In an interview with the sports reporter of Tasnim news agency, Masoud Iqbali said about the failure of the Iranian national football team to maintain a 2-0 advantage against Uzbekistan and gain one point from this match: the national team with so many legionnaires and experienced players is ahead of its opponent by 2-0. falls, he must change his playing style. When the players of the team have a high average age, fatigue dominates them and substitutions become important in this situation.
The technical staff did not bring young players to the field
Referring to the necessary instructions of the national team’s technical staff, he clarified to the national team: In this situation, we must force the players to focus more, strengthen the defensive structure and make fewer mistakes. When a player’s energy is depleted, he loses his focus. The technical staff of the national team should bring young players into the field, which we did not do. Uzbekistan was a very professional teammate and took advantage of the opportunities.
The Uzbeks took advantage of the gap between the Iranian defenders
AFC instructor said about the substitutions of Amir Qalanewi, including the arrival of Rouzbe Chasmi instead of Sardar Azmoun: When Chasmi enters the field, he must know the tactical instructions and cover the back and front of the defense. The national team should have put the direct game on the agenda and created more density in the attack line. The gap between the players had to be closed and we saw that in the scene of the first goal, the Uzbeks used the gap between our defenders with proper timing.
The talk of Qalanoui Farar is coming
Iqbali stated that national players have problems in details such as passing and pointed out: players should learn these issues in their youth. The fact that the head coach of the national team says that the players were walking on the field is an escape. Is this possible? The players forgot the necessary points on the field and you need to emphasize these points. If the national team wanted to defend, it should have been done according to the plan.
The conditions for the national team are not very good
He pointed to the progress of Qalanewi’s students to the third round of the 2026 World Cup qualifying round and told Tasnim: “But and if” the national team’s promotion to the next qualifying round. Iran’s progress to this stage will probably come down to examining the goal difference between us and Uzbekistan. I think the conditions for the national team are not very good.
We will not have a chance to win the Asian Nations Cup
Our country’s football expert, in response to the question of how much chance is expected for Iran to succeed in the Asian Nations Cup, stated: I don’t think we will have a chance! Against Uzbekistan, such a situation happened to the Iranian team; God knows what will happen against Japan! Australia, South Korea and Saudi Arabia are also strong teams, and the national team will face problems after advancing to the elimination round.
We are just looking for results
Referring to the difference between Iran’s national team and other Asian Cup contenders, Iqbali said: “If Japan, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia enter the Asian Cup with their main teams, we will have problems.” Unless they bring their young teams to the tournament (for Iran to succeed)! These countries have a strategy for themselves and the main national team for the World Cup. We are only looking for results and other issues are not important to us.
They should tell the teenagers that they should not take risks and chip a penalty!
Regarding the elimination of Iran’s under-17 team from the Junior World Cup after losing to Morocco, he said: We could have defeated Morocco, but if the team advanced to the next stages, it would have been in trouble. Before the game, the players should be told not to make risky decisions so that the player does not chip a penalty! The Iranian team did not get bad results in the World Cup, but it was a hothouse team. Some of the players in this team were custom orders and we had better players than them in Iranian football.