Tehran Times - Iran national football team are looking forward to begin the final round of the 2022 World Cup qualification on high.
Iran are to play Syria in Group A on Thursday in Tehran’s Azadi Stadium and Dragan Skocic wants to start the campaign with a win against West Asian heavyweights Syria, since the Persian have a difficult task ahead in the upcoming matches.
Old foe South Korea, archrivals Iraq, the UAE and Lebanon are also in the group.
Iran are a team with a lot of confidence at the moment after winning their previous five games in a row and they have managed to do that with real style and flair.
Skocic’s team have kept four clean sheets in matches against Hong Kong, Cambodia, Bahrain and Iraq in June in the second round.
Syria have never actually qualified for the World Cup, which is something that they will look to change.
The 12 teams are divided into two groups of six, with the winners and runners-up of each group qualifying, while the third-placed teams will advance to the Asian playoff to determine the side that will advance to the intercontinental playoff
The action begins on Sept. 2 with an exciting clash in Group A when FIFA World Cup regulars Korea Republic host Iraq in what is expected to be a thrilling duel at the Seoul World Cup Stadium at 8pm (local time).
Iran, who are aiming for their sixth appearance in the FIFA World Cup, face Syria, who will be aiming to maintain their fine form from Round 2 of the Asian Qualifiers, at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran at 8.30pm