Iran to kick off World Cup qualifiers in Tashkent

PFDC – KUALA LUMPUR, The match schedule for the final round of Asian Wolrd Cup qualfiers was published, following the draw in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.

Iran were grouped with Korea Republic, Uzbekistan, Qatar and Lebanon and will kick off their campaign with a tough away match in Uzbekistan on June 3.

Uzbekistan, however, will be without five influential players in their opener against Iran, because Shavkatjon Mulladjanov, Sanjar Tursunov, Islom Tuhtahujaev, Server Djeparov and Vagiz Galiulin were all punished with an additional match ban for deliberately picking up yellow cards in a qualifier in autumn.

The schedule, which has the same format as the previous campaign in 2008/09, gives Carlos Queiroz’ men off on matchday two on June 8.

However, on June 12 Iran will then host Qatar in Tehran.

Iran continue with an away game in Lebanon in September, hosting the Koreans in October and meeting Uzbekistan in Tehran in November.

Iran will have another free matchday in March 2013, before travelling to Qatar in April.

The qualifiers will then be concluded with a home game against Lebanon on June 11 and a game in South Korea on June 18.

Other than in the past World Cup qualification, when Iran were forced to play their final group game in Seoul hours ahead of their rivals Saudi Arabia and North Korea, who then knew a goalless draw would send both through on Team Melli’s expense, this time it was put down in the rules that the final group matches will have to be held simultaniously.

The top two of the group automatically earn a berth at the World Cup finals whereas the third-placed team would need to go thorugh two playoffs to qualify as well.

Below comes the full schedule of group A.

03/06/12 Uzbekistan-Iran
03/06/12 Lebanon-Qatar

08/06/12 Qatar-Korea Republic
08/06/12 Lebanon-Uzbekistan

12/06/12 Iran-Qatar
12/06/12 Korea Republic-Lebanon

11/09/12 Uzbekistan-Korea Republic
11/09/12 Lebanon-Iran

16/10/12 Iran-Korea Republic
16/10/12 Qatar-Uzbekistan

14/11/12 Iran-Uzbekistan
14/11/12 Qatar-Lebanon

26/03/13 Uzbekistan-Lebanon
26/03/13 Korea Republic-Qatar

04/06/13 Qatar-Iran
04/06/13 Lebanon-Korea Republic

11/06/13 Iran-Lebanon
11/06/13 Korea Republic-Uzbekistan

18/06/13 Korea Republic-Iran
18/06/13 Uzbekistan-Qatar