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Iran football team moves past Uzbekistan 1-0 in pre-World Cup friendly

Sunday, 20 May 2018 7:23 AM [ Last Update: Thursday, 07 June 2018 5:32 PM ]

This picture shows a view of the friendly match between the Iran men's national football team (players in red) and Algeria at Azadi Stadium in western Tehran, Iran, on May 19, 2018.

The Iran men’s national football team, domestically known as Team Melli, has defeated Uzbekistan in a friendly fixture as part of its preparations for the 2018 Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup.

On Saturday evening, Team Melli beat the White Wolves 1-0 at Azadi Stadium in western Tehran.

Iranian footballer Rouzbeh Cheshmi, who currently plays for Iran's Persian Gulf Pro League club Esteghlal, found the back of the net with a header in the 16th minute.

The match gave Portuguese football coach Carlos Queiroz a chance to gauge his players as the 65-year-old is working on his 35-player squad ahead of the World Cup campaign.

This picture shows a view of the friendly match between the Iran men's national football team (players in red) and Algeria at Azadi Stadium in western Tehran, Iran, on May 19, 2018.

During the official 2018 FIFA World Cup draw ceremony at Kremlin State Palace in the Russian capital city of Moscow on December 1, Team Melli joined the Portugal national football team, nicknamed A Selecção, Spain’s La Furia Roja and Atlas Lions of Morocco in the preliminary round of the tournament.

The host nation, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Uruguay form Group A in the upcoming quadrennial international sports event.

France is drawn in Group C, and is pitted against Australia, Peru and Denmark.

Argentina, Iceland, Croatia and Nigeria are drawn in Group D.

Group E consists of Brazil, Switzerland, Costa Rica and Serbia.

While the 2014 FIFA World Cup champion Germany, Mexico, Sweden and South Korea shape Group F, Belgium, Panama, Tunisia and England are in Group G.

Brazil’s former defender Cafu displays the slip of Iran during the final draw for the 2018 FIFA World Cup football tournament at the Kremlin Palace, Moscow, Russia, on December 1, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

Group H has Poland, Senegal, Colombia and Japan.

The 2018 FIFA World Cup will take place from June 14 to July 15. Russia will open the event against Saudi Arabia in a Group A fixture at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium.

A total of 64 matches will be played in 12 venues located in 11 cities.

Iran will start its World Cup campaign against Morocco at Krestovsky Stadium in Saint Petersburg, Russia, on June 15.

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