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FIFA: Iran to play cautiously against N. Korea

Iran Materials 15 January 2011 09:26 (UTC +04:00)
Int'l Football Federation (FIFA) predicted Friday night Iranian National Football Team would play its 2nd match in preliminary round of Asian Football Cup Games against North Korea 'cautiously', IRNA reported.
FIFA: Iran to play cautiously against N. Korea

Int'l Football Federation (FIFA) predicted Friday night Iranian National Football Team would play its 2nd match in preliminary round of Asian Football Cup Games against North Korea 'cautiously', IRNA reported.

'The three times Asian Cup champions Iran feels sure it can win the 2011 cup after 35 years, but would play the Saturday evening game quite cautiously, so that it would step into the 2nd round of the games as the top team of its group', said in FIFA report.

Iran's Head Coach Afshin Qotbi says, 'Our players are very happy and ambitious, due to their first match win against the former cup cahpions.'
Assuring the nation that the Iranian footballers enjoy high self confidence, Qotbi added, 'They can decide about their future in games they play in these competitions.'

Iran passed through the dam of its old times competitor Iraq, beating them 2-1 in its first match at the Asian Football Cup, placing itself at the top of Group Four list and is scheduled to play against North Korea, against whom Iran has still experience no defeat.

Iran and North Korea have thus far played 16 games, in 13 of them Iran has won and the remaining three have ended equal.

Qotbi reiterated, 'Beyond doubt winning a team that has recently experienced presence at the World Cup is not an easy task and our players must play against them quite alertly.'

Speaking about his experience with the North Koreans, he said, 'Korea is a difficult team as they play defensive and all the same appear very brisk and combatant in counter attacks, which is dangerous for any team.'

The Iranian National Football Team's head coach added, 'I believe if our players would play in accordance with the tactics of the team's technical staffs, they can gain all three points of this match.'

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