Queiroz names final 20 for WAFF

PFDC – TEHRAN, Iran boss Carlos Queiroz has reduced his initial 30-man squad to 20 for the upcoming West Asian football federation (WAFF) championship in Kuwait.

Queiroz reportedly was not supposed to coach Team Melli in the tournament, but in the end agreed with IFF boss Ali Kafashian to helm the team after all.

The named squad includes many usual reserve players but also numerous young prospects are in the final list.

Alireza Haghighi and Omid Nazari are the only two legionnaires in the roster.

Record title holders Iran will kick off the tournament against Saudi Arabia on Sunday before meeting Bahrain and Yemen in group B.

Group A consists of hosts and title holders Kuwait, Oman, Lebanon and Palestine whereas group C only features three teams – Iraq, Jordan and Syria.

Below comes the squad.

Goalkeepers: Alireza Haghighi (Rubin Kazan, RUS), Sousha Makani (Naft Tehran), Hamed Lak (Saba Qom)

Defenders: Hossein Mahini (Persepolis Tehran), Milad Fakhreddini (Tractor Sazi Tabriz), Pejman Montazeri (Esteghlal Tehran), Shoja Khalilzadeh (Mes Kerman), Mohammad-Reza Khanzadeh (Persepolis Tehran), Mehrdad Pouladi (Persepolis Tehran), Ehsan Hajsafi (Tractor Sazi Tabriz)

Midfielders: Omid Nazari (Ängelholms FF, SWE), Omid Ebrahimi (Sepahan Esfahan), Ghasem Dehnavi (Tractor Sazi Tabriz), Milad Nouri (Saba Qom), Mohsen Mosalman (Zob Ahan Esfahan)

Strikers: Arash Afshin (Foolad Khuzestan), Payam Sadeghian (Zob Ahan Esfahan), Jalal Rafkhaei (Malavan Anzali), Ahmad Hassanzadeh (Mes Kerman), Yaghoub Karimi (Naft Tehran)