Nothing will tarnish the great achievement of Team Melli in reaching the World Cup finals, not even the dastardly behavior of the Korean fans in Ulsan who pelted the players with cans and bottles, in protest against Iranian players celebration & reaching the World Cup. Apparently joy and celebration is only exclusive for the Koreans only, anyone else is not allowed to do it in the Korean stadiums. Team Melli players were risking serious injury by objects thrown from the stands. That says a lot about the standard and behavior of the South Korean football fans in contrast to the common belief.
On the pitch, where it really mattered, Carlos Queiroz had one thing in his mind and that was to tighten up the defenses and hit them on the counter. The players executed the game plan to perfection and the result speaks for itself. The grand prize for their gallant effort was qualification to Brazil. Not a pretty game by any means, except for that marvelously taken goal by Reza Ghoochannejad, who is a slowly becoming a cult hero in Iran. When there is such a prize at stake, the games beauty becomes the least of priorities in today’s football. The goal Iran scored did not come from any executed plan move, but it was the result of an opportunistic vulture like pounce by the Standard Liege player , who timed himself perfectly, nicked the ball from the hesitant Korean defender to break free and send the ball curling round the advance goalkeeper. JUNG Sungryong, despite his brave effort , could not do much expect to pick the ball from the back of the net. It was a marvelous goal , worthy of taking a team to the World Cup.
That one goal was enough, despite a close shave near the end when the Korean forward header missed the goal in the dying seconds with Uzbekistan leading Qatar 5-1 at the other match. The South Koreans, ever so egotistical about their football achievements, have failed again to beat Iran in their own soil in an official match since 3rd Jul 1977 when the two rivals met first in the 1978 World Cup qualifiers in Busan. That match ended in a goalless draw.
Although this Korean team was there for the taking as their performances have left a lot to be desired for the Korean fans and the press, it is never an easy task beating this team at home. Star studded with a large number of European based players who boasted quite a lot in pre-match statements, it was always going to be difficult for Iran. For Queiroz and his men, defending for 90 minutes against South Korea, was no easy task with and risks attached. With the aim of a draw, which would have sent both teams, Iran’s offensive moves were scares. There was virtually no shoot at goal in the first half by Team Melli, however, the figures and statistics that really matters is the goal scored and that went Iran’s way.
It is no secret that Queiroz was losing support in Iran. A series of lackluster performances and really disappointing results, left the fans dreading yet another world Cup missed. Lying third in the group behind Uzbekistan and Korea in turn of the year 2013, Team Melli had a mammoth task with 3 matches to play. The win in Qatar, not only boosted the confidence but it also showed that this team can play modern and pretty football. Then came the Lebanon game where Team Melli also reminded the rest , that on top of attractive football , it also can score goals. 6 points out of six, two wins in a row, 5 goals in the bag, it was difficult to see anything but a convincing result for Iran in the final match away to the boastful Koreans.
Then came an added incentive when the Korean coach , ever so haughty and his Europe based players, ever so overconfident , increased the rivalry by promising their fans to give the Iranian a good beating by 4 goals, and making Iran’s Captain Nekounam cry with tears of blood ! It was becoming a personal challenge. Those trash talks and Choi’s rhetoric’s , enticed the zealous Queiroz who was determined to make the Korean Coach eat his words.
Indeed he did. It was Queiroz who was laughing all the way and making it to Brazil, while Choi, who felt sorry for Queiroz because he predicted that the Portuguese coach will be watching the world cup on TV at home, would be apparently doing so himself as he resigned , or pushed out of his job, depending how you look at it. The karma has hit Choi.
Iran is in the World Cup and deservedly so. There is still a plenty of work to do , but the biggest question at this point remains whether Queiroz , who felt some intense pressure in his two years spell, will continue or not.