Can Dragan Skočić Recover Iran’s World Cup Qualification Chances?

The IR Iran national football team, also referred to as Team Melli, have had a poor start to their 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign, but all is not yet lost. Not if they can get their act together.

IR Iran is Asia's top-ranked team and shouldn't be where they find themselves today - four points off the top of their group, with their chances of qualifying in real jeopardy.

Things started well enough. In September last year, Iran won their opening game away against Hong Kong by 2-0. Their second game, in October, saw them beat Cambodia in a 14-0 route, a historic match in as much as it was the first time that women were allowed to enter the ground.

From there, unfortunately, things went downhill rapidly when later in October, they were beaten 1-0 away at Bahrain, followed by a 2-1 defeat away in Iraq. Such was the disappointment that coach, Marc Wilmots, was shown the door.

His replacement is the 52-year-old Croatian Dragan Skočić, former coach of Rayka Babol Football Club who play in the cup Iranian Azadegan League. He has got off to a good start when today (at the time of writing) Team Melli recorded a 3-0 victory at home to Syria.

They got off to an excellent start when, after just two minutes, Hossein Kanaanizadegan put the home side 1-0 up. Sardar Azmoun netted Iran's second in the 38th minute, with Karim Ansafifard making it 3-0 in the 81st minute.

26-year-old Sardar Azmoun plays his club football for Russian club Zenit Saint Petersburg, is the fourth high scorer ever for the national side with 32 goals to his credit. He is also the joint highest scorer on the Russian Premier League with 13 goals so far this season.

Last season he was top again with 19 goals. It puts him on a parr with some of the deadliest strikers in Europe, people like Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski. He may not play in La Liga or the Bundesliga, but the Russian Premier League is no small-time affair either.

To get back on target again, Iran needs to win its remaining games, which are:
● 3 June - home to Hong Kong
● 7 June - home to Iraq
● 11 June - away to Cambodia
● 15 June - home to Iraq

Certainly, Team Melli will need Azmoiun to be at his best, and the same goes for Karim Adil Ansarifard, who was once compared with Ali Daei, Iran’s greatest all-time scorer. If they can et their act together, there is still a chance that Team Melli can qualify.