Team Melli’s Teymourian targets champions

Andranik Teymourian has set his sights on victory over defending champions Iraq in Iran’s opening game of the 2011 AFC Asian Cup finals as Team Melli seek to end a 35-year continental title drought.

Iran last won the AFC Asian Cup in 1976 – the third of three consecutive successes – and the current team has been given a difficult draw in the group stages, where they will face DPR Korea and the United Arab Emirates in addition to neighbours Iraq.

But former Bolton Wanderers midfielder Teymourian, pictured in action against Qatar, is confident Iran can have a positive start to their AFC Asian Cup campaign.

“The last time we played against Iraq we won 2-1 in the West Asian Championships,” he said.

“I think we did okay in that game but the Asian Cup is very different and we want to go to the final of this tournament because if you win the Asian Cup you can get everything you want in your life, you can play in Europe or whatever you like.

“That’s a difficult game against Iraq but I’m sure we can win the first game of the tournament.”

The Iranians returned to Tehran on Monday morning after the completion of their pre-tournament training camp and Afshin Ghotbi’s side left Doha in confident mood after Javad Nekounam scored late in the game to give Iran a 1-0 win over Angola on Sunday evening.

That was a second game without defeat for Iran after a 0-0 draw with Qatar earlier in the camp and Teymourian believes the team is improving.

“Everybody has been working hard, the manager, the players and the physios and I’m sure we’ll have a good Asian Cup,” he said. “Everyone wants to keep going and I hope we can go at least to the last four teams and maybe to the final.

“We have had some good training sessions, working two hours every day. We’re not 100 percent yet but with a few days rest I’m sure we’ll be back at a high level and we’ll be better than before.

“The national team is mixed up with young players and experienced players over the last couple of years but I don’t think there’s any pressure on the players. All the players are focused on each game and every game is different than the game we played before. We’re working hard to win the games.”