Iran may be on a high after leaping to the top of their World Cup qualifying group, but their Croatian coach has cautioned that it is too early for celebrations.
”We are still in the early stages,” coach Branko Ivankovic said of Iran who have now reached the half-way mark of the qualifying round on seven points.
In Asia’s Group B, they are in prime position for a World Cup finals berth — after an away win against North Korea, a home win against Japan and a goalless away draw with Bahrain.
The top two teams in Group B gain direct entry into the World Cup finals in Germany next year.
”With 11 points we will certainly qualify, but we have to be very well prepared for our upcoming home matches with Bahrain and North Korea,” said Ivankovic.
Iran will play North Korea and Bahrain in the 100 000-seat Azadi Stadium in Tehran on June 3 and June 8 respectively. Iran’s final game will be in Japan on August 17.
While Iran had little difficulty against the North Korean side, team members were clearly relieved that their Pyongyang experience was behind them.
”We did not enjoy our stay in North Korea, but the outcome was fine,” Iranian midfielder Ali Reza Vahedi Naikbakht told state television.
In last Wednesday’s match, Iran overpowered the North Koreans 2-0 in a spiteful clash where the home team and crowd of 70 000 at Kim Il-Sung stadium reacted furiously to their loss.
The North Koreans, frustrated throughout the game by what they saw as decisions going against them, reacted angrily to not getting a handball verdict in the penalty box in the dying minutes. They converged en masse on Syrian referee Mohammed Kousa.
Objects were also thrown at the Iranian team, who were forced to stay on the field for about 10 minutes and were then prevented from leaving the stadium immediately after the match by a mob outside.
Iran first qualified for the World Cup in 1978, and made it again in 1998. — Sapa-AFP