Look back – Look ahead: IR Iran

AFC – KUALA LUMPUR, There was success, disappointment and lessons learned as the five Asian teams concluded their 2018 FIFA World Cup campaigns. They will all now turn their attention to AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019.

Islamic Republic of Iran went into the 2018 FIFA World Cup as the second-highest ranked Asian nation, behind Australia. And unlike the Socceroos, Team Melli ended the campaign with a far enhanced reputation.

Managerial stability, with Carlos Queiroz entering his eighth year at the helm, was rewarded with a solid tactical performance in Russia as IR Iran came to within inches of advancing to the round of 16 despite being drawn into the proverbial “Group of Death” alongside the last two European champions, Spain and Portugal in addition to Morocco.

World Cup Summary
A dogged defensive display against a Morocco side, ranked five places lower than Team Melli in the pre-World Cup June FIFA rankings, was cause for concern. Nevertheless, the job was ultimately done in the dying seconds thanks to an own goal from substitute Aziz Bouhaddouz.

With three points in the bag, IR Iran set out to further strengthen their position by attempting to sneak a draw against heavy-favourites Spain. This time, Team Melli were the ones to be narrowly edged as Diego Costa’s deflected effort separated the sides at the final whistle.

Victory against Portugal was now a must, and Queiroz’s men saved their best performance until last as Karim Ansarifard’s late penalty cancelled out Ricardo Quaresma’s wonder strike. For a second, the whole nation thought they had got the all-important victory as Mehdi Taremi was sent one-on-one with the Portuguese goalkeeper with just seconds to go on the clock, but his effort from close distance ended into the side netting.

One point, and one goal was all that separated IR Iran from progressing to the knock-out stages for the first time in their history. Nonetheless, the four points collected marked their best-ever World Cup tally, and no other Asian team collected more points in Russia 2018. Promising signs going into the AFC Asian Cup in six months’ time.

Aftermath
Queiroz and his players were treated to a heroes welcome upon return to Tehran, and deservedly so, having exceeded expectations and got the nation’s first World Cup win since 1998.

Top Prospect for AC2019
Queiroz’s decision to leave Persepolis captain Seyed Jalal Hosseini out of the World Cup squad caused a stir prior to the competition, but the Portuguese coach’s foresight was vindicated after the other Hosseini, Esteghlal’s Majid Hosseini, 14 years his namesake’s junior, put in top performances against Spain and Portugal in Russia.

As centre-back veterans Hosseini and Pejman Montazeri enter the twilight of their careers, Team Melli’s future at the back is secured with the presence of 22-year-old Hosseini beside 26-year-old Morteza Pouraliganji, who was one of the team’s best performers at the World Cup.

Having made his name four years earlier in Australia, Sardar Azmoun may be the most globally recognisable name in IR Iran’s squad, but it is worth remembering the Rubin Kazan striker is still just 23 and could well take his game to the next level in the UAE after a solid, if not unspectacular World Cup campaign.

What Comes Next?
“We have had a good football year, and the Asian Cup is ahead of us. Based on my negotiations with Queiroz, and the current atmosphere, we can win the Asian Cup,” the words of Mehdi Taj, the President of the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) are as strong a statement as they come.

Tested against some of the World’s top sides in Russia, IR Iran showed their defensive strength, conceding just two goals in their three matches, but they have also shown profligacy in front of goal. Their two goals scored in Russia were an own-goal following a corner kick against Morocco and a spot-kick against Portugal.

With an abundance of attacking talent in the form of Azmoun, Taremi, Ansarifard and Alireza Jahanbakhsh, and with the likes of Ali Alipour and Kaveh Rezaei and Morteza Tabrizi also impressing for their club sides, IR Iran will look to improve their attacking performance as they look to come back from neighbouring UAE with a fourth continental title.