Tag: Zob Ahan

19 players invited to Team Melli Camp 2017.

Carlos Queiroz invited 19 players to join Team Melli Training camp , which will start immediately without Legionnaire players and expected to continue training in the UAE as of next Tuesday.

It is still not clear if the match against Morocco is On or not. As always , FFIRI has a dysfunctional PR that refuses to  give any details and leave the media speculating or seeking news about its own national team from foreign sources.

Three uncapped players were named in the squad ; Ehsan Pahlavan ,  Morteza Tabrizi (Zob Ahan) and Vahid Mohammadzadeh (Saipa Alborz) 

It is not clear if any of the legionnaires will be joining the squad despite the fact that most European are in the middle of the winter break. is

THE SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Alireza Biranvand, Mohammad Reza Akhbari, Rashid Mazaheri

Defenders: Ramin Rezaeian, Vahid Mohammadzadeh, Seyed Jalal Hosseini, Ezatollah Pourqaz, Mohammed Ansari, Milad Mohammadi

Midfield: Omid Ebrahimi, Ehsan Hajsafy, Dariush Shojaeian, Vahid Amiri, Kamal Kamyabinia

Forwards: Soroush Rafie, Mehdi Taromi, Ehsan Pahlavan , Sasan Ansari, Morteza Tabrizi

Easy win for Team Melli against India

Team Melli defeated India 4-0 in the match played in Azadi stadium on Thursday as part of the qualifying rounds of FIFA World Cup 2018. Iran leads group D with 17 points and +21 goal difference ahead of Oman (14 points and GD of + 6 ) . The two teams will meet next Tuesday in the final match of the group competition.

Despite fielding a reserve team , Carlos Queiroz men did not find much difficulty in beating India 4-0 in Azadi Stadium this evening. The first half ended with a narrow 1-0 margin after the Captain Ehsan Hajsafy scored a penalty. Three more goals were scored in the second half with Hajsafy scoring another penalty as Azmoun and Jahanbakhsh added to the tally each side of the Hajsafy spot kick.

The experimental line up of Carlos Queiroz however did not function as he hoped. There were two debutants in today’s match. In the goal, Mohammad Rashid Mazahari, Zob Ahan’s keeper made his debut from the start. He was hardly tested, however.  While Dariush Shojaeian of Gostarish Foolad , a player who has certainly generated much attention in the league, made his debut as a substitute in the second half.

As expected from such line up , there were quite a few shortfalls and disappointments. Amiri , Ezatolahie and Taremi failed to match their previous good performances , while   Jahanbakhsh and Azmoun wer not linking well to make their team’s superiority pay. Hordes of corner kicks won by Iran resulted in just one goal and that was a penalty. The yield was poor in that area which should have been a major source of goals. Some of the finishing and last ball lacked quality and in cases failed to reach the recipients by a wild margin.

India were galant in defending and there is no doubt that in their goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu , they have a quality custodian. The only player in India team who plays in Europe, Singh Sandhu single handedly kept Team Melli attackers at bay with some brilliant saves.  India, with the absence of Chhetri had very little to offer in the offense line, however , there were good attempts and in the ones with pace they managed to penetrate Iranian defenses but their finishing was short of the required to bother the strong Iranian defenders and Mazaheri in goal.

For Iran , topping the group is virtually assured and they will be in the pot for the next round. The last match against Oman is no more than a formality as even a narrow home defeat will be enough for heading the group ahead of Oman. For India, they need to once again try to establish a good national team. With the professional league in India going from strength to strength , India should have a good chance to establish a national team that can challenge the tops Asian teams.

In any case, Carlos Queiroz seems to be on the right course in his attempt to produce a new look team that can qualify for the next World Cup. His introduction of new players is creating a competition for places.

Man of the Match : Gurpreet Singh Sandhu  (India)

 

 

 

IRAN vs INDIA

4 – 0

Half-time 1 – 0

Competition: WC Qualification Asia
Date: 24 March 2016   Game week : 9\
Kick-off: 17:3  Half-time 1 – 0  Full-time4 – 0
Venue : Azadi Stadium (Tehrān)

Attendance: 29,900

GOALS
Ehsan Hajsafi (PG) 33′
1 – 0
Sardar Azmoun 61′
2 – 0
Ehsan Hajsafi (PG) 66′
3 – 0
Alireza Jahanbakhsh 78′
4 – 0

LINEUPS
IRAN
M. Mazaheri : P. Montazeri [83′ J. Hosseini] , M. Pouraliganji , R. Rezaeian , E. Hajsafi (Capt.), O. Ebrahimi [68′ D. Shojaeian] , V. Amiri , S. Ezatolahi, M. Taremi [ 66′ K. Ansarifard], S. Azmoun , A. Jahanbakhsh
Coach: Carlos Queiroz

INDIA
G. Singh Sandhu ; A. Khongjee [ 20′ P. Kotal ], Augustin Fernandes , S. Jhingan, N. Das, P. Halder , R. Borges , B. Jairu 36′ H. Khabra] , J. Lalpekhlua , H. Narzary [ 64′ L. Fanai] , U. Singh
Coach: S. Constantine
SUBSTITUTES
IRAN: K. Ansarifard , D. Shojaeian, J. Hosseini, E. Pourghaz, K. Kamyabinia, M. Akhbari, M. Shojaei, M. Torabi, Milad Mohammadi, R. Ghoochannejhad, V. Ghafouri
INDIA: P. Kotal, H. Khabra, B. Jairu, L. Fanai, Arnab Mondal, C. Lobo, F. Fernandes, K. Singh, S. Pal, S. Passi, S. Singh, V. Rai

 

Team Melli squad ready for Oman and Japan.

Team Melli squad has been announced for the two matches against Oman in the FIFA World Cup 2018 qualifiers and Japan friendly match in Azadi.

Carlos Queiroz maintained his confidence in the previous squad players in an addition to a recall for the previously injured Alireza Jahanbakhsh. 2 players who have been making the news , were also picked up by Queiroz. The controversial goalkeepers of Persepolis , Sousha Makani and Naft Tehran Alireza Biranvand have been making the headlines for all the wrong reasons, mostly due to their flagrant ill discipline with their respective clubs, but in the case of Makani , it is also his weak performance in the goal on the top of his transgressions. The bad thing for the fans is that Queiroz does not read Farsi language newspapers . The squad also sees the return of Masoud Shojaei , ignored in the last selection, but once again included to claim his eternal place in Team Melli!

The young-looking squad will be in action after their strong showing in the last two qualifiers in September where Iran emerged as victors against Guam at home (6-0) and away to India (3-0). The big goal margin no doubt will help the team standing in the table. The match against Oman will shape the group final standing and will go a long way in determining who will qualify for the next rounds. Both Iran and Oman are the favorites to qualify from this group.

Making the squad for the first time is Maysam Majidi (28 years) Esteghlal Tehran right back and Rasheed Mazaheri (26 years) Zob Ahan goalkeeper.

The major absentee is Reza Ghoochannejad still on the injured list.

THE SQUAD

1 ALISHAH, Omid
2 AMIRI, Vahid
3 AZMOUN, Sardar
4 BIRANVAND, Alireza
5 DEJAGAH, Ashkan
6 EBRAHIMI, Omid
7 EZZATOLLAHI, Saeid
8 GHAFOORI, Vourya
9 HAGHIGHI, Alireza
10 HAJSAFY, Ehsan
11 HEYDARI, Khosrow
12 HOSSEINI, Jalal
13 JAHANBAKHSH, AliReza
14 KANANI, Mohammad Hossein
15 MAJIDI , Maysam
16 MAKANI, Sousha
17 MAZAHERI, Rasheed
18 MONTAZERI, Pejman
19 POURALIGANJI, Morteza
20 POURGAZ, Ezatollah
21 REZAEIAN, Ramin
22 SHOJAEI, Masoud
23 TAREMI, Mehdi
24 TEYMOURIAN, Andranik
25 TORABI, Mehdi

 

Haddaifar leaves Team Melli squad.

Ghassim Haddadifar , the midfield player of Zob Ahan has announced that he is temporarily leaving Team Melli camp due to personal reasons.

Haddadifar (32 years) who recently won the Hazfi cup said that he had a talk with Queiroz and explained to him his reasons for seeking leave of absence. Queiroz approved Haddadifar’s request and hence the midfielder will not be available for the Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan matches later this month. Haddadifar is believed to be suffering fatigue. Sources also indicated that since the Zob Ahan midfielder has failed to win a regular start-up position in Team Melli under Queiroz and has been a peripheral player, he opted to excuse himself at least temporarily after a long tough season.

Ghassim Haddadifar emphasized that this is not a farewell to Team Melli but a temporarily leave that he needs to sort himself out. He will be available at anytime selected after this period, Haddadifar added.

While Haddadifar impact on Team Melli is not considered to be as serious as Ashkan Dejagah, who is missing from the squad due to a slight injury , Team Melli has plenty of talented midfield players who should deliver in the next two matches.

Team Melli will be facing Uzbekistan on Thursday 11thJune in Tashkent in a friendly international. On the 16th June, Team Melli will be meeting with Turkmenistan in the first match of the FIFA World Cup 2018 group qualification rounds.

Iran is grouped with Oman, India, Turkmenistan and Guam.

Is Kaffashian on his way out after recent developments?

In a brief communique, Ali Kaffashian has announced the appointment of Mr. Mahmoud Islamian as the deputy President of the Football Federation FFIRI.

Islamian, who is an industrialist and former University Professor, has graduated from Canada’s Victoria University. He has held several managerial and executive posts mainly in the Iron and Steel industry.

His sporting management background started with being a member of the executive committee of his home town club, Sepahan, then Zob Ahan , before a short stint in the same capacity at Mes Kerman and then finally the FFIRI.

Islamian is one of the unknown qualities of the executive committee. He has hardly figured in the media. His management skill in the industry is well documented and praised, however in Football, he is not been tested in earnest.

The media was quick to relate this appointment with the likely ousted of Ali Kaffashian from his position. Islamian seems to be supported by the Sports Ministry, the biggest behind the scene power broker in Iran’s football.

When Kaffashian was faced with the question if this appointment means in any way that he (Kaffashian) will be resigning, in his customary grin, the head of FFIRI responded philosophically and said “I am not supposed to stay in my position for ever and someday I have to vacate the post. I have not said or indicted that I will resign any time soon, though. Give the man (Islamian) a few days to settle down and at least get familiar with his job before you journalists come up with such suggestions. “

“I know that I have been a big burden on you people, but tolerate me a little more.” Kaffashian said in one of his dark humor.

kaffashian laughs

Ali Kaffashian is a shrewd survivor and has proven a tough nut to crack. He has survived many attempts to oust him from his post by his opponents, of which the Ministry of Sports is the main adversary. The beleaguered Boss of FFIRI , has continued to remain calm and respectful even against the harshest of criticism , some of which were close to personal insult. He maintains his stand of not engaging in public debates or questioning the characters of his opponents, never responding to harsh critics at equal intensity. His self-defense always remains dignified, respectful and well within the boundary of decency while addressing his critics not forgetting his trademark grin. That might be one secret of his survival. Being such a nice guy for some or a person with a “thick skin” to others perhaps attracts some sympathy towards him!

Islamian will be taking over from Ayatollahei who was pushed aside a month ago in a sweeping reform of the football federation.

Mohsen Mosalman joins Esteghlal.

The much travelled young midfielder and former Captain of Omid Team , has joined Esteghlal Tehran. Mohsen Mosalman has been sent on loan to Esteghlal as part of a deal between Zob Ahan and the Tehrani club starting from immediate effect.

The 24 years old Mosalman, was considered one of the bright prospects of Iranian football with exceptional and creative skills in the midfield. He played for Iran at several age levels team including the Olympic team. Moslaman , has not reached his potential and some observers believe that he is a wasted talent because of many issues some of it which are off field. He was called to Team Melli several times but only played 3 matches as substitute. He has one goal for Team Melli to his credit.

It was rumored that Andranik Teymourian , Esteghlal and Team Melli midfield player, will be part of the exchange deal , but Ando has refused a transfer to Zob Ahan of Esfahan.