By Mark Baber
September 7 – The Head of the Iranian Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, has slammed claims that the Iran-Syria game was fixed. Analysis of the game highlights confirms the Iranians made a determined effort to win.
Taj is quoted by the Tanim news agency as saying: “Syria has always been a strong rival for Iran football team. Our players did their best in the match against Syria but we conceded a late equalizer. There was no match-fixing.”
Rumours of a possible match-fixing conspiracy began before the game and stem largely from the close political ties between Iran and Syria. Iran had qualified before the game began and Syria sat on equal points with fourth-place Uzbekistan in the group table, only ahead on goal difference, and two points behind South Korea, with the Uzbeks kicking off simultaneously against the Koreans in Tashkent.
It is regularly the case that a team who has already qualified for a tournament is less motivated to win than a team who need the points desperately. However, analysis of the match highlights effectively excludes match-fixing for a number of reasons:
- If the match was to be fixed, the Iranians would have allowed the Syrians to win the game as a win would have given the Syrians a good chance of second spot in Group A and automatic qualification for the World Cup, rather than having to face Australia and then a team from CONCACAF in order to book their spot.
- The first Syrian goal came from a rebound from a save by the Iranian goalkeeper and was put away in the corner leaving the keeper no chance to save.
- Iran subsequently scored two goals and came very close to scoring more – only being kept at bay due to good saves by the Syrian goalkeeper and also by the crossbar on 57 minutes.
- The Iranian goalkeeper saved a Syrian free-kick on 76 minutes.
- On 89 minutes only an excellent save by the Syrian goalkeeper prevented Iran making the score 3-1 after an Iranian forward made a determined run and fierce shot on target.
- The Syrian equaliser came in the third minute of added on time, with less than two minutes to play. Any deliberate match-fixing attempt would hardly leave it so late.
- The equaliser came from a good move by Iran finished off effectively by Omar Al-Soma who slipped the ball between the keeper’s legs, with nothing suspicious in its execution.
Although the Syrian tears of joy at the equaliser were matched by Uzbek tears of sadness, any keyboard warriors hoping the result will be overturned by FIFA are unlikely to have their dreams fulfilled.
Syria now have a major task to defeat Australia over two legs in October, with the winner going into an intercontinental clash against the fourth-placed side from CONCACAF. After the USA failed to win against Honduras, the prospect of the USA being that fourth team now seems feasible which presents the interesting scenario of the Syrian players being refused visas to play in an away leg in President Trump’s USA.
The goal which earned Syria third place in their group can be viewed at: https://twitter.com/_DrOsama/status/905136609640710144
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