Queiroz invites 28 for South Korea

PFDC – TEHRAN, Iran coach Carlos Queiroz named his squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifier against South Korea in Azadi.

The terrible injury situation from the Lebanon clash has slightly improved with Khosro Heydari, Mehrdad Pouladi and Ashkan Dejagah returning. Also midfield gem Andranik Teymourian is back from suspension.

However, with Hadi Aghily, Mojtaba Jabbari, Ghasem Hadadifar and Reza Haghighi four players are still on the injury list.

This, together with some players just having returned from injury, prompted Queiroz to cancel the friendly game against North Korea in order not to risk further injuries.

Beside the hurt players, also Rubin Kazan reserve keeper Alireza Haghighi and Tractor Sazi winger Mohammad Ebrahimi have been omitted.

Instead, a couple of new faces were added. Veteran centerback Mohammad Nosrati returns while goalkeeper Sousha Makani, midfielders Omid Ebrahimi and Milad Nouri as well as in-form striker Jalal Rafkhaei and Mes Kerman’s Ahmad Hassanzadeh are the relatively new faces in the roster.

Also included are playmaker Ali Karimi, who had been shown the door by his club Persepolis recently after a dispute with Portugese coach Manuel Jose, and Reza Ghoochannejhad.

The Belgium based player’s never ending story with FIFA, who still has not submitted the full-Iranian Mashad-born striker’s player passport, will hopefully finally be solved until the vital game on October 16.

Below comes the full squad.

Goalkeepers:
Mehdi Rahmati – Esteghlal
Rahman Ahmadi – Saipa
Sousha Makani – Naft Tehran

Defenders:
Khosro Heydari – Esteghlal
Hossein Mahini – Persepolis
Jalal Hosseini – Persepolis
Pejman Montazeri – Esteghlal
Mohammad Nosrati – Tractor Sazi
Maziar Zare – Malavan
Mehrdad Pouladi – Persepolis
Ehsan Hajsafi – Tractor Sazi

Midfielders:
Javad Nekounam – Esteghlal
Andranik Teymourian – Kharaityat, QAT
Omid Ebrahimi – Sepahan
Pejman Nouri – Malavan
Omid Nazari – Ängelholms, SWE
Ali Karimi – Persepolis
Mohammad Nouri – Persepolis
Milad Nouri – Saba

Strikers:
Ashkan Dejagah – Fulham, ENG
Masoud Shojaei – Osasuna, ESP
Reza Ghoochannejhad – Sint Truiden, BEL
Mohammad-Reza Khalatbari – Sepahan
Ahmad Hassanzadeh – Mes
Mohammad Ghazi – Persepolis
Karim Ansarifard – Persepolis
Jalal Rafkhaei – Malavan
Mohammad Gholami – Sepahan