A Realistic Look at Our Chances- How to Approach Group B

[shahabGAOL]

It is very very important to WIN against Morocco. I have special for this game because my wife is from Morocco but i am for Iran. if we draw like we did against Argentina in the last WC 2014 almost draw and we win or draw Portugal we are in the last 16. Even with 5 points we can go through and this time we got Sardar Azmoun the new Messi, they want him for Real Madrid and Arsenal UK.

[krol]

Before the 2014 wc started, if you had shown the final points tally in group D to a thousand people and asked them to predict who ends up with one point, 999 out of 1000 would have said Costa Rica.

Anything is possible. Even if not necessarily plausible.

[_Navid_]

Did you watch the draw today? Cause if you did, I blame you for our group

I did actually. I didn't look at it this way.

[Nokhodi]

I did actually. I didn't look at it this way.

THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT

[DR Strangemoosh]

Morocco is the dark horse of the group with a young Dutch and French-born attacking spine who were amazing in qualifying. For me they are the most worrying opponent and Iran must rate them exactly the same as Spain and Portugal.

That is the only policy: to give everything against Morocco and not underestimate them for a second. I am expecting them to get 3-4 points from Spain and Portugal, and if they underestimate them then even more.

[Payam_Ali]

Morocco Qualifying campaign

Against Gabon (FIFA ranking 93):
6-0 win at home
0-0 draw on road

Against Mali (FIFA ranking 71):
3-0 win at home
0-0 draw on road

Against Ivory Coast (FIFA ranking 61):
0-0 draw at home
2-0 win on road

Defensive team like Iran it seems like. But this compettion seems weak. I’m not very impressed by them. Especially since Yaya Toure and Drogba retired from Ivory Coast’s international team in 2015 and 2014 respectively.

Gabon and Mali? Let’s be honest. If we played friendlies against those two teams, 99% of people on this forum would be like “khak bar saremoon. What are these friendlies against shit teams??”

[rjafari]

We play first match in St. Petersburg. 80k capacity stadium against small nation Morocco. Good news for those of us trying to get tickets

exactly

[footballeirani]

Morocco Qualifying campaign
Against Gabon (FIFA ranking 93):
6-0 win at home
0-0 draw on road
Against Mali (FIFA ranking 71):
3-0 win at home
0-0 draw on road
Against Ivory Coast (FIFA ranking 61):
0-0 draw at home
2-0 win on road
Defensive team like Iran it seems like. But this compettion seems weak. I’m not very impressed by them. Especially since Yaya Toure and Drogba retired from Ivory Coast’s international team in 2015 and 2014 respectively.
Gabon and Mali? Let’s be honest. If we played friendlies against those two teams, 99% of people on this forum would be like “khak bar saremoon. What are these friendlies against shit teams??”

They beat South Korea 3-1 just last month. Also beat Netherlands. It would be an achievement if we can beat them. lol

[KasraKhan]

A pre-WC friendly with Egypt seems very logical. Both teams should want to play each other. They have KSA and we have Morocco.

[Ghermez Agha]

I screamed so loud in my apartment hamseye fekr kardan yeki mord!

But then when I actually broke this down the way some here have, I realized it is not as impossible as we all initially thought. Playing Morocco first is huge for us bc that’s a game on a good day we can win. It will be really tough because they will be looking at this game the exact same way we are but we have prepared well enough so far to take on an opponent of their level.

CQ will put us in the best position to snatch points from Portugal I know it.

And the best thing is, when game 3 comes vs Spain, we won’t be in the same situation we were in during the 2014 WC bc CQ will be able to look at his bench close his eyes and pick 11 players who will be ready.

It’s a big, big uphill battle there is no doubt about it but it’s not nearly as bad as we all initially thought. Nobody expected Costa Rica to even get 1 point in 2014 and they shocked the world.

Quality friendlies are needed now more than ever!!! And speaking of quality....our QUALITY players AKA Masoud Shojaei are now needed more than ever as well.

[elnino99]

By the way......very good news.

I just found our the Spanish manager ABSOLUTELY hates Portugal. His bad stint in Porto almost ruined his reputation and he was hounded out of the club by the Porguese fans, so he'd love to inflict some damage and misery on Portugal...so almost no chance of an Iberian gentlemen agreement in the first match.

[shayan_esteghlali]

The good thing is if we manage to go to the second round we will have a chance to go to the quarterfinals, as group A has the weakest teams, all beatable

[Surenas]

A pre-WC friendly with Egypt seems very logical. Both teams should want to play each other. They have KSA and we have Morocco.

We won't play against Egypt, because of political reasons, but Algeria would be good.

[Payam_Ali]

They also lost to Finland, Congo and Cameroon. Who knows. But they are beatable in my opinion

[shayan_esteghlali]

Prediction for our group:
Spain 1-0 Portugal
Iran 1-0 Morocco
Portugal 2-0 Morocco
Iran 0-0 Spain
Spain 2-0 Morocco
Iran 0-0 Portugal
Spain 7
Iran 5
Portugal 4
Morocco 0


R-16 Iran 1-0 Russia

QF Iran 0-0 France (win in penalties)

SF Iran 0-0 Brazil (win in penalties)

Final Iran 1-0 Argentina (92nd minute goal by jahanbakhsh)