Qalenoei blames domestic league, injuries amid Iran’s dip in form
Under pressure after a string of disappointing performances, Iran head coach Amir Qalenoei believes the poor form of the domestic league players and injuries to his key men have played a major part in Team Melli’s recent struggles on the pitch.
A 2-0 victory over Tanzania in Dubai on Tuesday offered some breathing space to the Iranian coach, who has been under growing scrutiny from fans and pundits at home, with less than eight months remaining until the World Cup finals.
Tractor striker Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh put Iran in front 17 minutes into the game at Rashid Stadium, sending the Tanzanian goalkeeper the wrong way from the spot, before FC Rostov forward Mohammad Mohebbi doubled the lead with a deflected strike from inside the box nine minutes later.
The result ended a three-game winless streak for the Asian powerhouse, which had suffered a 2-1 loss to Russia in a friendly game in Volgograd on Friday.
While fellow Asian heavyweights Japan and South Korea faced Brazil and Paraguay during October’s international break, Iran’s match against Tanzania – ranked No. 107 in the latest FIFA World Ranking – was hardly seen as a proper test ahead of next June’s World Cup finals in North America.
Qalenoei, however, saw it differently. “Tanzania was a decent side and well-organized in defense,” he said. “The team didn’t concede more than two goals in any of its World Cup qualifying games and even defeated Senegal in a friendly in July. Not to mention, our team had a five-hour flight from Russia, where the weather conditions are quite different from the UAE. We made some mistakes throughout the game, but in the end, it was a good result.”
“We made a couple of errors in the early stages of the game but seized control after that and scored twice. We could have had more goals in the first half, but that’s the problem with Iranian players — they tend to lose intensity after taking a two-goal lead. We also lost our rhythm after making several changes in the second half. The result is the last thing that matters in friendly games, but I’m still grateful to my players for the victory,” Qalenoei added.
When Iran secured World Cup qualification in June, Qalenoei called on his players to maintain their form throughout the year leading up to the finals.
Asked if his expectations had been met in that regard, Qalenoei said, “Honestly speaking, no. The Iranian players in the domestic and Emirati leagues have been far from their best form. A player at this level must have a more professional mindset and approach.”
“The team’s recent run of results and performances has been hampered by injuries to several key players such as Sardar Azmoun, Mehdi Ghayedi, and Hossein Kan’anizadegan. Some of the new players in the squad have struggled to fill their places, and I’m not sure if they will be with us for the next games, as we’ll have to finalize our starting XI and squad during the upcoming international breaks. That will only happen if the injured players return as soon as possible,” he added.
Qalenoei still found positives, praising Hosseinzadeh for “forcing his way into the loop with his recent contributions.”
Next up for Team Melli is a four-team friendly tournament – also featuring Uzbekistan, Egypt, and Cape Verde – to be held in Dubai during November’s international break. Iran will face Cape Verde in the opening match, with the winner meeting Egypt or Uzbekistan in the final.