Qotbi gets vote of confidence as Iran coach
July 9, 2009
TEHRAN (AFP) – Iran on Wednesday kept faith with coach Afshin Qotbi agreeing a new 18-month contract despite the team’s failure to qualify for next year’s World Cup finals in South Africa.
The Iranians, a traditional powerhouse of Asian football, were dumped out of the World Cup qualifiers in the closing matchday of Asia’s qualifying final round last month, only managing a 1-1 draw against South Korea.
Iranian-American Qotbi vowed to resurrect the team’s fortunes in the forthcoming Asian Cup after the Iranians’ disappointing performance in the World Cup campaign.
Speaking after signing an 18-month contract with the Iranian Football Federation, Qotbi said: “I will harness all of our football human wealth and my coaching knowledge to make Team Melli Asia’s champion,” the ISNA news agency reported.
Qotbi was brought in after the Iranian football federation sacked two home grown coaches, Ali Daei and Mohammad Mayelikohan, in quick succession due to poor performances and disputes over tactics.
The American-trained coach previously worked with the US national team before a long stint assisting Dutch coaches Guus Hiddink, Dick Advocaat and then Pim Verbeek with the South Koreans.
The Iranians’ hopes for the 2011 Asian Cup in Qatar are looking bright: they head group E ahead of their next fixtures against Singapore, Thailand and Jordan.
Qotbi blamed poor preparation for the lack of success in the World Cup effort.
“I talked to the football federation to furnish us a special plane for our away matches, prepare the ground for friendly matches with worthy teams,” he said.
“These items were on my mind when I was negotiating with the federation and my salary as coach was my least concern,” he said.
“We should plan in a way so when we are in Brazil (2014 World Cup) we should be able to make it to the second round,” he added.
Iran are hoping for a return to their heyday they enjoyed in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s when they were Asian champions three times.
The Iranians managed to reach two World Cups after the 1979 Islamic revolution: in France (1998) and in Germany (2006).
Team Melli’s only win in the event was at the French tournament when they overcame arch foes United States 2-1.
Following the South Korea match, two leading players – Ali Karimi and skipper Mehdi Mahdavikia – resigned from the national team amid rumours some of the squad were being punished for wearing green armbands in support of the political opposition.
Iranian authorities dismissed the claims as “lies and mischievous acts.”
Tags: Ali Daei, ali karimi, Asia, asian cup, asian football, brazil, brazil 2014, dick advocaat, football federation, France, Germany, head group, human wealth, Iran, iranian football, iranians, jordan, matchday, Mehdi Mahdavikia, Mohammad Mayelikohan, poor performances, Qatar, SINGAPORE, South Africa, south korea, south koreans, succession, Tehran, Thailand, United States, verbeek, World Cup, world cup campaign, world cup finals, world cup qualifiersRelated posts
Iran denies punishing ´green´ players
June 25, 2009
TEHRAN (AFP) – The head of Iran’s football federation has denied punishing players for wearing green wristbands in a show of support of the opposition during a World Cup qualifier, according to local media.
“The comments in foreign media are nothing but lies and a mischievous act,” Ali Kafashin was quoted as saying. “The federation has not banned any player from the national team.”
Football’s world governing body FIFA wrote to the Iranians to seek answers over alleged punishments meted out to players who wore green wristbands during the 2010 World Cup qualifier against South Korea last week, reflecting their support for opposition presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi.
Tags: Ali, Ali Kafashin, body fifa, football federation, hossein, Iran, iranians, local media, mousavi, opposition, presidential candidate, punishments, south korea, Tehran, World Cup, world governing body, wristbandsRelated posts
Karimi keeps Iran´s World Cup dream alive
June 10, 2009
TEHRAN (AFP) – Midfield star Ali Karimi scored the only goal as Iran defeated the United Arab Emirates 1-0 on Wednesday to keep their World Cup hopes alive.
Iran remain in fourth place in Asian qualifying Group B with 10 points from seven matches, one behind North Korea and Saudi Arabia.
South Korea, with 15 points, have already made sure of their place in the finals in South Africa next year.
The second automatic qualifying spot will be decided next Wednesday when Iran travel to South Korea while the Saudis welcome North Korea to Riyadh.
The team who finishes third will have to face the third-placed team in Group A, either Bahrain or Uzbekistan, with the eventual winner going on to face New Zealand for a spot in the 2010 finals.
In a tense, must-win game for Iran, the 100,000-seater Azadi Stadium was two-thirds empty with heavy rain making passing difficult.
Karimi struck the crucial goal on 52 minutes after drifting past two UAE defenders before unleashing a fierce drive.
Iran have now beaten UAE 10 times in 13 matches with three games drawn.
The Iranians are trying to reach a fourth World Cup having qualified for the 1978, 1998 and 2006 finals.
Tags: ali karimi, azadi stadium, bahrain, heavy rain, Iran, iran travel, iranians, midfield star, New Zealand, North Korea, qualifying group, Riyadh, saudi arabia, saudis, South Africa, south korea, Tehran, tense, three games, two thirds, united arab emirates, uzbekistan, World Cup, world cup dreamRelated posts
Newcastle into AFC knockouts as Gamba lose
May 20, 2009
SINGAPORE (AFP) – Australia’s Newcastle Jets clinched a place in the knockout stages of the AFC Champions League Wednesday by edging Korea’s Ulsan Hyundai 1-0, as defending champions Gamba Osaka suffered a shock loss.
Just one final round of 16 spot is yet to be decided and it hinges on how China’s Shandong Luneng fare against small-fry Sriwijaya later Wednesday in Group F.
They must beat the Indonesians to secure second place in the group behind Japan’s Gamba, who had already qualified despite losing Wednesday.
If they do, Shandong and FC Seoul will both have 10 points but the Chinese champions will progress as they have a better head-to-head record against the Korean club.
FC Seoul kept themselves in the hunt by upsetting Gamba in Japan, with a 90th minute goal from Kim Han-Yoon handing the visitors a shock 2-1 win, ending the J-League giants 16 game unbeaten run in the tournament.
Takashi Usmai gave Gamba the lead in the 62nd minute before Dejan Damjanovic pounced to level the game 11 minutes later. It looked headed for a draw before Kim silenced the home crowd with his last-minute strike.
So far, four teams from Japan and four from Saudi Arabia have made the grade, along with two each from Uzbekistan and South Korea and one apiece from Iran, Qatar and Australia.
Newcastle booked their place with a first-half glancing header by midfielder Jason Hoffman and a brilliant defensive display that kept a dangerous Ulsan side at bay.
The victory ensured they became only the second Australian side ever, behind Adelaide United, to progress to the business end of the tournament.
Newcastle will now return to Korea to face Group H winners Pohang Steelers with a quarter-final place at stake.
In the group’s other match, Nagoya Grampus drew 1-1 with Beijing Guoan and now play Korea’s Suwon Bluewings in the next round.
Wednesday’s west-zone matches will decide the first and second-placed sides in Groups A and B.
Al Hilal, the 2007-08 Saudi champions, host Uzbek heavyweights Pakhtakor in Riyadh to decide Group A’s top team, who will earn a home tie against Group C runner-up Umm-Salal of Qatar.
The Group A runners-up face a trip to Dammam to face Group D winners Ettifaq of Saudi Arabia.
In Group B, Iran’s Piroozi host Al Shabab in Tehran with victory securing them top spot due to a better head-to-head record against the Saudi side.
That clash is the only remaining Group B contest following the earlier withdrawal of Sharjah, who lost their first four matches and pulled out before matchday five to focus on avoiding relegation from UAE’s top flight.
West zone round of 16 games are played on May 27.
Tags: Adelaide, afc champions league, al shabab, Australia, australia newcastle, B. Al Hilal, Beijing, beijing guoan, business end, CAF Champions League, China, home crowd, indonesians, Iran, j league, Japan, jason hoffman, Kim, knockout stages, korean club, minute goal, Nagoya, nagoya grampus, NEWCASTLE, Osaka, pounced, Riyadh, saudi arabia, Shandong, shandong luneng, shock loss, SINGAPORE, south korea, sriwijaya, suwon bluewings, Takashi Usmai, Tehran, UAE, ulsan hyundai, Umm-Salal, usmai, west zoneRelated posts
Qotbi becomes third Iran coach in one month
April 22, 2009
TEHRAN (AFP) – Iranian-American Afshin Qotbi became Iran’s third coach in a month on Wednesday when he was named as successor to Mohammad Mayelikohan whose reign lasted just two weeks, the ISNA news agency reported.
Mayelikohan resigned on Tuesday over a row which erupted after a match between his former club Saipa and another Tehran side, Esteghlal.
Mayelikohan was appointed to try and revive Iran’s faltering 2010 World Cup finals qualifying campaign after former coach Ali Daei was sacked following the team’s defeat against Saudi Arabia in an Asian qualifier on March 28.
“As our most crucial priority in the football federation, we have appointed Afshin Qotbi. He will coach the team in its three remaining (qualifying) matches,” Mehdi Taj Iran’s football Federation official was quoted as saying.
“A Dutch trainer will assist him,” he added without naming him.
With Qotbi as a coach, Persepolis were Iranian premier league champions last year.
Qotbi previously worked with the US national team and football academy before a long stint assisting successive Dutch coaches Guus Hiddink, Dick Advocaat and then Pim Verbeek at the South Korean national side.
Despite spending most of his life in the United States, Qotbi has insisted he is first and foremost an Iranian.
“If you are born in a country and spent your childhood there you are from that country. I am always an Iranian,” he told AFP in June.
Iran are trying to reach their fourth World Cup finals, but they are currently in fourth place in Group B qualifying.
South Korea top the pool with 11 points from five games, followed by their northern neighbour on 10 points from six games with Saudi Arabia in third, also on 10 points from six games.
Iran are fourth with six points from five games after only one win and three draws.
Team Melli has uphill road in securing a place in the South Africa’s finals, two away matches in South and North Korea and a home match with the UAE, but it is banking on Qotbi’s tenure with Koreans to make it through.
Asia has four automatic berths in the finals in South Africa in 2010 while the third-place teams in the two final Asian qualifiers will play each other for the right to take on Oceania zone victors New Zealand for a place in the finals.
Iran have appeared in the 1978, 1998 and 2006 World Cup finals. Team Melli’s best results in the World Cup was in France 98 when they beat archfoe the United States 2-1.
Tags: afshin, Ali Daei, dick advocaat, esteghlal, five games, football academy, football federation, former coach, France, home match, isna news agency, Mehdi Taj Iran, Mohammad Mayelikohan, New Zealand, North Korea, northern neighbour, persepolis, saipa, saudi arabia, six games, South Africa, south korea, team melli, Tehran, UAE, United States, uphill road, verbeek, World Cup, world cup finalsRelated posts
Japan on top in AFC Champions League
April 22, 2009
SINGAPORE (AFP) – Japan remains firmly on track to have four teams in the last 16 of the AFC Champions League after decisive victories Wednesday for Kashima Antlers and Nagoya Grampus.
The Antlers thrashed Singapore Armed Forces 5-0 at home while Nagoya grabbed a valuable three points with a 1-0 win over Newcastle Jets in Australia.
Defending champions Gamba Osaka and fellow Japanese side Kawasaki Frontale are already through to the knockout rounds — the only two teams qualified so far — as the J-League once again proves its credentials in Asian football.
Kashima now have nine points in Group G, level with Korean giants Suwon Bluewings who won their crucial clash with Chinese heavyweights Shanghai Shenhua 2-1.
Two quick goals just before the break from Suwon’s Lee Sang-Ho and Bae Ki-Jong cancelled out Yanko Valkanov’s 12th minute strike for Shenhua, leaving the Chinese team on six points and facing a must-win trip to Kashima on May 5.
Nagoya tightened their grip on Group E with a Yoshizumi Ogawa goal, leaving them unbeaten and well placed to advance on eight points, four ahead of Beijing Guoan who play Ulsan Hyundai later Wednesday.
Newcastle remain on four points.
Ogawa netted the winner in the 56th minute with a piece of neat finishing after he controlled a cross from winger Keita Sugimoto to drill home past Newcastle goalkeeper Ben Kennedy.
The Jets could have forced a draw but substitute striker Sasho Petrovski spurned a penalty attempt 12 minutes from time.
Kashima, meanwhile, adopted an aggressive three-forward system against the defensive Armed Forces, with Brazilian Marquinhos, Shinzo Koroki and Yuya Osako proving a formidable trio.
They got their opener on 28 minutes through a Takuya Nozawa header — the club’s 1,500th goal since its inception.
Koroki added a second seven minutes before the break and Mitsuo Ogasawara put the game beyond reach with a third early in the second half.
Osako bagged the fourth in the 54th minute and Koroki completed his brace with a powerful left-foot drive with 16 minutes left.
In west Asia, Uzbek powerhouse Pakhtakor and Al Ittihad, Saudi Arabia?s newly crowned champions, both have home matches as they bid to strengthen their positions at the top of Group A and Group C respectively.
Pakhtakor, who have seven points, host Saba Battery in Tashkent while Al Hilal play Al Ahli in Dubai. Hilal are on five points, Saba Battery have two and Ahli have one.
Al Ittihad, on seven points, host UAE’s Al Jazira who are five points behind them.
In the other group game, Umm Salal of Qatar visit the intimidating Azadi Stadium in Tehran to play Esteghlal, who are desperate for a win after picking up only one point so far.
Tags: afc champions league, Al Ahli, Al Hilal, Al-Ittihad, asian football, Australia, azadi stadium, Bae, Beijing, beijing guoan, Ben Kennedy, chinese team, decisive victories, Dubai, heavyweights, j league, Japan, japanese side, kashima antlers, kawasaki frontale, Lee Sang-, marquinhos, nagoya grampus, petrovski, Saba Battery, saudi arabia, Shanghai, shanghai shenhua, SINGAPORE, singapore armed forces, suwon bluewings, takuya, Tashkent, Tehran, UAE, UEFA Champions League, ulsan hyundai, west asia, yoshizumi, yuyaRelated posts
N.Korea move within sight of World Cup finals
March 28, 2009
SEOUL (AFP) – North Korea moved within sight of the World Cup finals Saturday with a 2-0 win over United Arab Emirates in Pyongyang, all but snuffing out any hope the Gulf side had of playing in South Africa.
The Koreans now top Group B in Asian qualifying with 10 points from five games, two points ahead of arch-rivals South Korea, whom they play in Seoul on Wednesday in a grudge match.
In other Group B matches, Iran and Saudi Arabia face each other in a crunch showdown in Tehran later Saturday with the Iranians on six points and the Saudis on four.
Only the top two teams from each group automatically qualify for 2010.
North Korea, the 1966 World Cup quarter-finalists, were far the better team against UAE on the artificial turf of the Kim Il-Sung Stadium.
Pak Choi-Jin scored the opener on 51 minutes with Mun In-Guk putting the game beyond UAE’s reach with a strike in injury time.
It leaves coach Dominique Bathaney’s men languishing on one point from five games with three games to go, including tough trips to Riyadh and Tehran.
Written by: AFP
Tags: arch rivals, artificial turf, Dominique Bathaney, five games, grudge match, guk, injury time, Iran, kim il sung, kim il sung stadium, Kim Il-, korea move, N.Korea, North Korea, pak choi, pyongyang, Riyadh, saudi arabia, saudis, seoul, six points, South Africa, south korea, Tehran, The Gulf, three games, UAE, united arab emirates, World Cup, world cup finalsRelated posts
Park gives South Korea a share of the spoils in Iran
February 12, 2009
TEHRAN (AFP) -Manchester United’s Park Ji-Sung helped South Korea to a share of the spoils in an Asian heavyweight World Cup qualifying clash with Iran which ended 1-1- here at a rain-lashed Azadi stadium Wednesday.
Javad Nekounam, who plays for Spanish side Osasuna, sent more than 80,000 home fans wild when he fired home a close range free kick for Iran on the hour mark.
But Park pounced with a decisive header 21 minutes later when Iranian goalkeepr Mehdi Rahmati managed to only punch out an incoming freekick, giving the 300 South Korean expatriates a late reason to celebrate.
Iran’s national team coach Ali Daei, who two days ago promised home fans a win against South Korea, was defiant, vowing he would make sure Iran qualified for the finals.
"This is football. I am happy with my players’ performance, they put in a lot of effort.
"But rest assured I will take Team Melli (national team) to the World Cup finals," Daei was quoted As saying by the ISNA news agency.
He added: "It was a close match, and while I wouldn’t say they (Korea) performed better, people have to accept that we drew with a big team."
Iran’s next World Cup qualifier will be against another west Asian heavyweight, Saudi Arabia, in Tehran on March 28. Their previous match in the group, held in Riyadh, ended in a 1-1 draw.
South Korea coach Huh Jung-Moo was happy with a share of the spoils but he could not feeling short-changed by the result.
"I am happy we scored an equaliser but I am not happy for ending up with only one point in Tehran," said the South Korean coach.
"We came to Tehran to win the match, and you saw that in our performance today, we were concentrated on the match until the last minute of the game."
With North Korea boosting their qualifying chances with a win over Saudi Arabia Wednesday, Huh was coy about who would qualify from Group Two.
"We have to be patient and wait for the final match. I think that even the United Arab Emirates have a chance of making it," he added.
The result leaves South Korea top of the World Cup qualifying Asia Zone Group 2 with eight points, trailed by North Korea on seven points, followed by Iran with six points.
Saudi Arabia are fourth on four points with the United Arab Emirates on one point. All teams have played four matches so far.
Despite the rain that had drenched the city since early morning, home fans had been hoping for a win that would boost Iran’s qualifying hopes in the wake of two previous lacklustre performances.
Iran drew 1-1 with the United Arab Emirates in November and shared the spoils against Thailand leaving Iran’s national team coach Daei under pressure.
The top two in each group qualify for the World Cup finals in South Africa.
The third-place teams in groups one and two play-off home and away, with the winner battling Oceania zone victors New Zealand for a place in the finals.
Written by: AFP
Tags: AFP Park, Ali Daei, azadi stadium, close match, equaliser, final match, freekick, heavyweight world, home fans, Iran, isna news agency, javad nekounam, ji sung, Manchester, manchester united, Mehdi Rahmati, national team coach, New Zealand, North Korea, park ji sung, pounced, Riyadh, saudi arabia, South Africa, south korea, spanish side, Sung, team melli, Tehran, Thailand, united arab emirates, west Asian, World Cup, world cup finals, world cup qualifierRelated posts
Syria puts China on the spot
January 15, 2009
ALEPPO, Syria (AFP) – China faced more footballing woe here on Wednesday as they were beaten 3-2 by Syria in their opening 2011 Asian Cup qualifier with captain Maher Al Sayed scoring two of the goals.
China’s caretaker coach Yin Tieshing had been hoping for some sort of revival in his country’s fortunes after crashing out of the 2010 World Cup qualifiers last June but they were already 3-0 down by half-time.
Two of Syria’s goals came from the penalty spot with the inspirational Al Sayed converting the first of them in the sixth minute when Du Wei brought down Ali Diab.
Al Sayed was ruling the roost and it was no surprise when he added to his tally in the 24th minute with a shot from outside the area that beat Song Zhenyu all hands up.
Du’s nightmare first-half performance reached its nadir in the 39th minute as he clumsily brought down Raja Rafe and the referee had no option but to point to the spot – Firas Al Khatib converting to give the Syrians what seemed an unassailable lead.
The Chinese to give them their due didn’t give up the ghost completely with Wang Xiao’s freekick two minutes after the restart being well saved by Syrian guardian Radwan Al Azhar.
However they did hit the back of the net four minutes later as Qu Bo rifled the ball home after good work by Jaing Ning and they were to get a late consolation effort when Al Azhar completely misjudged Liu Jian’s cross and it went into the net.
Syria’s neighbours Lebanon fared less well as they crashed 3-1 away to ASEAN champions Vietnam even though the 2007 Asian Cup quarter-finalists were reduced to 10 men shortly after the beginning of the second-half when the scorer of their second goal Le Cong Vinh was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence.
In another match Singapore hardly lived up to their nickname of the Lions as they were walloped 6-0 in Tehran – their cause hardly helped as Ismail Nunos was sent off shortly before half-time.
Indeed Iran scored five of their goals following his dismissal for a straight red card with Mohammed Nouri scoring a double.
The day’s final game saw Jordan fail to score for the third game in succession as they drew 0-0 with Thailand – coached by former Leeds United and Everton manager Peter Reid – at home to extend their winless streak to five.
Written by: AFP
Tags: Al Azhar, Al Khatib, Al Sayed, ALEPPO, aleppo syria, Ali, ali diab, asean, asian cup, Bo, bookable offence, CAF Champions League, captain Maher, caretaker coach, China, cup qualifier, ismail, jordan, khatib, le cong vinh, Lebanon, Liu Jian, maher, Mohammed Nouri, Nadir, Peter Reid, qu bo, quarter finalists, radwan, rafe, Raja, ruling the roost, SINGAPORE, Syria, syrians, Tehran, Thailand, Vietnam, world cup qualifiers, xiao s, Yin TieshingRelated posts
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