Team Mellu U17 will meet the African side Guinea on 5th October in its first match in the FIFA U-17 World Cup at Goa India. 

This is the same venue that Iran’s U-17 played in during the AFC U-16 championship which qualified Iran to the World Cup after finishing runners-up to Iraq on penalty kicks.

Iran’s first appearance at the Under-17 World Cup finals was in 2001 in Trinidad and Tobago and ended in three straight defeats. Since then, they have participated in two more editions – 2009 and 2013 – but fell at the last-16 stage both times.

But they have a fair amount of history and pedigree in Asia and that was evident in the way Iran took apart India last year, two goals from penalties notwithstanding. They lost in the final of the 2016 AFC U-16 Championship to Iraq in the shootout to secure their place in the world finals. Since then they have played numerous friendlies, mostly against European sides, to prep-up for the October event.

Abbas Chamanian has done a wonderful job of the group of players at his disposal. The team have been in camp for a long time and are currently just completed the final part of their preparation in Malaga, Spain.

During the training camp in Malaga, Iran played two friendly match and scored a remarkable result in both. In the first match , Iran U-17 defeated the European Side France 4-0 , while in the second match they played against Mexico they scored 3 goal without reply. Both France and Mexico teams will be taking part in the FIFA U-17 competition in India.

Mohammad Sharifi (Iran)

Iran’s finishing runners-up in AFC U-16 Championship last year means they return to India for FIFA U-17 World Cup. Clubbed alongside relatively easy opponents Costa Rica and Guinea and Germany, Iran may end up being the most successful Asian team in the tournament. However, head coach Abbas Chamanian may want his skipper Mohammad Sharifi at his absolute best.

Iran’s a squad that doesn’t rely on a single person for goals, as four players scored three goals in Goa last year, but the Saipa midfielder’s experience and track record – seven goals in 13 appearances for Iran U-17 – mean he carries Iran’s high expectations for success.

 

KNOW THE COACH

Abbas Chamanian: A physical education professor, Chamanian, 53, has been with the team since 2016 and guided them to the final of the AFC Under-16 Championship. Chamanian, who has managed numerous clubs in Iran, was previously in charge of the under-17 team between 2003 and 2004 too.

 

 

PAST PERFORMANCE

Round of 16: 2009, 2013. Group stage: 2001. Did not qualify: 1985-1999, 2003-07, 2011, 2015.

PASSAGE TO INDIA

Qualified by virtue of being runners-up in the AFC U-16 championships.

Results in AFC U-16

Group Matches:

Bt Saudi Arabia 3-2;

dw V UAE 1-1;

bt India 3-0;

Quarter Finals: def. Vietnam 5-0;

Semi Final :def North Korea 7-6 via penalties (regulation time 1-1);

Final Match : lost 3-4 via penalties to Iraq (regulation time 0-0)