World Cup qualifier: Iran captain expects the unexpected from India but their fans call for "6-0 minimum"

Bengaluru: It was not just one fan. At least half a dozen of them, with Iran flags in their hands and some with their faces painted, turned around and said “6-0 minimum” when Firstpost caught up with them after the team’s training session in Bengaluru. That’s the scoreline they want their team to win by against India in their World Cup qualifier on Tuesday in Bengaluru. Iran are currently third in Group D behind Oman and Guam but have a game in hand and are easily the highest ranked team in their group. [caption id=“attachment_2423606” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  ran National Football Team practice at Kanteerava Stadium ahead of the 2018 World Cup qualification match against India. PTI[/caption] Iran also happened to thump Guam 6-0 in their last game after Guam, a tiny island nation, had humbled India 2-1 in June. So, going by logic, Iran should beat India by an even bigger margin, right? Not according to Iran skipper Andranik Teymourian: “Every team has a unique personality. No doubt that we are the team at the top of the group and hopefully on Tuesday we can do the job. There is always the unexpected in football. India has a good national team and play well at home.” The 32-year-old admitted that Iran were quite tired after travelling a long way and training for an hour on the same day that they arrived but Asia’s top-ranked team should have no problems in disposing of a side that hardly troubled Oman or Guam in their two World Cup qualifiers so far. And this is a fact that hasn’t escaped Iran’s fans. An astounding 3000-plus Iranians are expected at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on 8 September, many of whom streamed into the stands on Sunday evening to witness their heroes train. It was a small group of three girls and a boy at first but as evening descended to dusk, a hundred voices came together to scream and chant the names of head coach Carlos Queiroz, midfielder Khosro Heydari and 20-year-old forward Sardar Azmoun. This should not just surprise, but even embarrass Indian fans. The atmosphere that the Iranians created made it feel like they were the home team. “Iranians throughout the world always give great support to the team, but we cannot forget that inside the pitch the players are the ones who make the destiny of the game,” Teymourian said. As soon as training was over, the Iranian team’s stars obliged fans with selfies and autographs. Meanwhile Sunil Chhetri, India’s captain, walked past the team and onto the pitch without being mobbed. “Iranians are crazy about football. Forget about the politics in the country, we are here to enjoy the football. The first exercise that any child in Iran does is football,” Imad, a 28-year-old who has lived in Bangalore for five years, told Firstpost. Like Imad, most Iranian fans don’t want to talk about how the nation’s football team manages to do so well as the country grapples with political turmoil. Like Imad, they also want to be known by just their first names. Milad, who is 21, flew all the way from Pune for the match. The computer science student says that Indians need to send their players out of the country if they are to have any sort of success in football. “Look at our team. Most of the players who will play against India on Tuesday will have had some European experience. That will be the different between the two teams,” he said. A lot of Iranian students come to study in Bangalore - and make it their city. They also raucously support Bengaluru FC during the I-League. If their support was such during a training session, it can only be imagined what it will be like during the match. One such student, Ali, says that they would love for India to do well and beat other teams to make it to the World Cup. “We live here for years and study so obviously there’s a bond. We can’t wait to see them win a few games and do well as an Asian team in world football, but tomorrow we are looking to witness some goals from our favourite Irani players,” he said. It took a magical moment from Lionel Messi for Argentina to beat Iran in the World Cup in Brazil last year. On Tuesday evening, India will need heart, resolve, collective skill and a few moments of magic to beat Iran. And India doesn’t have a Messi, or anyone close to him.