Iranian defender misses Team Melli’s other World Cup clashes due to injury
Versatile defender of the Iran men’s national football team Rouzbeh Cheshmi has been ruled out of the 2018 Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup in Russia after suffering an injury during a training session.
Cheshmi, who plays as a defender for Team Melli as well as Persian Gulf Pro League club Esteghlal, sustained a muscle injury a few days ago.
The 24-year-old, who played a pivotal role in Team Melli’s 1-0 win over the Atlas Lions of Morocco at Saint Petersburg Stadium on June 15, will be sidelined for four weeks.
Iran will face Spain at Kazan Arena on Wednesday in its second Group B fixture.
Cheshmi’s absence now means Iran head coach Carlos Queiroz has to reshuffle his line-up.
Mohammad Reza Khanzadeh, Pejman Montazeri and Seyed Majid Hosseini are among the options.
During the official 2018 FIFA World Cup draw ceremony at Kremlin State Palace in the Russian capital city of Moscow on December 1 last year, the Iran football team 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.
Group H has Poland, Senegal, Colombia and Japan.
The 2018 FIFA World Cup kicked off on June 14 and will run through July 15. Russia opened the event against Saudi Arabia in a Group A fixture at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium. The hosts won the match 5-0.
A total of 64 matches will be played in 12 venues located in 11 cities.
Iran started its World Cup campaign against Morocco at Krestovsky Stadium in Saint Petersburg, Russia, on June 15.
The Iranians were gifted a 1-0 win over Atlas Lions when Moroccan striker Aziz Bouhaddouz thumped a powerful header into his own net five minutes into injury time.
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