Lebanon next obstacle on the road to Brazil

Persianfootball.com – TEHRAN, Iran have another must-win game on their road to Brazil 2014 on Tuesday, when they will host underdogs Lebanon in Azadi stadium (20:00 local time).

Of course Iran will be big favourites to win the game, but they have also been regarded so before the first game in Beirut last year, which ended in a shocking 0-1 defeat.

Admitted, Iran missed no less than six regular starters that day while now Lebanon will be missing five of those, inlcuding the goalscorer in Beirut, Roda Antar, who surprisingly retired from the national team this year. Yet the Lebanese team guided by their German coach Theo Bücker must be considered highly dangerous.

Lebanon have snatched points from each team of the group so far, only exception being two very fishy defeats to Qatar surrounded by partly confirmed match fixing accusations.

Beside Antar, the guests will have to do without prolific defender Youssef Mohammad (injury) as well as a suspended trio. However, Lebanon’s strongest player, goalkeeper Abbas Hassan, will again play.

On the other side Iran boss Carlos Queiroz will be eager to repeat a result like in Asian Cup qualifying in February, when Iran trounced Lebanon 5-0 in Tehran.

Such a high-margin victory could prove to be vital in the end, as goal-difference might indeed separate World Cup from play-off participants.

Iran will be without left-back Mehrdad Pouladi and Fulham winger Ashkan Dejagah after their surgeries, but the latter is reportedly on his way to Tehran already to join Team Melli’s camp in the preparations for the final group math in South Korea.

Masoud Shojaei, Hashem Beikzadeh and Ehsan Hajsafi are suffering from minor injuries, but all three will be ready for the match.

The home side’s lineup is a bit of a mystery after Carlos Queiroz surprised everyone by adding center-back Amir-Hossein Sadeghi to the lineup instead of the expected wing-forward Mohammad-Reza Khalatbari.

The winning team from Doha might be changed a bit to suit the occassion better, with either Hossein Mahini or Khalatbari coming in for Sadeghi.

Iran – Lebanon
AFC World Cup qualifying round 4, Azadei Stadium, Tehran

Iran’s possible lineup: Ahmadi – Mahini, Montazeri, Hosseini, Beikzadeh – Teymourian, Nekounam – Heydari, Jabbari, Shojaei – Ghoochannejhad