Iran vs. Hong Kong - [Match Thread] | World Cup 2026 Qualifier | November 16th |

[koko]

caught only the last 15min of the game....
looked a bit rushed but still a definite commanding performance with 2 late goals to boot...!
honestly shoulda been 4-5 goals if not for bad luck and dodgy ref decisions (why dafauq do they even assign an oriental looking ref for this fixture...? no doubt all the 50/50 decisions went HK way for the bit i saw of the game.!!)

Finally a TM Set-Piece goal .... wow how long its been since..? last i remember was Neku's vs SK ...!!
it sure helped that we kept the fking shot on frame.... i dont recall a set piece delivery that was on frame either..??

now where can i see a replay of the match please...!!??

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IX0O7aWCj3Q&ab_channel=Footballi

[The]

Can you explain how he wasn't poor because everyone else seems to agree he was either the worst or one of the worst performers today?

What did he do well?

Penetrated the HK defence through the middle in the first half more than any other player, had a good cross to Sardar that should have been a goal, tracked back defensively killing a couple of HK counters.

I don't think he had a great performance, but it also wasn't "drop him from the team" bad either.

Mohebbi outside of his assist was worse. Ramin was awful, no good crosses, plenty of misplaced passes.

anyways it doesn't matter, his no contact injury didn't look good based on his reaction, so the ARJ haters will get their wish watching Basiji boy run around the pitch with his head down and give zero effort defensively covering for an awful Ramin.

[Abtin]

the pitch was so wet and slippery, if a player got injured it would have been so embarrassing for the stadium officials

you think they care? 😂 let me introduce you to IR 🤝

[perspolis#1]

I like how for the past three years or four years we have continuously seen Ezatolahi, ARJ, and HJ commit sooti after sooti and head coaches keep favoring them to start. Then they wonder why we lose to teams like South Korea. Am I being gaslighted? Or is there something special about Ezatolahi and HJ that demands them to stay on?

For every good pass Eza has 3 slips, poor passes, and the movement of a turtle

For Ezatolahi people assume his passing range/physicality means he is an autolock but got his ceiling is not so high it cant be replaced.

The only player today I felt was press resistant enough and could not be overrun was Ghoddos. 3-4 times Ezatolahi slipped and gave up counter attacks and if any half decent team got up they would make us pay.

Based on this I would say Ezatolahi absolutely cannot be a lone DM and would be overrun at a higher level. He needs someone next to him.


For Hajsafi I have no words to be honest, he will be 36 at the next world cup and will be torn apart by any pacy winger by then. He even struggled against Hong Kong's Cameroonian striker today for pace.

[Hosseini]

I think you guys are reading too much into this meaningless game.

The bigger tragedy is we have a coach who feels like his job is on the line game by game and takes no risk to give opportunities to younger, new players. That will stifle any development for the future and reveals the major limitations of the IFF and Taj who have put this pressure over GN.

[perspolis#1]

The most frustrating thing for me was the final third decision making which was atrocious and our players keep trying to outdo each other with stupid acrobatic bicycles or backheels.

When Mohebbi and Taremi did bicycle kicks at the same time next to each other and hit each other and both missed the ball I thought I was watching an "African Cup of Nations funniest football moments compilation"

Thoughts on players:

Torabi> Mohebbi
Ghoddos is the best midfielder of Iran
Taremi has some selfish moments he takes for us because he probably feels boxed out at Porto
Alireza Jahanbakhsh doesn't have the speed/discipline to play the position he plays for us(RW) might do better at RM if at all

[mehdi13]

I like how for the past three years or four years we have continuously seen Ezatolahi, ARJ, and HJ commit sooti after sooti and head coaches keep favoring them to start. Then they wonder why we lose to teams like South Korea. Am I being gaslighted? Or is there something special about Ezatolahi and HJ that demands them to stay on?

For every good pass Eza has 3 slips, poor passes, and the movement of a turtle

Ezatolahi is a fucking joke. His level is literally Danish 2nd division, zoor bezanim mitunim begim bottom half 1st division. He must be sending checks to the posters who have been saying “best midfielder in Iran” for years and years. Khaste shodim!

[Nokhodi]

My new Doc Rivers Gif replacement.

[Hosseini]

My new Doc Rivers Gif replacement.

Can't even blame him. There were some very frustrating scenarios like when Sardar gave up a 1v1 to pass to an offside Eza for a tap in? He did the same thing in the Wales game during the WC

[PSGman#19]

I think you guys are reading too much into this meaningless game.

The bigger tragedy is we have a coach who feels like his job is on the line game by game and takes no risk to give opportunities to younger, new players. That will stifle any development for the future and reveals the major limitations of the IFF and Taj who have put this pressure over GN.

No need to find any excuse to GN. The guy is just too incompetent to realize some young players are just better option than a 39 y o, even for short term objectives.

Fortunately he will be gone after AC

[Hosseini]

No need to find any excuse to GN. The guy is just too incompetent to realize some young players are just better option than a 39 y o, even for short term objectives.

Fortunately he will be gone after AC

I'm not giving any excuses, that's just how power works and the situation is. He's not set up to succeed. Everyone saw what happened to Skocic and now feels like they need to go full force every game to show zero weakness. It's disastrous for young players

[inarsenewetrust]

Penetrated the HK defence through the middle in the first half more than any other player, had a good cross to Sardar that should have been a goal, tracked back defensively killing a couple of HK counters.

I don't think he had a great performance, but it also wasn't "drop him from the team" bad either.

Mohebbi outside of his assist was worse. Ramin was awful, no good crosses, plenty of misplaced passes.

anyways it doesn't matter, his no contact injury didn't look good based on his reaction, so the ARJ haters will get their wish watching Basiji boy run around the pitch with his head down and give zero effort defensively covering for an awful Ramin.

Don’t make things up man. Torabi hustle on defense is one of his best assets, his passing is excellent.

Arj was awful, tripping over himself on multiple occasions, poor decision making, way too many touches. Like I have said before, vs any level opponent when he complicates his game it gets way worse. The fact he can’t recognize this consistently with all his eu experience is concerning.

re mohebbi I thought he had a solid first half, and a great assist. After he missed the open goal his performance went off a cliff, from a mentality standpoint I find that concerning

[perspolis#1]

It was player decision making that was garbage,
GN with scared subs that are garbage and
Iranian media scaring GN into those scared lineups and subs which is garbage.

If GN subbed in Hazbavi at DM or even Cheshmi it would make more sense.

[BacheLot]

Was it just me or had Azmoun regained his old speed back?

true noticed that too... but you can also clearly see lack of sharpness in his finishing dept which is the result of riding the goddamn bench too long and lacking that sharper edge and killer instinct in last touches.... shoulda had at least 2 more goals in the final 15min of the game...dont know about the rest yet ...?
now if that chicken-shitt for a coach in Rome ever give him proper playing minutes we will hopefully see him soon get back to his old zenit greatness which made him the transfer target of most elite clubs of EU..!!

[mehdi13]

Wow I can’t believe some of the things I’m reading. Sgohcic had Ozone but GN has an army. I guess that’s why he’s called general. Jesus Christ…