Iran coach Qalenoei rues fatigue in Uzbekistan stalemate
Iran head coach Amir Qalenoei lamented his team’s fatigue after the Asian powerhouse played to a goalless home draw against Uzbekistan at the World Cup qualifiers on Tuesday.
There was little to separate the two sides at Tehran’s Azadi Stadium, though Iran enjoyed the majority of the possession over the course of the 90 minutes and had the best chance of the game to break the deadlock, when Mahdi Taremi’s effort hit the woodwork midway through the second half.
The result was still enough for Iran to beat the Central Asian opponent to the top spot in the qualification group and, according to the FIFA ranking, avoid Japan and South Korea in the third-round group phase.
“I’m glad we progressed as the group winners. I would like to thank the fans for their support until the last seconds. I would also like to give special thanks to my players,” the Iranian head coach said in the post-match press conference.
The game was a second in five days for Qalenoei’s side following last Thursday’s 4-2 away win against Hong Kong.
“These two games were played right after the final day of the Iranian league. We had to fly to Hong Kong with no training sessions and play in the 90-percent humidity before making a 20-hour trip back home. That’s why we played with fatigue in the first half. We’ll have to improve our performance for the next round,” added Qalenoei.
“Uzbekistan has made proper investments in football in recent years and is achieving significant results. Two of their top players made massive contributions to the Iranian league title run-in,” Qalenoei said, referring to Uzbek winger Oston Urunov, who lifted the Iranian top-flight trophy with Persepolis, and midfielder Jaloliddin Masharipov, a league runner-up with Esteghlal.
Qalenoei’s opposite number Srecko Katanec, meanwhile, was pleased with the result and his team’s well-organized backline.
“The match went well and I am satisfied with the result,” said the Slovenian, adding: “We were confident in defense and did not give Iran clear-cut chances.”
“In the second half, the opponents hit the post but in general, we played a good game and I am glad that no player was injured.
“We showed good aggression on the pitch and while we could have done better from an attacking standpoint, it was important for us not to lose the game.”