TEHRAN (Iran News) – Iran’s captivating performance at the 2023 FIFA U17 World Cup in Indonesia will carry on as they face Morocco in Surabaya on Tuesday.
Hossein Abdi’s boys left no room for doubt as they defeated New Caledonia 5-0 on Friday, ultimately finishing third in Group C alongside former champions England and Brazil, both with six points.
With six points, Morocco secured victory in Group A in Indonesia, defeating Panama (2-0) and Indonesia (3-1) while losing to Ecuador (2-0).
Iran had a goal difference of +5 in the group stage, scoring 9 goals and conceding 4.
Goalkeeper Arsha Shakouri is considered one of the national team’s standout players, specifically due to his exceptional performance against Brazil, resulting in a monumental 3-2 triumph for the Iranian team.
With 34.74 kilometers covered, Mirmohammad Razaghinia was the most active player in the group stage. He also recorded 105 passes, a good statistic. Esmaeil Gholizadeh is also seen as one of Iran’s main players to achieve the goal.
On November 25th, the winners of the Iran-Morocco match will face off against the winners of the Mexico-Mali match.
Majid Jalali, an Iranian football expert, believes that the Iran U17 players surprised everyone with their impressive performance against Brazil.
“Hossein Abdi, the team’s head coach, played a crucial role in the success, particularly in the win against Brazil. Despite conceding two goals in the first half and a demoralized state, he restored the players’ confidence, and paved the way for a comeback,” Jalali told Tehran Times.
“The team’s accomplishment highlights our football prowess and emphasizes the need for better planning in order to succeed in future international competitions,” he added.
Iran and Morocco have a history of World Cup clash in the senior age category. Their meeting in 2018 at St Petersburg Stadium ended with Iran securing a 1-0 victory through a 95th-minute own goal by Morocco.
- source : Tehrantimes
