Iran Looks to Earn Fourth Successive Win in World Cup Qualifier
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran national football team will meet Iraq in FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023 and looks to earn its fourth win out of four in the campaign underway in Bahrain.
The Group C winner will be determined on Tuesday when Iran and Iraq clash at the Sheikh Ali bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Stadium.
The race for top spot promises to see a thrilling end with Iraq - on 17 points - two ahead of Iran while Bahrain will need to defeat Hong Kong by a huge margin and hope for Iran to lose to secure second place as Group C goes down to the wire.
Top spot will secure a place in the final round of the Asian Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, while a strong finish may also see the group's runner-up through.
All eyes will be on Team Melli will look to make it four wins out four since Group C resumed earlier this month with Cambodia, Bahrain and Hong Kong easily seen off.
Iraq, however, will be a tougher challenge and with victory the only option in its bid to finish top, head coach Dragan Skocic will demand the winning consistency Iran has developed in Muharraq as it chases a third consecutive appearance in the FIFA World Cup Finals.
Iran has been clinical in front of the net, with 17 goals to its name while the defense has been resolute.
Iraq, meanwhile, may only need a draw but it is highly unlikely that head coach Srecko Katanec will adopt a defensive gameplan against an Iran side who has been scoring at will.
Iraq resumed its campaign with a 4-1 defeat of Cambodia but found the going tougher against Hong Kong, with an own goal by Fung Hing Wa securing the West Asian team the three points.
Katanec wasn't unduly bothered by the lack of goals against Hong Kong and will remind his charges that it defeated Iran when the two teams met in November 2019.
