Iranians revel in home away from home

SBS – SYDNEY, Iran has emerged as a genuine favourite for the AFC Asian Cup after reaching the quarter-finals with a match to spare.

Playing some of the finest football seen in the tournament so far, Team Melli has belied its poor preparation for the tournament by winning its first two matches with a degree of class and temperament.

Iran came to Australia with little preparation and its Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz publicly complained about a lack of trial matches.

Team Melli however sealed its spot in the last-eight after a stirring 1-0 victory over Qatar at Stadium Australia.

Queiroz, who led the team in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, was talked out of quitting the team after Brazil and has agreed to take charge till the end of this Asian Cup.

He was full of praise for his men after they saw off the brave Qataris who were fighting for their lives.

Queiroz was pretty relaxed when he fronted the media after the game yet he was anything but during the second part of the match when Iran fluffed many chances to finish off Qatar.

“Today there were two teams trying to win the game from the first minute,” Queiroz said.

“First we tried to build up opportunities then we had to play with fighting spirit.

“We tried to score again after Sardar Azmoun’s world-class strike that was the type of goal Ruud Van Nistelrooy used to score but unfortunately, the second goal did not come.

“We had six or seven counter-attacks when we were two against two or three against two but it was not to be.

“We made our lives difficult until the last second but I think it was good win and we deserved it.”

Since UAE beat Bahrain 2-1 in the early match to make it two wins from two, the Iranians knew they needed a second victory to keep up with the Gulf side ahead of Group C’s decisive clash in Brisbane on Monday.

Team Melli was strongly supported by the noisiest and most passionate 22,672 crowd imaginable, making one wonder what it would be like to be at the notorious Azadi Stadium in Tehran that holds 100,000.

It took the Iranians no time to got their slick passing game going without creating much in terms of scoring chances but the Qataris stubbornly refused to be intimidated by the tumultuous surroundings.

After surviving a few nervous moments, the plucky Qataris gradually gathered their composure and went into the break slightly the better side.

It took a magnificent goal to break them: Amoun turned his man beautifully on the edge of the penalty area before steering the ball home with aplomb.

Queiroz also paid tribute to the “fantastic” support from the thousands of chanting, flag-waving, drum-beating and horn-blowing Iranian fans who turned Stadium Australia into a ‘little Azadi’.

“I would like to dedicate this win to the fantastic Iranian fans that came here to support the team,” he said.

“This win is for them.”

Man of the match Andranik Teymourian also highlighted his team’s gratitude towards all the fans who made Iran feel like it was playing at home in such a far away land.

“We are very thankful for all those fans who have been our twelfth player in the last two games,” the midfielder said.

“We have the highest supporter base in this tournament after the Socceroos.

“It is an absolute privilege for the team and the players.”

Queiroz was also asked if it was time for Iran to relax its draconian laws forbidding women to watch football matches after seeing so many families including women and children back their beloved team here in Australia.

His reply, unsurprisingly, was a ‘no comment’.