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Ours Is a tough bracket with spain and nigeria in it.

Good luck to them....I am proud of them already, no matter what happens next.

I'm also proud of them no matter what happens next.

As much as i wish for our team to advance all the way, my realistic prediction is that we will see Spain-Argentina final.

.. my realistic prediction is that we will see Spain-Argentina final.

I am not sure Aram jan...the thing about these young teams is that to some extend they are unpredictable, and although their talent and organizational skills will play a big role on how far they can go, I think another contributing factor is how much they believe in themselves.

Our boys have already exceeded the expectaions and are really pumped up ..... if they beat their next opponenet, we may see them in semi final.

Goooooooooooooo lads. :Ba-Honar:

Artie jon, few games that I have watched, i'm convinced that our team belongs up there on top 4.

However as a nuetral observer, I'm also convinced that spain is the class of this tournament.They are almost playing mistake free games.I do wish that if we play them, we come out winners,but that is a tough order.

Indeed a tough bracket and thanks for the heads-up Aram jaan. I think we just have to concentrate on the task at hand (i.e. Uruguay) and worry about Spain if and WHEN we get there.

Spain is definitely the top scoring team in the tournament, but they'd also be going up against the strongest defence in the rournament (Iran). They did struggle in the qualification round against teams with a strong defence, tying England, Belgium, France, Italy and Switzerland. In fact, they were knocked out of the competition in the 2nd round because of their three 2nd round ties, but since UEFA was allowed 6 spots, they still made it to the WC. Noteworthy, Netherlands finished 2nd in that competition, losing to Germany in the Final. The Netherlands and Germany both beat the top 2 teams from Spain's group in the semi's to make it to the final! So, I think there's hope :)

Indeed a tough bracket and thanks for the heads-up Aram jaan. I think we just have to concentrate on the task at hand (i.e. Uruguay) and worry about Spain if and WHEN we get there.

Spain is definitely the top scoring team in the tournament, but they'd also be going up against the strongest defence in the rournament (Iran). They did struggle in the qualification round against teams with a strong defence, tying England, Belgium, France, Italy and Switzerland. In fact, they were knocked out of the competition in the 2nd round because of their three 2nd round ties, but since UEFA was allowed 6 spots, they still made it to the WC. Noteworthy, Netherlands finished 2nd in that competition, losing to Germany in the Final. The Netherlands and Germany both beat the top 2 teams from Spain's group in the semi's to make it to the final! So, I think there's hope :)
Wow, I didn't know you followed U17 football that closely. That is a very impressive report. :looti:

LOL. I don't. I just use Wiki really well :)

, my realistic prediction is that we will see Spain-Argentina final.



Ok. This is to show how much I know about football.


Argentina was knocked out by 2 late goals ( columbia 3 argentina 2)



Turkiye also advanced to meet South Amricans in the next round.
Italy and Swiss will play the other game of that bracket.

Ok. This is to show how much I know about football.

Aram jan, like I said for this age group not every out come of a game is sort of predetermined like club or national level games.

I love to see the lads in semis....by the way, that could be another reason for people to pour into the streets. :drinking47:

Watching Spain - Bf

BF just scored tying goal.1-1 so far first half.

Where is Kasra? I haven't seen him around since the ashti konoon.

Goudarzi, the Iran curtain(FIFA.com) Wednesday 4 November 2009
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Iran have not conceded a single goal at the FIFA U-17 World Cup Nigeria 2009, 270 straight minutes of international-standard football. One of the main reasons for their stinginess in defence is centre-back Ali Goudarzi, whose athleticism, deft positioning and last-gasp tackling have helped the Persians to claim first place in Group C in Calabar.

"I am happy with my performances here so far," Goudarzi, who captained the team for the last 20 minutes of the game with Colombia and the entire match with the Netherlands, told FIFA.com over a lunch of Iranian delicacies at the team's hotel. "But, really, our whole team helps to defend our goal, from the front to the back. It is an entire team performance."


It makes a huge difference in our back line to have three players playing together at the same club. I know what they are going to do, where they will be, and how they want the ball.
Ali Goudarzi, on playing with his club mates


The Iranians arrived here in Nigeria with a fearsome reputation after edging Korea Republic to be crowned Asian U-16 champions last year. At those continental finals in Tashknt, their rearguard was just as ferocious as now, with the young Team Melli conceding just three goals in their six games at the continental finals.

"I have played with these defensive team-mates for a long time for both club and country," added Goudarzi, who forms the core of the Iranian national team efence here in west Africa along with Zob-Ahan club mates Bahman Maleki and Iman Shirazi. "For instance, I have been playing with [Iman] Shirazi for nearly five years. It makes a huge difference in our back line to have three players playing together at the same club. I know what they are going to do, where they will be, and how they want the ball. The importance of this cannot be underestimated in our team.

Playing in Group C alongside a depleted Gambia, underwhelming Netherlands and against impressive Colombia amid a teaming rainstorm that neutralised the South Americans' talented midfielders, Iran's defence will be up against a far sterner test when they take on Uruguay in the round of 16 on 5 November in Calabar. The Celeste managed only to sneak into the knockout stages, finishing third in Group F with one win and a draw, but they have in their side one of the top attacking players of these finals in Atletico Madrid starlet Sebastian Gallegos.

Grudging respect for Uruguay
Even so, Gouzardi - who took over the captain's armband from dropped attacker and club teammate Payam Sadeghian toward the end of the group campaign in what he calls "the greatest of honours" - is not fretting overly much. "We know Uruguay have some very good attacking players; if they didn't they wouldn't be here," admitted the sturdy back, however grudgingly. "But if they were as good as us, they would have finished top of their group instead of third," he added with a devilish grin.

Just before lunch at the hotel, balanced of the banks of the mighty Calabar River, the Iranian team could be heard performing their daily prayers. The sounds of their synchronised chanting filled the entire hotel and echoed through its modern, open hallways. "We pray to God every day as a team," says the defender, adding that the side dutifully perform their prayers five times each day. "Without his help we would not be able to do what we do on the pitch, and it also helps to bring us together as a team, as one."

The Iranians, in truth, will need more than faith when they take on the South Americans in an all-or-nothing clash. But if they are able to keep their stingy defensive record alive - and grab a goal or two in the bargain - they might just be able to push their way farther still into this U-17 showpiece. "I think we can reach the semi-finals," the confident and competent young player announces by way of conclusion. "This was our goal when we came here and once we've done that, we hope to go one step further and become world champions."

Very impressive.....before the next generation of "TM coaches" like Mr. Polar ruins these talented guys again...

Spain & Mexico off to the next round after beating Burkino Faso and Korea 3-1 and 1-0 respectively today. Iran's game coming up at 7 p.m. local time (1 p.m. EST). Spain will be out opponent in the next round,

Columbia beat Argentina 3-2 yesterday showing the strength of Iran's 1st round group. In other games, Tukrey defeaed UAE 2-0, Switzerland beat Germany 4-3 (extra time) and Italy beat the US 2-1.

ISP page says that Korea scored the equalizer min 92? So, it can't be 1-0 mexico behrou jan.

Talk about speaking too soon. Those matches were still in progress apparently! The spain game ended 4-1. Mexico and Korea are into extra time...

Thanks for the correction Pedram joon :)

BTW, match highlights of Iran's games so far (in order played):

Iran-Gambia: http://www.fifa.com/newscentre/videos/player.html#ch=u17nigeria&id=1123030

Iran-Columbia: http://www.fifa.com/newscentre/videos/player.html#ch=u17nigeria&id=1124910

Iran-Netherlands: http://www.fifa.com/newscentre/videos/player.html#ch=u17nigeria&id=1126234

Korea sends Mexico home on PK.

Iran 0 Uruguay 0 FT
Going to ET

If you guys have markazi TV ,you can watch it on screen

Damn, end of 1st ET, 1-0 Uruguay on goalie's mistake.

We are out. 1-2 final.

Dame bache ha garm. They had a good tournament.

Thanks for the update Aram jaan. That's heartbreaking and it was a very bad time to receive the 1st goal of the tournament. We do really need to instill that sense of nationalism in our athletes, once again. Hopefully the conditions in our country will pave the way for that sooner rather than later.

dame hamashoon garm. I watched most of the game. They played very well. It was an unfortunate goal. But nevertheless, very impressive.

Dameshon garm...we are proud of you.

I am proud of all of these young Iranians and they have my full support from now on.

Colombia pulled another last minute goal to tie turkiye and eventually beat them in PK. They are now officially king s of last minute goals and penalty kings.Kind of like perspolise has been for decades, albeit there is no evidence that officiating has had any role in Colombia's advance to semis.

Spain won on PK , beating Uruguay, after they were tied 3-3 at the end of regulation and ET.

Nigeria defeated Korea 3-1.

Stage is set for semis :

Semi-finals (thursday):
Colombia-Switzerland
Spain-Nigeria

Who would have thaught the final game will be between Swiss and nigeria???

they both won big:

Swiss 4 Columbia 0
Nigeria 3 Spain 0