Xinhuanet - The niggling injury of ace
striker Ali Daei adds woes to the suspension-depleted Iran ahead of the
crucial clash with Japan, which is to decide who will top group D of the
Asian Cup tournament.
"I slightly twisted my ankle against Thailand and probably aggravated it in
the game against Oman," said Daei, who was noticeably out-of-sorts in
Saturday's controversial 2-2 draw with the Asian Cup debutants.
The game with title holders Japan will be held on Wednesday and Iran need at
least a draw to secure a berth for the quarterfinals.
The three-time champions can ill-afford to loss of Daei's experience given
they are almost certain to be without Italy-based center back Rahman Rezaei
and right sided Olympic team defender Ali Badavi, who received a two-match
ban for coming to blows during the Oman game, and injury-time hero Mohammad
Nosrati, suspended for four games for stamping on Oman's two-goal striker
Imad Ali in the same match.
"It will make things more difficult against Japan but we know this Iran
squad has good players who will be able to come into these positions," said
Daei.
The talismanic target man, who is five away from becoming the first player
to hit a century of international goals, continued by expressing his anger
that the Iranians seem to be being portrayed as the villains of the
tempestuous clash with Oman.
"Everything that has been written about this match is always about what Iran
has done. Why, for example, is there nothing aboutthe linesman who failed to
flag for Oman's opening goal which was clearly offside?"
There were also voices of dissent from the Iranian camp about what they
perceived to be the young Omani side's somewhat cynical efforts to run down
the clock, with even head coach Ivankovic calling for stop of this kind
action at the post match press conference.
