Asian Cup—-
Featuring established European-based players like Alireza Jahanbakhsh from Feyenoord, Saman Ghoddos from Brentford, Mehdi Taremi from Porto, and Sardar Azmoun from Roma, alongside strong contingents from Iranian clubs Sepahan, Persepolis, and Esteghlal, Iran’s national team is one of the most experienced in the tournament. Eleven players out of the 26-player squad have more than 50 international caps, with only four having fewer than ten.
However, this also means that Iran boasts one of the oldest squads in the tournament. The youngest player in Iran’s starting XI, Mohammad Mohebi, who scored the equaliser against Japan, is 25 years old and one of only four players in the squad below the age of 26.
With Taremi’s return from suspension and a short turnaround of just over 72 hours between games – a point that midfielder Saeed Ezatolahi expressed dissatisfaction with, echoing previous complaints from the Iranian team before the Japan fixture – Ghalenoei indicated that there would be changes to the lineup to face the challenge posed by Qatar, especially with Akram Afif.
Ezatolahi also raised concerns about the appointment of Kuwaiti official Ahmad Al Ali as the match referee. “He’s an Arabian guy,” he stated through a translator. “We’re wondering how it’s possible that they [appointed] an Arabian guy as the ref for tomorrow’s match.”
Qatar’s coach, Tintín Márquez, who took over from Carlos Queiroz in December, said he doesn’t pay much attention to the referees and focuses on his team’s performance. Qatar aims to improve their record against Iran, especially after losing 4-0 to them under Queiroz’s leadership.
Iran has had a strong winning streak against Qatar, outscoring them 11-1 in six consecutive matches.
Qatar midfielder Tarek Salman expressed the team’s motivation to reach the final, despite the tough challenge against Iran. They have received strong support from home crowds throughout the Asian Cup, despite their disappointing performance in the World Cup.
Márquez emphasized that not reaching the final wouldn’t be considered a failure, considering the strong teams that have been eliminated. He highlighted Australia and Japan as examples. He stressed that reaching the semifinals is an accomplishment, and they aim to build on that.