Iran to play Qatar in tune-up

AFC – TEHRAN, Iran will play two internationals with AFC Asian Cup hosts Qatar in December to prepare for the next year’s continental showpiece.

Iran coach Afshin Ghotbi told Iran Football Association’s website that Team Melli will have a training camp in Dubai from December 24 and will meet Bruno Metsu’s charges on December 28 and 29.

“In the second match, we want to give chance to those players who will not play in the first game,” he said.

He said the team will play two more internationals on January 2 and 3 before returning to Iran.

“The players will have a three-day rest before we fly to Doha on January 6.”

He said he could not go to Yemen to watch AFC Asian Cup rivals Iraq and UAE in the Gulf Cup but efforts are on to get videos of matches involving these teams.

“We are trying to get videos of UAE and Iraq. We have a tough group but I believe all the teams would like to win the title.”

Ghotbi will travel to Germany this week to watch Wolfsburg’s Iranian-German midfielder Ashkan Dejagah play against Kaiserslautern on December 11.

Dejagah, however, represented German U-21 team several times and has not yet received green light from FIFA to represent Iran.