Reuters - Iran keeper Ebrahim Mirzapour gifted
Mexico a goal when he failed to clear in Sunday's Group D match but their
coach insists there will be no more presents.
Branko Ivankovic has pledged that Portugal, who Iran meet on Saturday, would
not be handed the sort of chance that allowed Mexico to take a 2-1 lead
before winning 3-1.
"We gave one excellent gift to Mexico and they used it 100 percent," he told
reporters. "If you get such a chance you use it, especially with such high
quality players like Mexico."
"It is very difficult to recover from that. "We will try not to make it
again against Portugal."
Iran played an intelligent game for about 65 minutes but Mexico's second
goal took the wind out of their sails and they quickly conceded a third as
they slumped to defeat.
"We played very well in the first half and we could have solved a lot of
problems (then)," Ivankovic said. "When you create an opportunity you have
to grab it and we did not."
Iran equalised eight minutes after Mexico went ahead in the 28th minute and
seemed in control before falling behind again in the 76th. The third goal
came just three minutes later.
"Now we concentrate on Portugal who are of course the favourites," said
Ivankovic. "But this is football and you never know what can happen."
Portugal, who beat Angola 1-0, and Mexico have three points so Iran need to
win on Saturday to keep alive their hopes of reaching the second round.
"They (Portugal) have good players but anything can happen at the World
Cup," said Ivankovic, who helped steer Croatia to third place at the 1998
finals.
