Team Melli will play the first of 4 matches against Hong Kong in Muharraq Stadium on Thursday, 3rd June as part of the FIFA Cup Qatar 2022 qualifiers.

Iran and Hong Kong have met 5 times before. The Far Eastern colony has not managed to score a single goal against Team Melli in these 5 encounters while conceding 11 goals. Perhaps it is safe to say that Team Melli will not have a very tough time against Hong Kong, however, football is known for punishing the reckless and the arrogant. Iran should not Take Hong Kong lightly.

With Hong Kong last playing an official match nearly 18 months, plus the fact that in this squad their Chinese-based players were unable to join the training camp due to covid19 restrictions, the makeshift team that coach Miku Paatelainen has assembled will be really fighting against all the odds.

Team Melli, on the other hand, is relatively better prepared but the strength of the team lies in the quality of the players and the lethal forward line in Taremi and Azmoun. Skocic has achieved perfect results winning 3 out of 3 matches so far, however, his true quality will be tested in this competition where he has to be proactive, astute, and stand the pressure of a multitude of factors.

The main issue for the coaching team is how to preserve the injury of the squad under adverse climatical conditions of Bahrain. With hot temperatures and high humidity, it is easy for the players to dehydrate and suffer physical fatigue during the 90 minutes. The later goes on, the more testing it becomes for the Iranians to keep their concentration and focus.

With the pitch of the stadium in Muharraq more suitable for grazing cattle than playing World Cup football, the team will perhaps have more difficulties playing their smooth inter-passing football. However, with both teams playing in these horrid conditions, there is no advantage or disadvantage for either side.

The 3 points of the game are quite essential, but more than that, it is the quality of football that the Team shows which will boost the confidence for tougher tests against Bahrain and group leader Iraq.

The match will be refereed by a Jordanian team headed by Adham Mohammad. Later on Thursday, Host Bahrain will play Cambodia in the Bahrain National Stadium.

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