Iran plays VS Wales: live update

This has been a performance befitting their manager Queiróz’s dapper outfit. The Portuguese manager has shown that his team can play some nice football and are tough to break down. He will have restored some pride to this Iran team after losing 6-2 to England in their opening match.

Page, who has channelled his inner PE teacher, donning a t-shirt and tracksuit trousers, will know his team should have done more with all their possession.

His race is run and Ali Karemi is brought on to replace him. While he was getting treatment Rob Page ran down the tunnel for perhaps a toilet break?

Ben Davies has a got shot denied by Hosseini moments later.

83 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran

Gholizadeh, Hajsafi and Nourollahi make way for Torabi, Cheshmi and Jahanbakhsh for Iran.

Allen comes on for Ampadu for the Welsh.

80 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran

There have been four goalless draws so far:

• Uruguay vs South Korea
• Morocco vs Croatia
• Mexico vs Poland
• Denmark vs Tun

A couple of corners in quick succession as Iran pile on the pressure on their opponents. Gholizadeh puts a fine ball in but it’s headed away by Moore.

Carlos Queiroz will be kicking himself if his team don’t take the lead from all these chances they’ve been creating.

75 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran

Iran are pressuring but it’s still 0-0 [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]

Rezaeian raises his hand to the skies as Hennessey makes an excellent save to deny Iran yet again.

The Wales keeper is having an excellent game but can Wales hold under this pressure from Iran?

A strong performance by the Wales keeper [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]

The midfielder is on the bench but not fully fit and the Dragons could do with his calm in the middle of the field. They’ve been too easy to play through in this game and Iran are living in the Welsh half.

Can’t be too long before they find a breakthrough. Gholizadeh is finding so much space on the right.

72 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran

He makes an obvious move of his arm towards the ball but neither the referee or linesman spotted it. Iran are raging but the decision is a Welsh throw.

Karim Ansarifard eventually comes on for Azmoun.

69 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran

Both teams are searching for a winner now – a moment of individual brilliance could make all the difference.

An Iran corner goes straight to the hands of the Wales keeper and you feel like Team Melli need to capitalise in this period of dominance. A quick ball upfield comes straight back and Iran hit Wales on the counter for the umpteenth time but Taremi doesn’t make the most of it.

The resulting Hajsafi corner misses everyone.

65 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran

He goes down for the third time with a knock but remarkably continues. Karim Ansarifard looks like he’s about to come on but is stood down.

62 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran

Johnson and James are on for Wilson and Roberts. Page needed to do something to wake his team up.

58 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran

A Harry Wilson free-kick in a decent possession is headed away without difficulty, and Iran pour forward in numbers but the play breaks down. They smell blood here as Wales just about holding on.

Hajsafi has a shot from just inside the box blocked by Mepham.

56 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran 

Iran have made 10 interceptions so far, compared with three by Wales.

They are really breaking up any fluidity in this Wales performance, despite Wales boasting 65 percent possession.

Wales must have nine lives as Iran hit the post twice in quick succession. Azmoun was the first and Gholizadeh the second, with Hennessey eventually getting hold of the ball.

So, so close there.

53 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran

Wayne Hennessey was saved by the post, twice [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]

Iranian fans can’t believe it as the ball hit the post twice! The second strike was an absolute peach.

Wales’ fans look worried – will that scare have awoken the Welsh Dragons?

The Dragons are too casual with the ball by their own box and a misplaced Ramsey pass almost puts Iran away. They have been guilty of that a couple of times in this game.

49 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran

Iran get this half of football going again, this time attacking left to right on television screens.

No changes for either side.

46 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran

A friendly atmosphere in the stands and on the pitch (10:56 GMT)

It’s been a tough tackling first half. Still, overall, the players have been incredibly respectful to each other, with the Iranian players immediately checking on any Wales players who take a heavy knock.

The same can be said for the stands where fans of both teams sit together.

Wales vs Iran Group B, FIFA World Cup 2022 at Ahmad bin Ali stadium, in Al Rayyan, 
Qatar November 25 [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]

A tight, tight game is reflected in the scoreline at half-time. Iran have come the closest to scoring and had one chalked off despite Wales dominating possession.

Expect things to open up a bit more as the game approaches the latter stages as both sides really need three points to make progression a realistic prospect.

A great ball in from Iran’s right is being reached for by Azmoun but he can’t quite get there. Any touch would have been a goal most likely.

Rodon picks up a yellow for a foul on Taremi. Hajsafi takes a better free-kick but is eventually cleared.

48 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran

Possession is being exchanged rather too easily for either manager’s liking, you’d suspect, after a bit of head tennis in the middle of the park. Both teams cancel each other out and their respective FIFA rankings of 19 and 20 in the world seem apt.

Four additional minutes were added on.

45 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran

It’s been a stalemate so far [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]

The Wales fans have really turned out en masse. Most of them are basking in relentless sunlight behind Hennessey’s goal.

They’ll be happy they brought those bucket hats.

44 mins Wales 0-0 Iran

Rob Page’s team are throwing more men forward and, in particular trying, to overlord the wide areas. Team Melli are dealing with all the crosses sent their way and seem happy to play direct and quick forward with the possession they get.

Hajsafi takes a free-kick from range but his ball is too high and long for his on running teammates.

41 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran

Wales currently boast 68 percent of the possession as they start to assert some dominance in this match.

However, Iran have had the best chance with the disallowed goal.

38 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran

The game enters a bit of a lull and it’s hard to imagine either set of players are enjoying the heat on offer. Wales probe forward but a hopeful ball from Harry Wilson on the overlap can’t be properly controlled by Bale.

Iran are still looking the more dangerous in the counter and nearly get in behind the Welsh high line, but Rodon intervenes.

35 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran

Azmoun and Rodon have been battling it out all game [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]

Ramsey – still lacking some fitness – is looking a little off the mark today.

He whips in a flat free kick, much to the disappointment of the Welsh fans.

31 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran

They’re holding onto the ball but struggling to make any inroads once they progress near the Iran box. Ampadu wins a free-kick eventually but the delivery from Ramsey is too low and easily cleared.

32 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran

Iran’s Azmoun takes some time to recover from a knock, and the players jump at the opportunity to drink some water.

This is a hot day – and you can’t help but think it will play to Iran’s advantage.

27 mins Wales 0-0 Iran

Azmoun receiving treatment by the medical staff [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]

The forward is getting a once-over from the medical team and it seems like a good time for everyone to take a water break. There was no one near him when he went down, which is never a good sign, but he gets back up to play on.

28 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran

A hard but fair-looking challenge from Ramin Rezaeian sees Williams’ knees collide. He looks in some pain but is able to continue, by the looks of things.

26 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran

Rezaeian clattered into Williams, who was left limping after the challenge.

But it was Rezaeian who alerted the referee of the incident so he could stop play.

Heartwarming to see!

25 mins Wales 0-0 Iran

Iran’s Ramin Rezaeian [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]

Every time Iran win the ball back they seem to be able to charge through the middle of Wales’s team unchallenged. They win a free kick from one of these breaks but Azmoun heads wide.

23 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran

Iran’s Sardar Azmoun and Wales’ Joe Rodon [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]

Harry Wilson whips in a set-piece from the edge of the Iran box near the touchline, but Hosseini punches his delivery away. Team Melli almost counter on Wales immediately afterwards and they’re looking the most likely to open the scoring.

20 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran

Iran fans celebrated a goal which the referee at first allowed but which was then correctly ruled offside by VAR.

To be fair to Iran fans, even FIFA thought they had scored!

It looks like a lovely bit of play from Iran after a mistake by Roberts but Gholizadeh’s goal is ruled out for offside. He ran ahead of the ball there, and the Welsh wingback will be mightily relieved.

16 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran

Gholizadeh found the net but he was offside [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]

Connor Roberts gets a great ball in for Kieffer Moore but he’s on the stretch as he shoots and it goes directly at Hossein Hosseini. The striker gets an accidental boot in the face but looks OK after receiving some treatment.

14 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran

A measured start from both teams so far. The fans of both teams are in good voice, though. Welsh bucket hats are visible across vast swaths of the stadium.

The hat became popular during Wales’s Euro 2016 heroics when they reached the semi-finals.

14 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran

Wales fans inside Ahmad bin Ali stadium [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera] 

Gholizadeh goes for a wander down Wales’s right handside, and then cuts inside dangerously. Some intricate play from Iran doesn’t lead to a chance but they’re showing up here.

10 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran

Rob Page’s side are having much more of the ball than they did in the first half against the USA. Iran have had some dangerous breaks themselves though, and for now, these look like two well-matched teams.

6 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran

It’s been a tight match so far [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]

Queiroz is dressed in a slick suit today as he urges Team Melli on from the sidelines.

They lost their first game 6-2 to England and showed little of the grit and organised defensive organisation that made them so difficult to beat in earlier tournaments.

It looks hot in the Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium as the sun shines in the heat of midday. It doesn’t stop Neco Williams though, who cuts inside from the left but his long-range shot drifts wide.

3 mins: Wales 0-0 Iran

Wales vs Iran Group B, FIFA World Cup 2022 at Ahmad bin Ali stadium, in Al Rayyan, 
Qatar November 25
 [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]

Wales gets us under way wearing all red, playing left to right on television screens. Iran are in their white strip with green and red trim.

Here we go!

Wales players line up arm in arm, Ramsey’s peroxide blond hair glistening in the hot, early afternoon sun. The Wales fans give an excellent rendition of the anthem and Bale gives them a clap.

Most of the Iranian players sang the anthem with varying degrees of enthusiasm. The camera cuts to an Iranian fan crying in the stands.

The game is soon under way!

Iran’s starting XI [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]

A win today for Carlos Queiroz would blow Group B wide open, and Mehdi Taremi’s firepower upfront will be key to achieving that. The 30-year-old striker is currently joint top scorer in the tournament with two along with Ferran Torres, Bukayo Saka, Olivier Giroud, Richarlison and Enner Valencia.

A heated exchange between an Iranian-American couple and stadium security in Doha has taken place before kickoff.

Yasi – who did not wish to reveal her second name – and her husband were holding a banner in solidarity with Iranian protesters after taking their seats at the stadium.

The banner contained the green, white and red tricolours of the Iranian national flag with the words “woman life freedom” along the centre.

Tournament security police took the banner away from the visibly distraught man, who filmed the scene on his mobile.

His wife kept her t-shirt which had a similar message of solidarity. She broke down in tears after the exchange and yelled, “Why aren’t we allowed to protest?”. They remained in the stadium to watch the match.

The banners held by the Iranian-American couple [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]

If you haven’t heard it yet, give this Dafydd Iwan banger a spin. Goosebumps guaranteed no matter where you’re from.

Their 6-2 drubbing at the hands of England would have come as a bit of a shock for a team who entered this tournament ranked 20 in the world and managed by the defensively minded Carlos Queiroz.

However, the two goals they did manage to get via Porto’s Mehdi Taremi give them at least some belief they can hurt that Welsh defence today.

For Wales, a first World Cup game in 64 years against the United States on Monday was filled with emotion – and thankfully the high-energy match didn’t disappoint, either.

Having got the point they were most likely after, they’ll be aiming for all three against the Iranians and hope that England can do a number against the USA in the last match of the day at 10pm (19:00 GMT).

• Wales and Iran have met only once previously in their history, a 1978 encounter in Tehran in which the Dragons prevailed 1-0.
• Iran have never progressed beyond the group stage of a World Cup, winning only once in their last 11 matches at this level.

We are one hour away from kickoff, and raucous Iran fans are making their presence felt outside the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, popularly known as the Al Rayyan Stadium.

The midday sun is shining on them, and there is little shade near stadium entrance points, but these fans don’t seem to care.

They are out with a large Iran flag, which is being carried around by at least two dozen men. Chants of “Iran, Iran” go along with a drumbeat.

While Iran’s opening fixture was preceded by protests against the regime back home, this match has a very nationalistic flavour to its build-up.

“Iran will win today, but even if it doesn’t, we will support our team and our country,” Mehdi, an Iranian fan from Tehran, told Al Jazeera. He has come equipped with small Iranian flags and scarves, which he is handing out for free to any Iran fan that asks.

Wales vs Iran Group B, FIFA World Cup 2022 at Ahmad Bin Ali stadium, 
in Al Rayyan, Qatar on November 25
 [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]

Iran XI: Hossein Hosseini, Ramin Rezaeian, Morteza Pouraliganji, Majid Hosseini, Milad Mohammadi, Ali Gholizadeh, Ahmad Nourollahi, Saeid Ezatolahi, Ehsan Hajsafi, Sardar Azmoun, Mehdi Taremi.

It’s five changes for Iran with goalkeeper Hosseini coming in for Ali Beiranvand after a blow to the head he suffered in the England game. Bayer Leverkusen’s Sardar Azmoun also comes into the attack.

Wales XI: Wayne Hennessey, Chris Mepham, Joe Rodon, Ben Davies, Connor Roberts, Ethan Ampadu, Harry Wilson, Aaron Ramsey, Neco Williams, Gareth Bale, Kieffer Moore.

After Moore’s game-changing exploits against the USA, he’s rewarded with a start. Dan James moves to the bench, which Joe Allen also occupies as he recovers from a hamstring strain.

Wales vs Iran Group B, FIFA World Cup 2022 at Ahmad bin Ali stadium, in 
Al Rayyan [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]

Iran fan outside the stadium before the match [Suhaib Salem/Reuters]

The country has been rocked by two months of protests following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody. Those protests have made their way to Qatar, with some Iran fans chanting “Say her name, Mahsa Amini” ahead of Iran’s game against England.

When the team didn’t sing the national anthem before the game, some interpreted it as a sign of support for the protesters back home.

 Iran’s Ali Karimi, Milad Mohammadi and Majid Hosseini line up during the national 
anthems before the match 
against England [Marko Djurica/Reuters]

But when asked about this on the eve of the Wales game, Mehdi Taremi told reporters: “We are not under pressure. In a football tournament, football journalists must be respected, and everything that has nothing to do with football must be left aside.”

The news conference lasted just more than 30 minutes, with questions about football taking up less than a third of that time.

With an average world ranking of 15 and a spread of just 15 places, this is the tightest and most competitive group.

England (ranked 5th) must be considered a serious challenger for the trophy. But there could be fireworks in store, as England take on their neighbour Wales (ranked 19th), and USA (ranked 16th) face off against geopolitical rival Iran (ranked 20th).

But statistics do not equal results on the pitch. So, which teams can find it within themselves to become more than the sum of their parts?

Expect fast breaks along the wings from both teams.

Neither are interested in possession for its own sake. So there’s unlikely to be much “tiki-taka”. But there should be plenty of pacy, box-to-box action.

Wales has the veteran trio of Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey and Joe Allen, who can make life very difficult for opposing teams. But all three have recently suffered setbacks – hamstring injuries in the case of Ramsey and Allen and a leg injury for Bale.

Wales’ Gareth Bale shakes hands with Aaron Ramsey [File: Rebecca Naden/Reuters]

It has been 64 long years since Pele’s first World Cup goal ended Wales’s 1958 campaign.

Football went out of fashion, especially in the rugby-playing Welsh heartlands, as fans endured decades of disappointment. But something changed in 2016. And it was nothing less than the emergence of a new golden generation, led by former Real Madrid and Tottenham superstar Gareth Bale.

Suddenly it seemed Wales could play football.

Fast forward to 2022, Wales faced a tough European qualifying campaign to make it to Qatar but finished second after facing Belgium and the Czech Republic.

And now, regardless of the final outcome, there is a new pride in Wales at finding their place at the World Cup.

But if you’re wondering what happened to the 17-year-old who broke Welsh hearts 64 years ago.

General view of Wales team members during training in Qatar [Paul Childs/Reuters]

Taremi will be leading Iran’s front line, along with Alireza Jahanbakhsh of the Dutch football club Feyenoord Rotterdam and Sardar Azmoun from Bayer Leverkusen, in North-Rhine Westphalia.

Azmoun was injured while playing for Leverkusen in early October but is fit to play in Qatar.

Iran coach Carlos Queiroz and Mehdi Taremi during a press conference 
[Gareth Bumstead/Reuters]

Unfortunately for Iran, its goalkeeper Ali Beiranvand will miss the match with a concussion, giving likely replacement Hossein Hosseini a tall task against Wales star Gareth Bale.

Iran will depend on an experienced hand – or rather, foot.

Mehdi Taremi plays for Porto in Portugal’s football league, the Primeira Liga, but the 30-year-old who scored both of Iran’s goals against England earlier this week is no stranger to Qatar. In 2018, he signed with Qatari club Al-Gharafa and spent 18 months in the country.

Then, there is Carlos Queiroz. Reinstated less than three months before World Cup 2022, the Portuguese coach has previously taken Iran to the 2014 and 2018 World Cups. In the two games since he was reinstated, the team have played a 4-1-4-1 defensive formation with a floating player ahead of the defenders, allowing the midfield to press further up the pitch. In attack, they have switched to 4-3-3.

In the lead-up to the World Cup, Wales suffered a run of poor form in the UEFA Nations League. But that came right after their dramatic World Cup qualifying campaign, during which they lost only one match in 10 – to Belgium, who are 2nd in the FIFA rankings.

Iran, meanwhile, want to make a round of 16 appearances for the first time at a World Cup. And this game is key to those hopes after Team Melli – as they are known – were trounced 6-2 by England in their opening game of the World Cup.

General view of Wales players during training in Qatar [Lee Smith/Reuters]

This is the third of the seven games being played at the Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium. The Wales team will be familiar with it as it was the location for their 1-1 draw with the USA on Monday night.

The 40,000-capacity ground, popularly known as the Al-Rayyan Stadium, was designed to emulate the sand dunes of the desert and is home to Al-Rayyan SC, one of Qatar’s most popular football clubs.

This is the third of the seven games being played at the Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium. The Wales team will be familiar with it as it was the location for their 1-1 draw with the USA on Monday night.

The 40,000-capacity ground, popularly known as the Al-Rayyan Stadium, was designed to emulate the sand dunes of the desert and is home to Al-Rayyan SC, one of Qatar’s most popular football clubs.

General view inside the stadium ahead of the World Cup 
[File: Mohammed Dabbous/Reuters]

Good morning from Doha!

We’ve reached Day 6 of a tournament that has already brought plenty of surprises – Saudi Arabia’s shock win against Argentina on Tuesday, Japan’s victory against Germany on Wednesday – and seen history being made on Thursday with Ronaldo becoming the first man to score in five World Cups.

So, what will Day 6 of Qatar 22 have in store?

It begins with Wales taking on Iran at the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium at 1pm (10:00 GMT).

Follow us here for all the latest news and updates leading up to and during the game.