Queiroz names Team Melli squad for Papua New Guinea and Syria

Persianfootball.com – TEHRAN, Carlos Queiroz named his final 23-man squad for the friendly matches versus Papua New Guinea (November 11) and the World Cup qualifier against Syria (November 15).

In absence of the injured Alireza Beiranvand and Alireza Haghighi, Sousha Makani (pictured) from Norway’s second league returns to the roster to accompy Rashid Mazaheri and likely new number 1 Mohammad-Reza Akhbari.

Another returnee can be found among the defenders, as Hossein Mahini will be the backup for starting right-back Ramin Rezaeian.

With captain Andranik Teymourian injured and the new deep-lying playmaker Ehsan Hajsafi suspended for one match after his participation in a brawl against Qatar in September, Dinamo Zagreb’s Ali Karimi and Persepolis’ Kamal Kamyabinia received call-ups to add more depth to the midfield options.

Like Hajsafi, also forward gem Sardar Azmoun is suspended for one game and assistant coach Javad Nekounam for three, while four Qatar players were suspended for two to three matches each.

Below comes the full roster.

Goalkeepers: Mohammad-Reza Akhbari (Tractor Sazi), Rashid Mazaheri (Zob Ahan), Sosha Makani (Mjondalen, NOR)

Defenders: Ramin Rezaeian (Persepolis), Hossein Mahini (Persepolis), Pejman Montazeri (Al Ahli, QAT), Morteza Pouraliganji (Al Sadd, QAT), Jalal Hosseini (Persepolis), Ezatollah Pourghaz (Esteghlal Khuzestan), Milad Mohammadi (Terek Grozny, RUS), Mohammad Ansari (Persepolis)

Midfielders: Ali Karimi (Dinamo Zagreb, CRO), Saeid Ezatollahi (FC Rostov, RUS), Omid Ebrahimi (Esteghlal), Alireza Jahanbakhsh (AZ Alkmaar, NED), Mehdi Torabi (Saipa), Ashkan Dejagah (unattached), Masoud Shojaei (Panionios, GRE), Vahid Amiri (Persepolis), Kamal Kamyabinia (Persepolis)

Strikers: Mehdi Taremi (Persepolis), Reza Ghoochannejhad (SC Heerenveen, NED), Karim Ansarifard (Panionios, GRE)