossbar. Iran sustained the attack, and Azmoun’s volley had Yapp tumbling to his left to tip behind.

Hong Kong’s anemic opening gave way to a gutsy, ambitious performance, sparked when Tan stole possession on the quarter-hour. The midfielder was allowed to progress down the left and measure a delivery to the near post, where Ma arrived from the opposite flank to steer a finish across goalkeeper Niazmand.

Eastern attacker Ma was so far out of the international reckoning until recently that he did not make the squad for the under-23s’ Asian Games campaign last September.

Yapp needed a strong hand to beat out an effort from Azmoun, but Iran’s discomfort was laid bare when Amin Hazbavi sliced a panicked clearance past a post.

The visitors were given a break, however, when Qasim Matar Al-Hatmi, the referee, awarded a spot-kick for a foul by Yapp. The goalkeeper seemed to make clean contact with the ball as he dived at Taremi’s feet in the 32nd minute, but Hong Kong’s protests were waved away.

Before kick-off, the home fans had hoisted a banner emblazoned with images of Jorn Andersen, accompanied by the words “thank you”, in tribute to the Norwegian, who last week resigned as head coach.

Fans unfurl a banner to thank Jorn Andersen, the former head coach. Photo: Sam Tsang

And their backing created a wall of noise throughout as their team, in keeping with the progress made under Andersen, battled to recover from Taremi’s second penalty. Songs stuck in the throats of most of the 9,992 crowd when the dead-eyed Taremi angled a sidefooted shot into the corner to claim the match ball.

Pinto pounced on ponderous efforts to clear and caressed a first-time left-foot shot inside Niazmand’s right post, but Azmoun extinguished any comeback hopes. This was a night, however, that will be recalled for Luisser’s impressive first audition for the job, and the birth of two new Hong Kong stars.

Starting lineup vs Hong Kong

Amir Ghalenoei has made a few changes to the usual starting lineup for the game in Hong Kong. The defending line has seen most of the changes as Shojaa Khalilzadedh is the only one who has maintained his place, while Abolfazl Jalali, Amin Hizbavi, and Arya Yousefi will be starting the match. Payam Nizmand has replace Ali Beiranvand.

Mohammad Ghorbani after an impressive season, will partner Saman Ghoddos while Ghaedi and Jahanbakhash will be operating on the flanks to support the two forwards Taremi and Azmoun.

The match is a formality for Iran, however, a good winning margin will boost the team for a commanding performance in the next rounds of the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers.

12P. Niazmand
4S. Khalilzadeh
18A. Jalali
15A. Hazbavi
13A. Yousefi
10M. Ghayedi
6M. Ghorbani
9M. Taremi
20S. Azmoun
14S. Ghoddos
7A. Jahanbakhsh

Hong Kong billed as ‘more creative’ after boss’ exit as Iran visit for Fifa World Cup qualifier

  • Stand-in coach Wolfgang Luisser vows to tweak formula that worked under Jorn Andersen in qualifiers against Iran and Turkmenistan
Paul McNamara

Paul McNamara

6 Jun 2024

A “more flexible and creative” Hong Kong representative team has been promised by stand-in coach Wolfgang Luisser when the city’s footballers begin the post-Jorn Andersen era against Iran on Thursday.

The World Cup qualifier at Hong Kong Stadium will be the hosts’ first fixture since June 2021 without Andersen in the dugout, with former assistant Luisser stepping in after the Norwegian resigned last week to take charge of mainland Chinese club Yunnan Yukun.

“The biggest game for me as a head coach” was a simple enough assessment for Luisser given his top-level experience amounts to two 2019 matches as caretaker of SCR Altach in his native Austria. But a strong CV includes six years as assistant coach of Austria’s under-21s.

Hongkongers could reimagine what was possible during Andersen’s 2½-year reign, as an aggressive style delivered unprecedented results. While retaining traits that made Hong Kong a more competitive force, Luisser plans to do things his way, starting against Iran then away to Turkmenistan on Tuesday.

Wolfgang Luisser (left) plans to refine Hong Kong’s playing style in his matches in charge. Photo: Edmond So

Hong Kong netted only once in Andersen’s final five games, after 18 goals in the previous seven matches had appeared to draw a line under prolonged scoring issues.

“There will be a small change in our play with the ball,” Luisser said. “We want to give our players more creativity in attack, [and] be more flexible. We will change a little bit on set-pieces, too.

“We don’t want to change too much, because the players know what to do, but [there are] some small adjustments.

“Against the ball, our pressing and high attack will stay the same.”

Luisser said both offensive and defensive set-pieces would be tweaked, with attacking ploys a focus of the team’s final training session at the stadium on Wednesday.

“I cannot go into too much detail, because the opposition are listening,” Luisser said.

The interim boss must do without some key figures for his two games in charge. A number of players are missing while they arrange club contracts for next season, but forward Stefan Pereira put his hand up to play despite originally having no insurance following his release from Southern.

Luisser said: “It was clear he wanted to be part of the squad, with or without [insurance] … the Hong Kong FA gave him insurance for this period.”

A spokesman for the governing body was unable to confirm this was the case. Fifa has been approached for comment.

The Post has been told by a number of sources that X-factor attacker Everton Camargo was excluded after his request to feature only against Iran was refused.

Luisser insisted Camargo was missing for “family reasons”, and offered the same regarding the absent Jacky Leung Nok-hang. Leung, who would be a shoo-in at center-half, has played only twice for Hong Kong since September.

The withdrawals opened the door for Timothy Ma Hei-wai and Anthony Pinto. Ma, 20, was last week crowned Hong Kong young player of the season, along with Eastern teammate Jesse Yu Joy-yin.

The 18-year-old Pinto was selected despite his release from English League One club Bolton Wanderers.

“They bring fresh energy,” Luisser said of the new faces. Hong Kong cannot progress in the World Cup, but Luisser said the team want to “give something back to the fans and finish the qualifiers on a high”.

Anthony Pinto (right) has impressed following his first Hong Kong call-up. Photo: Edmond So

Iran are into the next phase, but coach Amir Ghalenoei said he would field his strongest team for Fifa ranking points and to try to top the group.

When Ghalenoei was asked how his players avoided being distracted by political turmoil at home, Iran media officials stepped in. The team’s translator said: “We are here for football and don’t want to talk about the political things.”

H2H: Iran vs. Hong Kong

Team Melli has played the tiny territory of Hong Kong 8 times since 1968. The first match was during the Asian Nations Cup 1968 (Later changed to AFC Asian Cup) in Tehran where Team Melli won its first major international title in May 1968.
All 7 following matches against Hong Kong ended with victory for Iran, for Team Melli to establish a perfect record against the East Asian opposition. It took Hong Kong 53 years to score its solitary goal against Iran in a 3-1 Team Melli win in Bahrain.

Despite the superiority of Team Melli across the history of the two teams’ meetings, Hong Kong has never been an easy opponent for Iran. with the last encounter last January in the AFC Asian Cup ending in a narrow 1-0 victory.

RANKING

TeamFIFA RankingAFC
IRAN202
HONG KONG15731

MATCHES

IDDateMatch TypeScoreResultScorers
551968-05-10Asian Cup2 – 0WBehzadi, Jabbari
20061977-06-19World Cup Qualifier2 – 0WKazerani, Jahani
20131977-11-18World Cup Qualifier3 – 0WJahani(2), Kazerani
20771988-05-27Asian Cup Qualifier2 – 0WMarfavi, Ghayeghran
25542019-09-10World Cup Qualifier2 – 0WAzmoun, Ansarifard
25652021-06-03World Cup Qualifier3 – 1WGholizadeh, Amiri, Ansarifard
25962023-11-16World Cup Qualifier4 – 0WAzmoun(2),Taremi, Rezaeian
25992024-01-19Asian Cup1 – 0WGhaedi
IDDateMatch TypeScoreResultScorers
Matches vs. Hong Kong

SUMMARY TABLE

MPWDLGFGAGDwin%GPM
98001911888.9%2.11

SCORERS TABLE

ScorerNumber of Goals
Ghafour JAHANI3
Sardar AZMOUN3
Hossein KAZERANI2
Karim ANSARIFARD 2
Ali JABBARI1
Ali GHOLIZADEH1
Homayoun BEHZADI1
Mehdi GHAEDI1
Mehdi TAREMI1
Ramin REZAEIAN1
Samad MARFAVI1
Sirous GHAYEGHRAN1
Vahid AMIRI1
Goal scorers vs. Hong Kong

Ghalenoei’s antic continues.

As Team Melli departs for Hong Kong for what can only be considered a formality and practice match, head coach Amir Ghalenoei’s team selection raises significant questions about his motives and judgment.

The exclusion of Ramin Rezaeian, one of the standout performers in Iran’s league with Sepahan this season, is particularly perplexing. To Ghalenoei’s embarrassment, Rezaeian, a versatile player capable of filling multiple roles on the pitch, scored a hat trick in his last match just a day before the squad for Hong Kong was announced. Despite this impressive performance, Ghalenoei did not provide a convincing explanation for Rezaeian’s omission, a pattern observed throughout his tenure with the team.

In contrast, Ghalenoei was more transparent about the exclusion of Hossein Hosseini, citing emotional pressure as a reason for giving Esteghlal’s goalkeeper a break for the Hong Kong match.

While Rezaeian’s exclusion appears to be a poor decision, the inclusion of 35-year-old Shojaa Khalilzadeh is equally questionable. Although Iran is not expected to face a stern challenge from Hong Kong, Khalilzadeh has struggled against tougher opponents and seems unprepared for the upcoming stages of the qualifiers. Even in the domestic league with Tractor, Khalilzadeh’s performances have ranged from poor to average. Ghalenoei’s decision to rely on a slowing central defender, who was outplayed in the semi-finals of the Asian Cup 2023 against Qatar, raises doubts about his strategic planning.

Team Melli’s midfield also appears to lack creativity, command, and control. Saman Ghoddos is probably the only player who has consistently performed well as an attacking midfielder. Ahmad Nourollahi, who has been a close second, finds himself on Ghalenoei’s bad list. Nourollahi, an Al-Wehda player, was excluded from selection due to disciplinary reasons after abandoning the Team Melli camp without permission. While this decision might be justified, it leaves a void in the midfield that will be difficult to fill.

As Ghalenoei continues to navigate his controversial team selections, the fans and media are left questioning whether these decisions will benefit Team Melli in the long run or hinder their progress in crucial stages of the qualifiers.

Team Melli departs for Hong Kong

Team Melli convoy left for Shanghai, China en route to Hong Kong for the return match against Hong Kong in the qualifying stages of the FIFA World Cup 2026. Persepolis player Mehdi Torabi could not accompany the national team despite being invited by the coaching staff due to illness (food poisoning).

Also, Sardar Azmoun and Mehdi Ghaedi have taken direct flights to Hong Kong from Rome and Dubai to join the squad at their destination. Iran’s national team has gained 10 points before the fifth week of Group E of the qualifying round of the FIFA World Cup, like Uzbekistan, so the two teams have secured their early qualification to the next stage. Team Melli will play against Hong Kong on Thursday at 15:30, then return to Tehran to play against Uzbekistan on June 11 at Azadi Stadium.