Yomiuri
Sportswriter - With three continental titles in
the trophy cabinet, few nations revere the Asian Cup like
Japan's most experienced Group D rival, Iran.
Yet since 1976--when the Ali Parvin-led team captured its
record-breaking third straight championship--the Iranians
have been unable to match the achievements of the past.
As each tournament has gone by, the burden of history has
grown greater and greater in the football-mad nation.
The Islamic Revolution and an eight-year war with Iraq
left Iran as an also-ran in the 1980s, but since then the
country has gone through a renaissance.
Iran has captured the Asian Games gold medal three times
since 1990, but a fourth Asian Cup has remained elusive.
With Ali Daei, Karim Bagheri and Khodadad Azizi to the
fore, Mohammed Mayeli Kohan's side went close in 1996 in
the United Arab Emirates, reaching the semifinals before
losing to eventual champion Saudi Arabia.
Four years later, South Korea ended Iran's challenge one
stage sooner.
China 2004 presents the last hope for Daei, a living
legend in his homeland, to win the trophy he craves.
After appearing at the World Cup in France in 1998,
playing in the final of the Champions League with Bayern
Munich the following year and being named Asian Player of
the Year in 2000, there is little left for the
35-year-old to achieve.
However, winning the Asian Cup remains a dream for Daei,
yet doubts exist over whether coach Branko Ivankovic has
the squad to deliver.
Daei is joined by the reigning Asian Player of the Year
Mehdi Mahdavikia, who plays his club football at SV
Hamburg, the mercurial Ali Karimi and Atsushi
Yanagisawa's new Messina teammate, rugged defender Rahman
Rezaei.
The team has a formidable backbone and comes into the
tournament ranked as Asia's No. 2 team on the FIFA
rankings, behind South Korea, and having secured the West
Asian Championship title on home soil last month.
On-field discipline has long plagued the Iranians but, if
Ivankovic can encourage his players to keep their
emotions in check, the title could be heading for Tehran
for the first time in 28 years.--Michael Church
Japan and Iran meet in the final Group D game on July 28
at 9 p.m. Japan time.
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