Team Melli U-19 continued its excellent performance in the Valentin Grantakin memorial tournament by comprehensively defeating Finland 5 – 0 in Saint-Petersburg. The match played in group A,
Iran lead the first half with 3 goal margin before adding a couple of goals in the second to seal a convincing win and with maximum points from two matches. Team Melli U-19 now is leading group A on goal difference from Slovakia who beat Belarus 2-0 in the same group. Mohammad Reza Bazaj was selected as best Iranian player of the match.
In the final match of the group, Iran and Slovakia will battle it out for the lead of the group on Tuesday 7th January. A draw or better will ensure a qualification to the semi finals on 10th January where the opponent could very will be the hosts Russia.
After match comments
Head coach of the team Finland Jarkko Wiss:
– I congratulate our opponents with a good, spectacular game and moreover with a technically skilled team.
– What was the reason of such a big defeat?
– This certain match: we didn’t obey the task for the game, and in second half it was too late to change anything. The task was to control the ball constantly.
– Finnish team used to win the matches on the Memorial previous years. Each year there were leaders in your team who showed outstanding play. Is there any top performer in your team on this tournament?
– I can’t point out any player in this staff. May be our captain is a real leader, but he is out because of injury. He is the best midfielder, all the others are equal in level.
– Talking about this match, will it be difficult to recover after such a big defeat?
– You are quite right. Even with adults it is difficult to recover after big loss, and we have youth team. But we have a good staff, so we will cope with it.
Head coach of the team I.R. Iran Dousti Mehr Ali:
– I want to congratulate the opponents! In spite of the smashing score they made it quite challenging for us. Team Finland is a team of character. But we are more experienced. We have the World Cup passed and coming. That’s why we won.
– The tournament keeps up quite a tough schedule – 2 matches within 3 days. Is that uncomfortable for your team?
– Surely, it’s very hard. And the consequences to be expected are weariness and injuries. But we need this experience. You see, the World Cup keeps up the same schedule. So this schedule is another training for us. Not only for the players but also for the coaches and doctors. We learn to recover in one day!
– Two games – two wins. You must be in a very good mood?
– Thank you. Yes! But this mood is not only because of the wins but because of the fact that my team progresses from game to game. I would mention once more that the experience we get here will be very useful at the coming World Cup.
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FINLAND – I.R. IRAN 0:5 (0:3)
January 5th, 2014, Saint-Petersburg, Peterburgsky SCC, 200 spectators
Goals: Najarian (7), Joudaki (21), Seyyedi (31), Baghdadi (51), Fathian (75)
Referees: Ilya Trishin, Kirill Bolshakov, Ivan Kichimasov
Finland: Mujunen, Antikainen, Lehtinen (c), Salmela (Karlsson, 46), Jarvinen, Nurmela, Peiponen (Ojanpera, 73), Blomqvist (Friberg, 46), Pietola (Savolainen, 46), Jääskeläinen, Rämä (Jouini, 46)
Head coach: Jarkko Wiss
I.R. Iran: Amini, Joudaki (c), Sohrabian, Salimi (Hashemi, 78), Hosseini (Moharrami, 46), Sarlak (Soleimani, 59), Aghaei, Bazaj, Seyyedi (Fathian, 72), Haghnazari (Ezzati, 71), Najarian (Baghdadi, 46)
Head coach: Ali Dousti Mehr
Best players: Alex Lehtinen, Mohammad Reza Bazaj
