Category: World Cup 2014

20/06/2014

Lionel Messi criticism welcome, says Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella

Reuters | Jun 20, 2014 at 10:56pm IST

Four-times world player of the year Lionel Messi may not be deciding Argentina’s team tactics but his criticism is crucial and welcome, coach Alejandro Sabella said on Friday.

Messi was critical of Argentina’s first-half defensive formation in their World Cup opener against Bosnia despite a 2-1 win but those post-match comments were welcomed, Sabella said.

“I was not hurt by Leo’s comment and he has said that before,” the Argentine told reporters ahead of Saturday’s Group F game against Iran. “He likes to play 4-3-3 with (Angel) Di Maria up front”

World Cup 2014: Messi criticism welcome, says Argentina coach Sabella

Messi may not be deciding Argentina’s team tactics but his criticism is crucial and welcome, coach Alejandro Sabella said on Friday. (Getty Images)

“They (reporters) asked him how he likes to play and he answered what he thinks in a respectful way. We respect each other, we have a very strong team spirit. It is good to have an open dialogue with my players.

“Sometimes players learn from us (coaches) and sometimes we learn from them.”

Sabella surprisingly opted to play an extra defender in Hugo Campagnaro and sacrificed forward Gonzalo Higuain against World Cup debutants Bosnia and the result was a flat first half display that belied Argentine’s status among the tournament favourites.

He changed tactics at halftime, with his players feeding Messi more and the Argentine scoring in the 65th to put them two goals ahead.

Sabella confirmed that would also be the way he would start against Iran, who drew 0-0 in their opener against Nigeria.

“We can all make mistakes you know. Tomorrow we will start with a 4-3-3 formation and we will take it from there. We may have to change the formation or not.

“I am the one who told Messi to go (to the news conference after the Bosnia game) and I fully trust all my players from a human and professional standpoint,” the coach said.

“We have a two-way street in our dialogue because if you don’t let them say what they want to say then you won’t get the best out of them.”

20/06/2014

Team Melli has what it takes against Argentina.

The fans will be assured of two things comes tomorrow’s clash against Argentina. One , The Brazilians who will form the majority of the attendance at the Estadio Mineirao in Belo Horizonte will be supporting Iran , two Queiroz will stick to his game-plan and will remain faithful to the same starting 11 played against Nigeria.

Both are two good signs for Team Melli in a match that is, if not the most important in its history , it is one of the highest profile matches ever played by Iran. Every player that will be playing for Argentina, will be familiar or a household name for the Iranian players and fans. That in itself has positive and negative effects. If Iran players get rid of the inferiority complex that Carlos Queiroz has contributed to build in the mentality of his players by repeatedly refereeing to them as “amateurs on and off the field”, Team Melli has what it takes and are up to the task. Playing against greats like Messi and co does not exactly require super human power, again as Queiroz is implying, after all even the greats like this magician Lionel Messi is a human. Curiously, great player have more than their fair share of off days as pressure to excel, be at the top and be a winner, is sometime excessive and takes its toll. The pressure on the great players can be stressful and result in such player to perform below expectation. Of course, it requires powerful and motivated opposition players to turn the day of greats like Messi to a miserable one or at least make his life difficult. In Team Melli, there are enough signs to indicate that the defense line can indeed frustrate Messi and his teammates.

Like Reza “Gucci” Ghoochannejad stated, “we are under no pressure “. Indeed everyone expects Argentina to win, after all they are one of the title contenders. So, the pressure is on Argentina rather than Iran. On the other hand being cool and being complacent does not work very well against the likes of Aguero and Higuain , not to mention Messi who will punish you in a blink of an eye. Team Melli players need to concentrate during the entire match, never leaving their guard down. Iran has done a pretty good job against Nigeria, and despite that repeated statement that Argentina is not Nigeria, (so obvious, isn’t it ?) The crux here is about a game-plan and defensive discipline that should work regardless to the opposition.

That goalless draw in the first match against Nigeria was not pretty but no one can take it from Team Melli that it played an organized well-structured defensive system that yielded the required result. The result and the one point was also quite satisfactory for the majority of the fans. No doubt a similar performance and result will be a welcome against a tougher opposition. Lest not ignore that this opposition has some shortfalls of their own such as high average age , stamina and a questionable defense that has already been scored upon once in this group. It is ironic that at the start of the match tomorrow when the stats are announced, Iran has a better defense than Argentina. Let us hope that is another of those good omens.

The reality could be something completely different than what we think and write about. It could all turn out to be the opposite of the predictions, but one thing is for sure. You do not need to have 11 players who played in the European Champions League to compete against Argentina. You need guts, motivation, skill and discipline which Team Melli has managed to a high degree in the last match.

The Question now is can the boys maintain the same discipline against Argentina?

Go Team Melli.

20/06/2014

Lionel Messi Wants More Offensive Argentina Against Iran

Argentina defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina in their opening FIFA World Cup 2014 match but were far from dominant in their performance.

Reported by: Agence France-Presse

Last updated on Friday, 20 June, 2014 10:42 IST

Taking aim: Lionel Messi in action against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

© AFP

Belo Horizonte: Argentina captain Lionel Messi believes coach Alejandro Sabella has to back his side’s attacking capabilities and include him among a front three when they face Iran on Saturday in Belo Horizonte.

Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain is expected to return to Sabella’s starting line-up as the two-time winners look to seal their place in the second round of the World Cup with a victory over Iran.

Higuain came on as a substitute to set up Messi to score just his second ever World Cup goal as Argentina got their campaign off to a winning start against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Rio on Sunday.

And Messi said he feels more comfortable playing with both Higuain and Sergio Aguero in attack.

“We are Argentina and I think we need to concentrate on ourselves without fixating on who we are playing,” said the four-time World Player of the Year.

“We feel more comfortable with two up front and me behind because it makes it easier to counter-attack and, because we have more people in attack, we have more possibilities.”

Messi eased some of the pressure on his shoulders to finally deliver his best form at a major tournament for his country with his stunning effort in the 2-1 win over Bosnia.

However, his underwhelming first-half performance was still criticised by some and he admitted he needs to play closer to the opposition’s goal.

“In the first-half I found it difficult to get a hold of the ball and when I did I was very far from goal.

“The truth is when I did have the ball I lost it a number of times and at other times I was playing it backwards. I was annoyed at not being able to play the game I had planned.”

Along with Higuain, Fernando Gago could return in midfield at the expense of Maxi Rodriguez as he too made a positive impression as a second-half substitute against Bosnia.

Javier Mascherano is also expected to win his 100th cap in midfield and insisted he is as hungry for success as he was on his international debut.

“I am not one of those players that makes the difference on the pitch, but more a player that sacrifices myself for the team. What is my secret? I live for this.”

Iran made an encouraging start to their campaign too as they held African champions Nigeria to a 0-0 draw in Curitiba on Monday.

Coach Carlos Queiroz fiercely defended his side’s tactics in that match given their lack of facilities and poor preparation in comparison to their more illustrious opponents in Group F.

And striker Reza Ghoochannejhad believes his side can enjoy the experience of taking on one of the best side’s in the world with nothing expected of them.

“We have to enjoy it and follow the coach’s instructions to the letter. We’ve got absolutely nothing to lose in this match,” said the Carlton Athletic striker.

“Argentina are among the favourites this year, while the same can’t be said for us. All the pressure will be on their shoulders and we will have to show our resilience, like against Nigeria.”

20/06/2014

World Cup 2014: How ‘Team Melli’ has changed Iran’s image

Open-door policy to media and tweets from president in a football shirt represent PR coup for secretive nation

Well supported: Iran has one of the largest fan contingent’s in Brazil Photo: GETTY IMAGES

By Jeremy Wilson, in Sao Paulo

6:59PM BST 19 Jun 2014

The loud belly laughs emanating from the Sao Paulo training base of the Iran national team are not what you might readily expect from the supposedly most secretive and mysterious nation at the World Cup.

Ali Kafashian, president of the Iranian Football Federation, has just been asked by an American journalist about reports that the Iran players have been instructed not to exchange shirts on Saturday with the Argentina team. “If Mr Lionel Messi wants all 10 Iran shirts, he can have them,” he says, smiling.

It is later claimed that the original story had rather spiralled out of control after Kafashian himself had made a joke about the limitations of the Iran Football Federation’s budget. Those restrictions make it almost certain that the £1.2 million-a-year contract of manager Carlos Queiroz will not be extended after the World Cup, although the players have been promised a shared £600,000 bonus from Fifa prize money should Iran achieve the unprecedented feat of reaching the last 16

That this is regarded as even a remote possibility is a testament to the progress of Iranian football under Queiroz and a set of results since 2011 that has been achieved amid the backdrop of stifling international sanctions over the government’s uranium-enrichment programme. Iran are now the top-ranked team in Asia, have one of the largest fan contingents in Brazil and, while the rest of the world was hardly captivated by their goalless draw against Nigeria on Monday, it was the trigger for spontaneous street celebration in Tehran.

The Iran president, Hassan Rouhani, even posted a photograph of himself on Twitter relaxing at home in an Iranian team shirt – bare arms on show – and tracksuit bottoms as he watched the game. It is believed to be the first off-duty picture of an Iranian president and was considered particularly remarkable because Rouhani is a cleric.

“Proud of our boys who secured our first point – hopefully the first of many more to come,” wrote Rouhani. Pictures of Iran’s foreign minister – as well as other Iranian diplomats – watching the match in Vienna during a break in nuclear negotiations with western diplomats were also published.

A PR strategy is clearly also at work and the open-door policy and accessibility in Brazil of Kafashian and Nasrollah Sajadi, Iran’s deputy minister for sport, is not what you might anticipate. They even have an American, Dan Gaspar, as their goalkeeping coach.

Inside the Iran camp at the Corinthians training ground, the atmosphere feels remarkably relaxed. Interest, both from a 35-strong Iranian press contingent and media outlets from across the globe, is considerable. Football has become the national sport of Iran, more popular than the more traditional pursuits of wrestling and weight-lifting, particularly among Iranian women.

Rouhani has recently ordered an official investigation into whether women should still be prohibited from attending football matches, although plans to screen World Cup games in communal cinemas, cafes and restaurants were eventually scrapped amid concern both at large crowds and the prospect of men and women mixing in public.

There are more than 10,000 Iran supporters following their team in Brazil – many of whom are based in the US or Europe – and Tehran is expected to come to a quiet standstill when they play Argentina on Saturday.

This is hardly surprising when you consider that club matches in Iran can attract stadium crowds in excess of 100,000 and the street celebrations in Tehran following last year’s 1-0 win against South Korea that secured World Cup qualification.

The goalless draw against Nigeria was the first time in four World Cup campaigns that Iran’s opening match has not ended in defeat.

Saturday’s fixture against Argentina is regarded as the biggest in Iran’s football history. “We don’t have lots of great individual players but we have unity,” says Kafashian. “We will fight together, we will battle together. We know the world will be watching. That gives us motivation. A good game is important not whether we win or lose.”

There has also been plenty of self-deprecation in the build-up. One joke circulating on social networking sites is that Iran – or ‘Team Melli’ as they are known – will be adopting an 11-0-5 formation in Belo Horizonte tomorrow. “All 11 players defend and the five holy saints play forward,” it says.

There is a certain truth to the joke. Under Queiroz, Iran’s limitations have been mitigated by a formidable defensive organisation. Of his 23-man squad, 14 play their football in Iran and only six are based in Europe, including Fulham’s Ashkan Dejagah and Charlton’s Reza Ghoochannejhad. Since beating South Korea, Iran have won six, drawn four and lost only one match. Just one goal has been conceded in their last five matches, against Nigeria, Trinidad and Tobago, Angola, Montenegro and Belarus. They are now in the world’s top 50.

“Previously wrestling was the No 1 sport in Iran, now it is football,” says Kamran Ahmadpour, a sports writer for 90 newspaper.

With two thirds of Iran’s population under the age of 25, sport is becoming increasingly significant and the World Cup is clearly regarded as crucial for their global image. “I think it is very, very important – more important than you can imagine,” says Ahmadpour. He is adamant that the Iranian media are free to criticise the team although he does describe the private lives of the players being regarded as a “red line”.

The practical impact of the sanctions for Iranian fans and media in Brazil is that it is almost impossible to transfer or withdraw money. “It is hard,” says Ahmadpour, who argues that the sanctions are deeply flawed because they do not impact on the government but ordinary Iranian people. He also says that the sanctions have prevented medicines from entering the country and resulted in needless deaths.

“I confess we have problems – economic, social, political,” he says. “The European countries’ governments have a lot of problems with the Iran government. I’m not judging about that, but what is the fault of the people?

“We are part of the world, with a big history. They can see us as their friends and not their enemy. We want to live with each politely. A lot of Iranians work in Europe, in the USA. We have developed greatly in sports, in culture, in film. It shows the huge potential of the Iranian society.”

The sanctions have also had a major impact on the football team’s preparations. A planned overseas training camp was cancelled, few major national sides have been prepared to play the government-funded Iran team and sponsorship opportunities are limited. There was even a fiasco over the team’s kit, with striker Karim Ansarifard quoted as complaining that the socks had shrunk in the wash.

Amid this build-up, and what will surely be a damage-limitation exercise against Argentina tomorrow, Queiroz makes one simple request. “Fans need to know what we did over three years to be here,” he says. “You have to judge our players not as players from Liverpool, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Barcelona, or Corinthians but as players that play in an amateur league. You need to understand that when you watch them on the pitch.

“We have problems to arrange matches and that is why I am very happy with what we have done. Our players deserve respect.”

18/06/201419/06/2014

The Guardian:Iranian president tweets World Cup chillout pic

Rare glimpse of an off-duty Hassan Rouhani cheering on his team against Nigeria, in a tracksuit with a cup of tea

Saeed Kamali Dehghan
The Guardian, Tuesday 17 June 2014 14.10 BST

Iran’s president Hassan Rouhani watching Iran v Nigeria at home in Tehran. Photograph: Twitter

It’s 11.30pm Tehran time and Hassan Rouhani is relaxing at home, watching the World Cup match between Iran and Nigeria.

His usual dark clerical robe (aba) is discarded, his white turban (ammameh) put aside, he sits in a tight-fitting Iranian team shirt (unbuttoned), bare arms on show, and tracksuit pants on his sofa watching a widescreen TV.

Hassan Rouhani There’s no bottle of beer, but a cup of Persian tea and a plate of fruit in front of him. It’s clearly carefully posed – too good to be an spontaneous picture – but still, quite remarkable for a 65-year-old Iranian cleric.

“Proud of our boys who secured our first point – hopefully the first of many more to come,” the president tweeted, referring to the goalless draw in Curitiba, along with the photo – retweeted at least 3,000 times. Rouhani has 213,000 Twitter followers.

The ‘average Joe’ pictures are all part of Iran‘s soccer diplomacy. In Vienna, where senior Iranian and western diplomats were engaged in intense nuclear negotiations, talks were put on hold on Monday night too allow Iran’s foreign minister to watch the match.

Iranian nuclear negotiators watch world cup

Iranian nuclear negotiators glued to a big screen. Photograph: Twitter

A picture posted on Twitter by Iranian journalist Akram Sharifi, showed Mohammad Javad Zarif sat next to senior Iranian nuclear negotiators glued to a big screen showing the match, joined by a pool of Iranian journalists.Rouhani’s predecessor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, was an avid football fan but Rouhani’s picture is probably the first of its kind showing a president, who is also a cleric, off-duty at home. It is also remarkable because clerics in Iran have in the past criticised football as a western sport and are generally critical of men wearing short-sleeve clothing.

Very few photographs of the Iranian supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, have been published without a clerical robe. There is almost no picture of his wife available online.There is an unwritten law prohibiting Iranian cartoonists from depicting clerics.

Reza Haghighatnejad, an Iranian analyst with the website Iranwire, said Rouhani’s photo was “one of the few successful credits in the one-year balance sheet” of Rouhani’s media team.

Some have criticised Rouhani for not having his wife by his side as he watched the World Cup match Despite this, Rouhani’s wife, Sahebe Arabi, has engaged in a number of public appearances since her husband assumed power.

In his first year as president, Rouhani, has become an outspoken critic of dogmatism among his fellow clerics. “Some people still live in the stone age,” Rouhani complained last week.

Rouhani has locked horns with the Iran’s hardliners after saying “we can’t take people to heaven by force and with a whip.”

Female football fans cannot attend football matches at Iranian stadiums.

In their first match in Brazil, Iranian players wore kits highlighting the cause to preserve Iranian cheetahs.

18/06/2014

Carlos Queiroz “fans must judge players on reality of Iranian amateur league !!”

• Coach hits back over boos after dour draw with Nigeria
• Portuguese praises his ‘amateur league’ squad’s achievements

The Guardian, Tuesday 17 June 2014 16.43 BST

Carlos Queiroz said his Iran players deserve 'respect and civility' for reaching the finals — *Carlos Queiroz said his Iran players deserve ‘respect and civility’ for reaching the World Cup finals.*

When the final whistle went in the first 0-0 draw of the World Cup, Iran’s players gathered in the middle of the pitch in Curitiba and applauded their fans while boos rang out around the stadium. But the Iran coach, Carlos Queiroz, insisted he was satisfied with the team’s performance and gave a powerful defence of their achievements in reaching the finals, as he sought to remind World Cup supporters of the reality of Iranian football.

“We are not celebrating a great day, we are not celebrating the draw, we are just celebrating our work,” Queiroz said. “We are celebrating the effort that the team did on the pitch for 90 minutes. I know that the people in Iran are very happy this evening.”

Iran have won only one of the 10 games they have played in the World Cup and they have not qualified for the finals of the tournament since 2006 but they reached this stage by defeating South Korea, making them the best team in Asia. Of their starting XI, six play in the Iranian league, one in Kuwait, one in Qatar and two in the Premier League – at Fulham and Charlton Athletic. And their preparation has not been easy either, with the Iranian federation struggling to arrange friendlies and resources being limited. Players even discovered their kit was shrinking in the wash.

“Fans need to know what we did over three years to be here,” Queiroz said. “You have to judge the performance of our players based on the reality. You have to judge our players not as players from Liverpool, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Barcelona, or Corinthians but as players that play in an amateur league. You need to understand that when you watch them on the pitch.

“I have the right to come here and tell you that, so that you know, otherwise you will not realise. I want you to judge what these players have done as a great achievement. In Asia, we qualified number one, with South Korea behind us. We’re ranked ahead of Iran and South Korea and this is a huge achievement. My players deserve civility and respect for what they have done.”

In the front row of the press room, Nigerian journalists were gathered and Queiroz told them: “If you want to play a friendly, you go to London and you play a friendly. For us, it does not work like that. We have problems [just] to arrange matches and that is why I am very happy with what we have done. I think football people understand what we have done. Most of our players play in an amateur league. Our players deserve respect, OK?”

There was respect for Iran from Nigeria. Both Mikel John Obi and the coach, Stephen Keshi, said they had been frustrated by Iran – describing them as a team that sat deep and never sought to attack – but admitted that doing so was legitimate, even if Keshi did notice a bit of “unexpected physicality”. “Fair play to them; they knew what they were doing,” Mikel said.

Like Queiroz, Keshi too was keen to bring a little realism to the evening. “Criticism is part of the game. We don’t always have patience, we don’t always understand football. In my country people want to win all the time and they don’t understand that it doesn’t always work that way,” he said.

And asked if he had the solution for Nigeria’s second game, Keshi replied: “I’m not God, I’m just the coach.”

18/06/2014

Iran captain Javad Nekounam calls for improvement

Iran captain Javad Nekounam was satisfied with his team’s draw against Nigeria in Group F but has called for improvement.

Published: 17.06.2014

Carlos Queiroz’s men opened their FIFA World Cup campaign with a goalless draw in Curitiba on Monday – the first stalemate in 14 games thus far in Brazil.

The result further highlighted Iran’s defensive capabilities, having kept their fourth clean sheet in five competitive games.

But while Nekounam was pleased to have claimed a point, the 33-year-old midfielder said his team-mates must improve in the attacking third after scoring just four goals in five matches in the lead up to the World Cup.

“We could have snatched a win in the last 20 minutes, but we lacked the finishing touch,” Nekounam told FIFA.com post-game at the Estadio Joaquim Americo Guimaraes.

“I think that’s the area we need to improve in. When you consider that a lot of our players were making their World Cup debuts, it’s been a very good day for us.”

Nekounam added: “We knew it wasn’t going to be easy at all and we also knew that we’d lose if we didn’t keep our focus.

“We are happier with the result than they are, but we can’t just settle for what we’ve got.

“We only have one point and we still have two very difficult games ahead of us.”

Iran are back in action against South American powerhouses Argentina on Saturday before facing Bosnia-Herzegovina four days later

17/06/201417/06/2014

Iran vs. Nigeria : post match events

[toggle title=”President the football fan” state=”open” ]The President of Iran Hassan Rouhani elected to watch the match at the comfort of home. President Rouhani planned to attend at least one of the matches in Brazil , however , developments in Middle East and the situation in Iraq has probably made those plans unachievable.

[/toggle]

[toggle title=”Players quotes” state=”open” ] Nekounam “If we can win any of the two matches , we would be achieving a great thing. . I thought we played a good game, closed our area well , played according to the coach plans and could have won this one if we were more focused.”

“It is not going to be any easier against Argentina , but we must carry on this strong defensive strategy”

Teymourian ” We carried out whatever the coach dictated upon us. We manage to control the match rhythm , contain the Nigerians who have many European based players and is a good team. In fact , I think we could have won the game.” “We have a heavy duty carrying the aspiration of 75 million Iranians ,

“We should not be under any illusion that Argentina will be a much more difficult opposition. We simply need to try harder and harder.”

Davari ” I am quite happy that we have achieved the result that we were looking for and got our first point in the World Cup. I am also very happy for Alireza Haghighi , he is a young keeper and has done pretty well in the match.”

“Argentina is one of the best teams in the world, We will have a difficult task ahead, but will not go there to admire them. We have to compete against them”

[/toggle]

[toggle title=”Cash Reward” state=”open” ]Every member of Team Melli was awarded US$ 3,000 as a token of appreciation from the football federation after Iran’s goalless draw with Nigeria .[/toggle]

[toggle title=”Iran defence frustrates Chelsea player.” state=”open” ]John Obi Mikel has expressed disappointment at Iran’s game plan and claimed they wanted to frustrate Nigeria after the sides played out a goalless draw in their 2014 World Cup Group F game.

The Chelsea midfielder expressed his unhappiness at the outcome and claimed Iran played for the draw while Nigeria wanted to win. He told a news conference: “We are all disappointed. The first game of every tournament is very important. When you watch the way Iran played, they had 11 men behind the ball the entire game and it was hard for us to create chances. “They sat back and it became difficult. It was a game we wanted to win, but they wanted to play a bit different.”

Hard luck Obi Mikel, but Iran did not park the bus like your team Chelsea did against Atletico Madrid. No apologies from Team Melli for not allowing you to score [/toggle]

[toggle title=”Stephen Keshi reaction” state=”open” ][quote]We wanted to score in the first 20 minutes, but they defended in numbers and we couldn’t get through. When you get that type of situation, you can get wound up because you just want to score, and to do that you need to stay calm. You have to give Iran their due. They decided to play that way and their game-plan worked for them.[/quote][/toggle]

[toggle title=”Carlos Queiroz reaction” state=”open” ]Nigeria’s big names tried to make the difference after the break and to take control of the game. That’s when we stepped our game up a level by doubling up a lot on their players. The fans didn’t see any goals but sometimes intensity, togetherness, focus and team spirit can make for an interesting spectacle.[/toggle]

17/06/2014

Why Iran are a really quite remarkable football nation

metro.co.uk

Most people have never been to Iran, but still believe they have a pretty clear idea of what the country is like.

But what is largely concealed and unknown from the public eye is a country steeped in football tradition and history.

The Princes of Persia are actually one of Asia’s most remarkable and great footballing sides: three time Asian champions, four time West Asian Football Federation champions, home of one of the continent’s most fiercest rivalries – the Surkhabi Derby between Persepolis and Esteghlal, and birthplace to unforgettable legends such as the world’s all time leading goalscorer in international matches Ali Daei.

But can this current generation best their illustrious predecessors by becoming the first side to achieve group stage progression?

Under Carlos Queiroz, a very well-recognised name in football, Iran have become a defensively solid, disciplined and well organised side that is tough to break down conceding only two goals in eight matches in the final qualifying phase leading up to this tournament .

Playing a 4-2-3-1 formation, Team Melli relies on the solidity and tightness of its back-line dependent on ever-present central defensive duo, Amir Hossein Sadeghi and Jalal Hosseini, who are very likely to start.

Both are strong, old-fashioned center backs: powerful in the air, and tough on the ground, who aren’t afraid throw themselves into a challenge or tackle if needed. They’ll be asked to man-mark and stick like glue to their opposing frontmen at all times.

On the other hand, the full-backs and goalkeeper positions remain in question, but will probably be occupied by the young, energetic Mehrdad Pooladi on the left while the right back position will possibly be fought between Khosro Heydari and Steven Beitsahour, and for the goalkeeping spot: a likely toss-up between Rahman Ahmadi and Germany-based Daniel Davari.

The two midfielders ahead of the defense, who will sit tight, will likely be experienced skipper Javad Nekounam and Andranik Teymourian, who had a short stint with Bolton in the Premier League.

Queiroz will think defence first and I can see Iran being difficult to break down, but where will the goals come from?

Iran will look to Fulham’s Ashkan Dejagah as a source of creativity, pace – particularly on the counter – and a goal scoring outlet with his keen eye for goal and very fine left foot. While his likely partner to the right will likely be Alireza Jahanbakhsh, who, like Dejagah, both offer pace which would assist in the team’s counter-attacking endeavors.

In front of him, Charlton’s Reza Goochannejhad will be the likely frontman. Goochannejhad, also known as ‘Gucci’, is another quick, pacey player who boasts fine scoring record of 10 goals in 14 international matches.

Another possible source is the extremely inconsistent and enigmatic, but undeniably talented and creative Masoud Shojaei, who, when in the mood, can be quality and an extra boost for the side attack-wise and likely to play right behind Gucci in the center of the midfield trio.

Despite the odds firmly stacked against them, Iran have proven to be a tough team to break down and with a quality manager like Queiroz on their side, Team Melli shouldn’t be underestimated and should prove to be an awkward opponent even for the likes of Argentina

17/06/2014

Iran vs. Nigeria – Match reports

Iran and Nigeria labored to the first stalemate of a scintillating World Cup on Monday with a dismal 0-0 draw that left both sides still chasing their first victory at a finals since 1998.

While Iran could take some small satisfaction in keeping a clean sheet for the first time since their debut in 1978, the bore at the Baixada arena stood out like a suit salesman on Copacabana beach.

With Lionel Messi’s Argentina, installed as clear Group F favorites, and exciting debutants Bosnia still to come, the other two look destined for an early exit unless they can raise their game considerably.

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi warned on Sunday that the African sides were as good as any in Brazil and could win the tournament, but on Monday’s evidence they will not be celebrating.

Keshi said his side dominated but suffered from “nervousness and anxiety” in front of goal.

“We want to score and want to score and it’s not coming. We just have to calm everybody down and take it from there.”

Both teams were whistled and booed off the field by the largely Brazilian crowd of 39,000 after a first half that looked shockingly meager compared to the goal feasts served up elsewhere.

Iran packed their defense as expected and Nigeria, with Emmanuel Emenike rarely posing a threat as the main target man for the African champions, squandered their chances with long balls to nowhere and passes straight to opponents.

The Super Eagles had the ball in the back of the net after seven minutes in a goalmouth scramble but Ecuadorean referee Carlos Vera, perhaps harshly, ruled it out for a push on goalkeeper Alireza Haghighi.

Ogenyi Onazi then drilled a shot wide two minutes later.

Iran came closest to breaking the deadlock in the 33rd minute when goalkeeper captain Vincent Enyeama produced a fine save to beat out Reza Ghoochannejhad’s header from their first corner of the game.

Nigeria defender Godfrey Oboabona made an early exit from the fray, replaced by former captain Joseph Yobo on the half hour after earlier receiving treatment on the touchline following a heavy tackle.

Next up for Iran is Argentina in Belo Horizonte on Saturday and coach Carlos Queiroz said: “The most important thing is that everything is open for us.”