World Cup 2018: Morocco vs Iran predicted line-ups and match preview – win or bust before outsiders face Spain and Portugal
SunSport looks at clash between the Atlas Lions who last reached the finals in 1998 and an Iran side for whom ex Man Utd No 2 Carlos Queiros bows out as boss after the tournament
MOROCCO are looking for a boost on the pitch after losing out to America in the race to host the 2026 World Cup.
Both teams will be looking to get a win on the board at Krestovsky Stadium in St Petersburg to have any chance of getting to the next round - as Spain and Portugal are the other teams in the group.
Iran have had pre-tournament friendlies cancelled but showed what they could do four years ago when they almost snatched a point from Argentina.
The nation expects:
Both of these teams are expected to struggle to get out of the group but they could cause a shock.
Iran coach Carlos Queiroz considers Morocco to be a “European team” with their talent and style of play.
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Queiroz, Alex Ferguson’s ex-No2, says his team are winners by just qualifying for Russia, enjoying their football and playing in the right manner.
KEY BATTLES/STAR MEN: Hakim Ziyech was born in Holland and went through the Dutch national team youth teams - but switched over to Morocco three years ago. He fits into Ajax’s system perfectly even though he came through the Academy at Heerenveen.
Masoud Shojaei is the Iran captain going to his fourth World Cup and it comes on the back of the midfielder winning the Greek league with AEK last season.
WEAKEST LINKS: Iran have history against them when it comes to getting out of the group as they have never made it to the knockout stages.
They will be organised but defending well will not be enough for them in this group.
Morocco are a strong team with a good mix of youth and experience. It will be a case if they can match Spain and Portugal’s possession play in their next two games.
LIKELY LINE-UPS AND TEAM TALK: Morocco will see it as a must-win game if they are to have any chance of getting out of the group.
Probable Morocco team: Monir - N Amrabat, Benatia, Saiss, Hakimi - El Ahmadi - Ziyech, Belhanda, Boussoufa, Harit - El Kaabi.
Iran boss Queiroz just has to tell his players to use all their hurdles as motivation. They had friendlies cancelled heading into the tournament for non-footballing reasons, then Nike refused to provide players with kit because of a US ban on trading with them.
Probable Iran team: Beiranvand - Rezaeian, Cheshmi, Pouraliganji, Mohammadi - Ebrahimi - Jahanbakhsh, Shojaei, Hajsafi, Dejagah - Azmoun.
Morocco's Road To Russia
QUALIFYING RESULTS:
Second Round
12/11/2015 Equatorial Guinea H 2-0
15/11/2015 Equatorial Guinea A 0-1
Third Round
08/10/2016 Gabon A 0-0
12/11/2016 Côte d'Ivoire H 0-0
01/09/2017 Mali H 6-0
05/09/2017 Mali A 0-0
07/10/2017 Gabon H 3-0
11/11/2017 Côte d'Ivoire A 2-0
TOP SCORERS:
4 Khalid Boutaib
2 Hakim Ziyech
1 Mimoun Mahi
MOST APPEARANCES:
8 Mounir El Kajoui
7 Medhi Benatia
6 Romain Saiss
BEST BET: It probably won’t be a goal-fest as Morocco did not conceded in qualification and Iran, who were the first Asian team to reach Russia, only let goals in a dead-rubber after their place at the tournament was secured. include Morocco as 5/4 favourites.
PREM TSAR IN THE MAKING: Hakim Ziyech has been superb for Ajax and looks like being on the move this summer. He is likely to join Roma, where he could catch the eye of Premier League teams as Mo Salah did with the Italians.
THE STAT THAT MATTERS: Morocco are considered the best team from Africa at the World Cup but Tunisia are above them in the FIFA rankings.
Iran's Road To Russia
QUALIFYING RESULTS:
Second Round
16/06/15 Turkmenistan A 1-1
03/09/15 Guam H 6-0
08/09/15 India A 3-0
08/10/15 Oman A 1-1
12/11/15 Turkmenistan H 3-1
17/11/15 Guam A 6-0
24/03/16 India H 4-0
29/03/16 Oman H 2-0
Third Round
01/09/16 Qatar H 2-0
06/09/16 China PR A 0-0
06/10/16 Uzbekistan A 1-0
11/10/16 Korea Republic H 1-0
15/11/16 Syria A 0-0
23/03/17 Qatar A 1-0
28/03/17 China PR H 1-0
12/06/17 Uzbekistan H 2-0
31/08/17 Korea Republic A 0-0
05/09/17 Syria H 2-2
TOP SCORERS:
11 Sardar Azmoun
8 Mehdi Taremi
2 Jalal Hosseini
MOST APPEARANCES:
17 Vajed Amiri
16 Mehdi Taremi
14 Ramin Rezaeian
