AFC Asia U23 2026

[Artaxerxes]

have a feeling, they were forced to sing the shitty IRI anthem this time...

110% , they looked like they wanted to throw up

[Super Shojaei]

lebanon scored 1-0 reza gandiphour handball

uzbekistan lead korea 1-0

[Super Shojaei]

uzbekistan 2-0 up

[Nokhodi]

If you can't score you will be eliminated. Team plays well until the last touch. Finishing very poor.
With the situation in Iran, I am not going to expect more at this stage.

[a_m]

This team was not trying to score they did not want to celebrate, they came To lose , they lose against Lebanon?!?! The weakest team ?

this was supposed to be the easy game ?!? No

[PEJ]

Hosseinnejad didn’t even play in this game. Subbed off the first 2 games. Wasn’t a factor at all in the games he played. I know a lot of people champion him because of his high technical ability, but we really need to pump the brakes on that one. At this point I much rather have guys like Raz or Latifi getting called up to TM.

[Pluto2000]

Hosseinnejad didn’t even play in this game. Subbed off the first 2 games. Wasn’t a factor at all in the games he played. I know a lot of people champion him because of his high technical ability, but we really need to pump the brakes on that one. At this point I much rather have guys like Raz or Latifi getting called up to TM.

Its not his fault, ravankah was parking the bus all 3 games and went with the tall and physical players

[PEJ]

Its not his fault, ravankah was parking the bus all 3 games and went with the tall and physical players

Did you watch the games? There was no parking the bus. We had over 60 percent possession vs Uzbekistan and Korea. Over 70 percent vs Lebanon. In the minutes that were played Rostami looked a lot better than Hosseinnejad going forward. Problem with him is that he disappear way too much in the games. His work rate off the ball is not very good either. The type of player he is currently doesn’t really exist in modern football. Similar to the old number 10.

[Super Shojaei]

Hosseinnejad didn’t even play in this game. Subbed off the first 2 games. Wasn’t a factor at all in the games he played. I know a lot of people champion him because of his high technical ability, but we really need to pump the brakes on that one. At this point I much rather have guys like Raz or Latifi getting called up to TM.

i think you are correct

many including myself wanted him to start for team melli but he was unable to produce against a south korean side that were relatively weak according to koreans themselves (they conceded 2 to lebanon and uzbekistan) and didnt do it when it mattered against Uzbekistan - if he wants to be TM material he needs to produce when it matters on the big occasions

i cant even remember when this guy had 1 decent game against a top 5 asian opponent? seems like his consistency flaws are very much an issue - goes missing too much and lacks end product

i understand the boys were under huge pressure and i respect that but to lose to Lebanon who'd never won a match at u23 asian cup before in their history is a huge shambles they really shouldve done better. this tournament was the last chance for the young players to make a mark before the world cup. The uzbekistan team only had players aged 18-20! Considering lebanon had conceded 7 in 2 matches we really shouldve done better


future is looking bad upfront especially hard to see where the replacement for azmoun or taremi will be in the future.

Granted in goalkeeper and defence we looked good just no real ideas upfront .

And Saudi Arabia for their billions invested managed a 1-0 defeat to Vietnam and a 3-2 defeat to Jordan .

seems like east asian teams have been outperforming this tournament big win for china v Australia too

[Kavian]

In light of what is happening in Iran and out of respect and gratitude for our young heros who have lost their lives on the path of freedom for our country, there is really no point in talking about football until this barbaric regime is in garbage can of history.

[Nokhodi]

In light of what is happening in Iran and out of respect and gratitude for our young heros who have lost their lives on the path of freedom for our country, there is really no point in talking about football until this barbaric regime is in garbage can of history.

It is pointless, but I don't want to police anyone's comments.
We can discuss both I think. Obviously what's happening in Iran is more important.

[Super Shojaei]

It is pointless, but I don't want to police anyone's comments.
We can discuss both I think. Obviously what's happening in Iran is more important.

Under the pressure I can forgive bad results to Korea and Uzbekistan the boys must be f’ed mentally

but losing to Lebanon who themselves have faced countless civil wars and an actual ground invasion by Israel last year is a shame

and nations like Syria who’ve gone through god knows what in the last 10 years managed to pick up more points with a lesser squad and harsher circumstances to overcome

but Yeah of course the people who’ve lost their lives come first and foremost

[Nokhodi]

Under the pressure I can forgive bad results to Korea and Uzbekistan the boys must be f’ed mentally

but losing to Lebanon who themselves have faced countless civil wars and an actual ground invasion by Israel last year is a shame

and nations like Syria who’ve gone through god knows what in the last 10 years managed to pick up more points with a lesser squad and harsher circumstances to overcome

but Yeah of course the people who’ve lost their lives come first and foremost

U23 losing to Lebanon is tale as old as time.
I remember a U23 team with Ali Karimi, Mahdavikia, Yazdani, and other TM players losing to Bahrain and Lebanon U23s for Sydney 2000 qualifiers.
We suck at this level because we don't take it seriously over the long term.

[a_m]

U23 losing to Lebanon is tale as old as time.
I remember a U23 team with Ali Karimi, Mahdavikia, Yazdani, and other TM players losing to Bahrain and Lebanon U23s for Sydney 2000 qualifiers.
We suck at this level because we don't take it seriously over the long term.

This time I have to disagree with you. This team was really really strong. Uzbekistan, has been traveling the world the past 2 years getting ready for this tournament, they played a whole series of games in Argentina, and Uruguay, still iran played much better than Uzbekistan and they could’ve have beat Uzbekistan in that game ..

but you could just tell this team. Maybe the players talked about it privately they did not want to win a game or score a goal they just didn’t want to celebrate because of everything happening in Iran ….

any for ppl who think differently, please understand , we just saw what will happen to TM in the World Cup …

I will guarantee you we aren’t going to win a single games , unless something serious happens in terms of the country , if these IRI ppl still in charge we not going to win a single game , no way , the players know it too , you going to see a whole bunch of mystery injures and players sudden can’t make or last minute

GN was in Saudi to basically scout this team so just in case that happens he takes this team there , but these players showed that , they pretty much ain’t going to play for them either , so we screwed unless everything changes

New Zealand very beatable team I watched 2 games for Egypt’s at Afcon they are a very beatable team too so

[Nokhodi]

This time I have to disagree with you. This team was really really strong. Uzbekistan, has been traveling the world the past 2 years getting ready for this tournament, they played a whole series of games in Argentina, and Uruguay, still iran played much better than Uzbekistan and they could’ve have beat Uzbekistan in that game ..

but you could just tell this team. Maybe the players talked about it privately they did not want to win a game or score a goal they just didn’t want to celebrate because of everything happening in Iran ….

any for ppl who think differently, please understand , we just saw what will happen to TM in the World Cup …

I will guarantee you we aren’t going to win a single games , unless something serious happens in terms of the country , if these IRI ppl still in charge we not going to win a single game , no way , the players know it too , you going to see a whole bunch of mystery injures and players sudden can’t make or last minute

GN was in Saudi to basically scout this team so just in case that happens he takes this team there , but these players showed that , they pretty much ain’t going to play for them either , so we screwed unless everything changes

New Zealand very beatable team I watched 2 games for Egypt’s at Afcon they are a very beatable team too so

Disagree. This is the worst U23 team we have ever had.
Look at the previous U23s and look at the players in them.