Stalemate between Iran and Qatar [VIDEO]

PFDC – DOHA, Iran and Qatar struggled to a goalless draw in a friendly match in Doha on Tuesday evening.

Qatar were the better team during the first 20 minutes, dominating the game and creating two good scoring chances, but failed to convert.

Iran, lined up in a 4-3-3 formation, then overtook the initiative and controlled the rest of the first interval. Andranik Teymourian wasted the best chance of first half when his shot to a rebound missed the open net.

A great throughball by Zob Ahan’s Ghasem Hadadifar created Iran’s second chance, but a last second tackling deflected Foolad Khuzestan striker Reza Norouzi’s effort from close range past the post.

The homeside also had the better start into second half and would have certainly taken the lead, if it hadn’t been for the once more excellent Rahmati, who reacted very well on two occassions.

But like in first half Iran overtook control through midway of the half and looked closer to breaking the deadlock from then on. Substitute midfielder Pejman Nouri was unlucky when his thunderous shot from just outside the area only hit the crossbar and so the two teams settled with a fair goalless draw.

While Afshin Ghotbi obviously still has some work to do ahead of Iran’s Asian Cup opener against Iraq, he hopefully could draw his final conclusions from the game, as he has to submit his final list of 23 players for the Asian Cup to AFC still on Tuesday.

The two sides will clash again on Wednesday, however, this time the teams’ reserves are scheduled to meet.

Iran will take on Angola in a dress rehearsal on January 2.

Qatar – Iran 0-0
Friendly Match, Doha

Goals: none

Iran’s lineup: Rahmati – Nosrati (46′ Heydari), Aghily, Hosseini, Hajsafi – Teymourian, Nekounam, Hadadifar (60′ P. Nouri) – Khalatbari (65′ Rezaei), R. Norouzi (66′ Gholami), Shojaei (78′ H. Norouzi)