Iran
Preview
After a level of criticism from media and fans alike, national team boss Parviz Dehdari had gone on a sickleave in time for the start of the World Cup qualification, and an interim solution in the shape of Reza Vatankhah had come in to guide the team through their first batch of qualifiers, trips to Thailand and Bangladesh, as well as the home fixture against the latter.
Having featured in the 1978 World Cup, Iran had been banned from taking part in either World Cup campaign for 1982 and 1986, due to the ongoing war between them and neighbouring Iraq. This was a major opportunity for them to put themselves firmly back on the international football map. However, they would need to negotiate those six first phase group stage matches, where China were likely to provide them with the sternest shape of resistance.
After Iran’s fourth qualifier, and fourth successive win, the eventual passing of the country’s religious leader ayatollah Khomeini, who had been sick for a period of time, saw to that the final two, decisive fixtures against China were postponed for a month. The country came to a stand-still in the wake of the ayatollah’s death. The Team Melli squad were away on a training camp in preparation for the cold which would face them in Shenyang, around 400 miles to Peking’s north east, a camp which they had to abandon due to the nation’s mourning. They would return to their camp in the Azerbaijani part of the USSR once the official period of grief was over. Read more →
World Cup apperances:
1978
Manager:
Parviz Dehdari
(Caretaker: Reza Vatankhah)
Results
Qualifier 1
23.02.1989
Thailand
0–3
Iran
Bavi (12)
Ghayeghran (28)
Garousi (87)
It was a convincing win to get Team Melli’s campaign off the mark. Bavi opened the scoring when he headed home Zarincheh’s cross, while midfield general Ghayeghran struck home one of his trademark longdistance efforts to double their lead by the half hour. Forward Kermani-Moghaddam had struck the woodwork prior to the first goal, and there were also further opportunities, although their final goal would only arrive three minutes from time through second half substitute Garousi.
Line-up: Abedzadeh – Zarincheh, Mohammadkhani, Morteza Fonounizadeh, Moharrami – Namjoomutlagh, Ghayeghran, Ashouri (Eftekhari h-t) – Kermani-Moghaddam (Garousi 62), Bavi, Ansarifard.
Qualifier 2
27.02.1989
Bangladesh
Aslan (70)
1–2
Iran
Bavi (44)
Ansarifard (50)
Bangladesh put up some tough resistance, and were unfortunate not to take the lead as they hit the post from a penalty kick in the first half. There was better fortune down the other end, where Eftekhari’s shot bounced off the post for Bavi to head home his second goal in two qualifiers right on the stroke of half-time. A few minutes after the restart, Ansarifard benefitted from a fine Namjoomutlagh cross to increase Iran’s lead. The hosts then halved the deficit with 20 minutes to go, and Team Melli had to cling on to what they’d got through to full time.
Line-up: Abedzadeh – Zarincheh, Mohammadkhani, Morteza Fonounizadeh, Moharrami – Namjoomutlagh, Ghayeghran, Eftekhari – Kermani-Moghaddam, Bavi, Ansarifard (Garousi 77).
In their attacking formation, Iran apply a lot of pressure. However, they are inaccurate when it comes to converting their opportunities. Namjoomutlagh sent a rocket crashing off the crossbar after 15 minutes. Kermani-Mughaddam went through a lot of running up top, and Ghayeghran bossed in midfield. They faced a stern visiting side, where goalkeeper Mohsin and centre-back Kaisar were sound. It took a late header from substitute Marfavi to break the deadlock, and the same player had a late conversion disallowed. Iran would’ve been disappointed to only win by the slimmest of margins.
Line-up (4-3-3): Abedzadeh – Zarincheh, Mohammadkhani, Morteza Fonounizadeh, Moharrami – Namjoomutlagh (Ashouri 70), Ghayeghran (c), Eftekhari – Kermani-Mughaddam (Marfavi 62), Bavi, Garousi.
Qualifier 4
30.05.1989
Iran
Pious (33,64)
Garousi (42)
3–0
Thailand
Mehdi Monajati had been installed into the managerial seat, and his first task was trying to obtain a win by as solid a margin as possible. Having just managed to find a solitary goal against Bangladesh, Iran would’ve been delighted to have Pious available for the first time in the current qualification. He notched twice, with the first coming on 33 minutes, when he’d been played through by Eftekhari. Namjoomutlagh was played through one-on-one with the ‘keeper a couple of minutes from the break, and though the goalie saved his effort, Garousi was on hand to tuck home the rebound. Pious’ second just after the hour was almost a replica of his first: A low, diagonal finish into the corner. Iran were now two steps away from progressing through to the next stage.
Line-up: Abedzadeh – Zarincheh, Mohammadkhani, Hassanzadeh, Moharrami – Namjoomutlagh, Ghayeghran, Eftekhari (Ansarifard 60) – Pious, Bavi, Garousi (Ashouri 65).
Qualifier 5
15.07.1989
China
Haiguang (73)
Xiaowen (87)
2–0
Iran
Realizing the importance of the away fixture in China, the Iranian FA (IFF) had made sure that the team was gathered for a long time in advance to have the best preparation possible. However, during their training camp, the nation’s religious leader Khomeini passed away, and with the country entering a phase of mourning, the squad were recalled to Tehran. The two China fixtures were postponed for a month. When it was finally time for action, a major disciplinary breach made sure that Monajati needed to make do without several of the team’s star performers: Defenders Morteza Fonoonizadeh, Nader Mohammedkhani and Moharrami, as well as midfield star and captain Ghayeghran, were suspended by the FA and returned home. Alledgedly, there had been a few players going out for a drink during their recent camp in the Soviet Union. In addition, the only remaining defensive regular, right-back Zarincheh, was also absent. This saw Monajati forced to field an entirely new and inexperienced defence, and the team struggled against strong opposition, eventually succumbing to a pair of late headed goals. That two-goal loss could ultimately prove crucial, with goal difference possibly coming into play as a decisive factor.
Line-up: Abedzadeh – Taghavi, Hasanzadeh, Khakpour, Abtahi – Namjoomutlagh, Mehdi Fonounizadeh, Eftekhari, Kermani-Moghaddam – Bavi (Garousi 81), Pious (Ansarifard 83).
Qualifier 6
22.07.1989
Iran
Garousi (14)
Eftekhari (16)
Pious (53)
3–2
(Report)
China
Chao (64, pen.)
Lin (66)
The scene was set for a captivating top of the table clash between the hosts and their Chinese visitors, although a win of a relatively hefty margin would be demanded of the Iranians as they sought to progress through to the next stage of qualification. They scored two quick-fire first half goals to set the stadium alight, and the atmosphere inside the 120,000 capacity stadium hardly took a turn for the worse as Pious headed home a third goal early in the second half. By that time Iran were asking questions of their opponents, who still had lowly Thailand to play at home a week later. While three goals in theory could prove a sufficient cushion for Iran, they soon let their lead shrink, as China themselves scored twice in quick succession. This took all the energy out of the home players and fans alike, and the final 25 minutes were smooth sailing for the away side. By the final whistle, China were favourites to progress, as a win even of the slimmest margin in their final fixture would see them advance through to the final group stage.
Line-up (4-3-3): Abedzadeh – Zarincheh (Moradi 24), Hasanzadeh, Fonounizadeh, Abtahi – Namjoomutlagh, Eftekhari, Ansarifard – Kermani-Moghaddam, Pious (c), Garousi (Bavi 83)
Conclusion
Iran would have realized before the start of their World Cup qualification campaign that they would be fighting it out with China over the group’s top spot, which meant progress through to the second phase on neutral soil in Singapore. The two countries had met as late as in December last year in the third place play-off in the 1988 edition of the Asian Cup of Nations in Qatar. The game had finished goalless, but Iran had ultimately triumphed in the ensuing penalty shoot-out, perhaps even giving them a slight edge over their qualifying group adversaries.
Perhaps had some uncertainty run through the squad at the start of the qualification campaign, with head coach Dehdari being away on a sickleave, though they still managed to win both in Thailand and in Bangladesh with a 5-1 accumulated scoreline. They then struggled to break the deadlock in the home fixture against Bangladesh, which in general proved to be a tricky side to break down, led at the back as they were by two very sound central defenders. With an expected four wins from four, Iran travelled to China in hope of obtaining at least a point to put them in good stead before their final qualifier at home to the same opponent, although they were ultimately done for in Shenyang by two goals inside the final 20 minutes.
By the time China came to Tehran to feature in Iran’s final qualifier, they had the luxury of a home fixture against group jumbo Thailand to look forward to the week after, and so Iran really had to go out all guns blazing in order to try and achieve a win by a big margin to put some pressure on the Chinese before their final match. The 90,000 crowd made sure to put on a display of sound and support for their Team Melli, but it ultimately proved insufficient as the hosts let a three goal lead shrink into a win of a single goal margin. In practice, that was it, as everyone knew that China wouldn’t drop points against Thailand.
Despite five wins from six, Iran finished second after China’s 2-0 win on the final weekend, and this was obviously a huge disappointment to the nation which had hoped to reach its first World Cup proper since Argentina ’78.
Final position: 2 (out of 4)
Total record: 6 5 0 1 12-5 10
Home record: 3 3 0 0 7-2 6
Away record: 3 2 0 1 5-3 4
Player statistics
Number of players used: 20
Leading goalscorer: Garousi, Pious (both 3)
– overview
| Player | Apps | XI | Sub | Mins | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abedzadeh | 6 | 6 | 540 | ||
| Zarincheh | 5 | 5 | 384 | ||
| Mohammadkhani | 4 | 4 | 360 | ||
| Morteza Fonounizadeh | 4 | 4 | 360 | ||
| Moharrami | 4 | 4 | 360 | ||
| Namjoomutlagh | 6 | 6 | 520 | ||
| Ghayeghran | 4 | 4 | 360 | 1 | |
| Ashouri | 3 | 1 | 2 | 90 | |
| Kermani-Moghaddam | 5 | 5 | 394 | ||
| Bavi | 6 | 5 | 1 | 448 | 2 |
| Ansarifard | 5 | 3 | 2 | 294 | 1 |
| Eftekhari | 6 | 5 | 1 | 465 | 1 |
| Garousi | 6 | 3 | 3 | 288 | 3 |
| Marfavi | 1 | 1 | 28 | 1 | |
| Hassanzadeh | 3 | 3 | 270 | ||
| Taghavi | 1 | 1 | 90 | ||
| Khakpour | 1 | 1 | 90 | ||
| Mehdi Fonounizadeh | 1 | 1 | 90 | ||
| Abtahi | 2 | 2 | 180 | ||
| Morradi | 1 | 1 | 66 | ||
| Pious | 3 | 3 | 263 | 3 |