North Korea ‘not a pushover’, Iran’s Ezzatollahi warns ahead of World Cup qualifier
Saeid Ezzatollahi warned his Iranian teammates they will have to play with “full intensity” when they face North Korea in a World Cup qualifier in Vientiane, Laos, today.
Iran will step onto the pitch at the Lao National Stadium KM16 – a neutral venue for North Korea’s home fixtures – on the back of three wins and a draw, sitting atop Group A of the Asian qualifiers with 10 points.
Amir Qalenoei’s men hammered Asian Cup champion 4-1 last time out in October to overtake Uzbekistan on top of the six-team table, while North Korea fell to a 1-0 away defeat against the Kyrgyz Republic and is bottom of the standings with two points.
Ezzatollahi, however, believes Team Melli will still need to deliver “a performance worthy of Iranian football” to come out on top against today’s opponent.
“We know North Korea is not going to be a pushover at all, as they have proved to be a tough opponent in their previous games in the group,” Shabab Al Ahli midfielder said in a pre-match press conference on Wednesday.
“The head coach told us to forget all about the Qatar victory when we began preparation for this game. We will have to play with full intensity for the whole 90 minutes to achieve what we want.
“Nothing is predictable in football, but we have been working hard to peak our physical and mental form. We can’t afford to get caught off guard by North Korea.”
Today’s game will be followed by a visit to Bishkek for Iran to take on Kyrgyzstan at the Dolen Omurzakov Stadium on Tuesday.
Iran is six points clear of third-place UAE in the group, and with a top-two finish sealing direct qualification for the 2026 finals, maximum points in the double-header will see Qalenoei’s men all but secure a place in the showpiece in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.