GOAL- 28 players have been
named for Iran's friendly match against Costa Rica on January 30 and the
first World Cup qualifier against Syria one week later.
While several players from UAE and Qatar League are included in the roster,
the only European based players are Mehdi Mahdavikia from Eintracht
Frankfurt, Andranik Teymourian from Bolton Wanderers and Leicester City's
Hossein Kaabi, although the latter is on the verge of leaving the English
Championship side.
Mahdavikia and Teymourian are expected to miss the Costa Rica friendly but
will feature play against Syria.
Ferydoon Zandi, who just recenently found a new club after being unemployed
for six months, the injured Javad Nekounam as well as Rahman Rezaei and
Vahid Hashemian, who both had asked not to be invited for the first round of
World Cup qualification, are prominent absentees.
Newly appointed head coach Javier Clemente will observe the test match
against Costa Rica from the stands before debuting in the first match on
Iran's way to South Africa 2010 against Syria on February 6.
Livescore