Tehrantimes - Iran national team striker Reza Ghoochannejhad “Gucci” believes that they will have a difficult task against Uzbekistan in 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification tournament.

Team Melli will travel to Tashkent to face Uzbekistan on October 6 and will host South Korea five days later in Tehran’s Azadi Stadium.

Iran has been drawn along with South Korea, Uzbekistan, China, Qatar and Syria in Group A of the third round of the competition.

Asian powerhouse Japan has been pitted against Australia, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq and Thailand in Group B.

“I have been added to the national team Sunday night but I’ve heard our players have prepared well in their training camp in Armenia,” Ghoochannejhad said.

“We know how Uzbekistan is a good team, that’s why they sit top of Group A. We’ve already played against them and lost to them in Tehran, unfortunately,” he added.

Asked him if he is fully-ready to play against Uzbekistan, Ghoochannejhad said, “I had a tough day with SC Heerenveen but I am pretty sure I will be ready on Thursday,” Gucchi stated.

The winner and runner-up of each group (four teams in total) will qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, while the third-placed teams of each group (two teams in total) will head to the play-off round of the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

The winner of the Asian play-off round will then face twice the fourth-placed squad in the fifth round of the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) qualifying games.