Tehran Times - Iran football team coach Dragan Skocic says that they will take nothing for granted against Lebanon.
Dragan Skocic’s side - who qualified for Qatar 2022 weeks ago - will welcome back Alireza Jahanbakhsh, who missed Thursday’s 2-0 defeat to Korea Republic due to COVID-19, while Sardar Azmoun is expected to lead the line in the absence of Mehdi Taremi, who also returned a positive test prior to the match in Seoul.
The match will be held in Mashhad's Emam Reza Stadium on Tuesday.
"We respect Lebanon but we are a stronger team, however, we will not take nothing for granted against them," Skocic said in the pre-match news conference.
"Our players must take the game seriously. We still have a chance to finish the group as leaders.
"Some people criticized the National Team for losing to South Korea in Seoul and I am happy the expectations have risen but we have already earned big wins against Iraq and Bahrain," he added.
"I don't want to make excuses but we played against Korea without our seven key players. But I am satisfied with what we have done in the qualification so far," Skocic concluded.