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Tehran (AFP) – Croatia coach Dragan Skocic sounded optimistic regarding his team’s ability to move past the group stage of the World Cup for the first time in its history, stressing that facing political opponents the United States does not go beyond the limits of football for him.
In the draw that was drawn on Friday in Doha, the Iranian team fell into Group B along with England and the United States, in addition to a team qualified from the European play-off (Wales, Ukraine or Scotland).
The Iranian team, ranked 21 in the world and first in Asia, is participating in the world finals for the third time in a row and the sixth in its history, but it has never gone beyond the group stage following it was satisfied with two victories once morest four draws and 9 defeats in 15 matches.
But Skocic, who has been in charge of the national team since February 2020, seemed optimistic following the draw that took place Friday in Doha, saying, according to what was reported by the state “IRNA” agency, “We will try to qualify. I have always said that we have a very good team and we may succeed in qualifying (to the final price). ) for the first time”.
The price of the final is for the two first places in each group, which means that the match of the last round of Group Two competitions scheduled for November 29 with the political opponent, the United States, may be decisive for Tim Melli.
The Iranians begin their Qatari career with a tough confrontation on the opening day of October 21 once morest England, the 1966 runner-up and European champion, in a match that may be out of their reach, unlike the second round meeting, which will be once morest Wales, Ukraine or Scotland.
The 53-year-old Croatian admitted that “England will be the toughest opponent”, noting that his team is good enough to “match the other two teams” in the group.
“I don’t care regarding political issues”
In the third round, the Iranians will go back to 1998 when they faced the Americans and won 2-1, to achieve their first victory in the world finals before adding the second in the last edition of 2018 in Russia during the first round at the expense of Morocco (1-0).
In the 1998 World Cup, Iran faced the United States in the second round, following losing the first once morest Yugoslavia 0-1, but the last test was very difficult, as it was combined with Germany, which emerged victorious 2-0, which made “Tim Melli” content with third place.
On facing the United States, the Croatian coach said, “I do not care regarding political issues related to the United States… There are matters between the two countries, but we will only think regarding football.”
The diplomatic relationship between Tehran and Washington has been cut since 1980, a year following the victory of the Islamic Revolution led by Imam Ruhollah Khomeini. Then, the relations between the two countries took the direction of confrontation with politics and witnessed an increase in tension during the era of Donald Trump (2017-2021) once morest the background of the Iranian nuclear program.
About a year ago, Iran and the powers that are still included in the 2015 agreement regarding Iran’s nuclear program (France, Britain, Germany, Russia and China) began talks in Vienna with the indirect participation of the United States, which withdrew unilaterally from it in 2018, seeking a new agreement. .
“As if we are playing at Azadi Stadium”
In early March, following 11 months of complex negotiations, it seemed almost imminent to reach an agreement in Vienna between the great powers and Iran to revive this agreement that is supposed to prevent the Islamic Republic from obtaining the atomic bomb.
However, negotiations were hampered by new conditions set by Russia in connection with the sanctions imposed by the West in response to its invasion of Ukraine. As soon as the Russian demands were achieved, this obstacle was removed, and the road seemed almost open to reaching an agreement, to the extent that Washington said regarding two weeks ago that it was “close” to achieving a breakthrough.
It is expected that the Iranian national team will enjoy great support from its fans in the Qatar World Cup because it is “similar to playing at home. There will be a lot of fans as if we are playing at Azadi Stadium (in Tehran),” according to Skocic.
© 2022 AFP
