24 invited for friendly, 36 for World Cup qualifiers

Persianfootball.com – TEHRAN, Carlos Queiroz named two squads on Saturday – a 24-man roster for the initial training camp and a friendly match versus Oman in Muscat on May 22, and additional 12 men for the final training camp and the three World Cup qualfiers in June.

An initially planned second test match versus Iraq in the UAE five days later meanwhile was cancelled due to political interference by the UAE.

The squad for the Oman game misses all legionnaires and the Esteghlal players, who are still busy with the AFC Champions League.

Leftback Mehrdad Pouladi is doubtful after his recent calf injury.

Ousted couple Mehdi Rahmati and Hadi Aghily were not called-up, despite rumours saying otherwise. Also the recently retired Ali Karimi, injured Fulham winger Ashkan Dejagah and just recently recovered Naft Tehran winger Yaghoub Karimi are missing.

Sepahan playmaker Navidkia, who had announced his willingness for a comeback in Team Melli, is injured as well.

In comparison to the most recent list for the Asian Cup qualifier against Kuwait in March, Rubin Kazan goalkeeper Alireza Haghighi, still injured Sweden-based William Atashkadeh and the IPL topscorer of this season, Jalal Rafkhaei of Malavan Anzali, were dropped, beside the injured Dejagah and Yaghoub Karimi.

Below come the invited players.

Goal:
Rahman Ahmadi – Saipa Karaj
Shahab Gordan* – Sepahan Esfahan
Sousha Makani – Naft Tehran

Defense:
Hossein Mahini – Persepolis Tehran
Mohammad-Reza Khanzadeh – Persepolis Tehran
Jalal Hosseini – Persepolis Tehran
Mohammad Nosrati – Tactor Sazi Tabriz
Shoja Khalilzadeh – Mes Kerman
Mehrdad Pouladi – Persepolis Tehran
Ehsan Hajsafi – Sepahan Esfahan
Amir-Hossein Feshangchi – Persepolis Tehran
Pejman Nouri – Malavan Anzali

Midfield:
Reza Haghighi – Persepolis Tehran
Omid Ebrahimi – Sepahan Esfahan
Ghasem Hadadifar – Zob Ahan Esfahan
Mohammad Nouri – Persepolis Tehran
Bakhtiar Rahmani – Foolad Khuzestan
Mohsen Mosalman – Zob Ahan Esfahan

Attack:
Karim Ansarifard – Persepolis Tehran
Mohammad Gholami – Sepahan Esfahan
Mehdi Seyed-Salehi** – Tactor Sazi Tabriz
Gholamreza Rezaei – Persepolis Tehran
Mohammad-Reza Khalatbari – Sepahan Esfahan
Mehrdad Oladi – Malavan Anzali

World Cup qualifiers additional players:

Goal:
Daniel Davari – Eintracht Braunschweig, GER

Defense:
Khosro Heydari – Esteghlal Tehran
Ali Hamoudi – Esteghlal Tehran
Pejman Montazeri – Esteghlal Tehran
Hashem Beikzadeh – Esteghlal Tehran

Midfield:
Javad Nekounam – Esteghlal Tehran
Andranik Teymourian – Al Kharitiyath, QAT
Omid Nazari – Ängelholms FF, SWE
Mojtaba Jabbari – Esteghlal Tehran

Attack:
Masoud Shojaei – CA Osasuna, ESP
Reza Ghoochannejhad – Standard Liege, BEL
Farzad Hatami – Esteghlal Tehran

* Declined the invitation due to personal reasons and was replaced by Hamed Lak (Saba Qom)
**Declined the invitation due to personal reasons