Ghotbi: North Korea team makes life difficult
(No Ratings Yet)
Loading...MNA – DOHA, Iran football coach Afshin Ghotbi ahead of the match against North Korea in the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, said this is the team who made life difficult for the Brazilians in the 2010 World Cup.
Iran as leader of Group D will face North Korea at the Qatar Sports Club Stadium at 1615 (local time) on Saturday. Iran and the East Asian team will clash for the fourth time in the history of the AFC Asian Cup.
So far Iran holds the upper hand after winning all three previous encounters with North Korea. In the 1980 edition held in Kuwait, Iran inflicted defeat on the Koreans twice. Iran won the group stage match 3-2, and they scored another victory in the third-place match on a better margin, 3-0. In the ’92 finals in Japan, Iran blanked their rivals 2-0 in the group match.
“We have analyzed North Korea in their latest matches and have considerable knowledge about them. North Korea is a team who defends well, and they are dangerous in the counter attacks,” Ghotbi said.
When asked whether he would rather play Australia or South Korea in the knock out stage, Ghotbi said, “To be honest, it doesn’t matter at all which team we play. For the team who wants to win the title, each and every team is important and respectable. We are going to win the championship after 35 years and dedicate it to the kind Iranian people.”
