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While you were sleep, Iran stole a point from North Korea in Pyongyang, but got one step closer to elimination from 2010 world cup.
Ghotbi’s crew began the game with few changes.
Ali Karimi and Shojaei came back to spark the midfield and Mohammad Nosrati took charge in the back.
Choosing Mohammad Nosrati as the left back was a wise and respectable decision. Nosrati brought his experience to the table and throughout the game managed his territory adequately.
The first half of the game Iran was a better side. North Koreans played a careful and conservative football, and Lions of Persia were in control most of the time.
Ghotbi’s team managed to do a good job on pressing the opposition and their man to man coverage was real high-quality in the first half.
Kaabi had few explosive starts from the right and with Hosseini and Aghili deep inside our defense things looked good in the back. However, the overall performance of our midfielders (our sure hopes), were way below par.

Ali Karimi
Let’s be honest. Who would not pick Ali Karimi for this game?
Afshin Ghotbi needed a sure win and he bet his money on the aging and overweight Karimi. All eyes were on the Ex-Asian player of the year and stage was set for series of fire works upfront.
But who are we kidding?
The gamble did not pay off and Karimi was the most ineffective player of the game.
With few missed passes and lost challenges, Karimi failed to win most of the one on ones and his lack of speed was evident all the way through.

Masoud Shojaei
The Iranian international came back after recovering from a minor injury and hit the woodworks on 5th minute, however played a poor game after that.
Perhaps absence of Javad Nekounam as his backup was the biggest factor.
And about that one on one with the goalie?
Some one should have told Shojaei that you do not gamble in situations like that. He should and must have scored that ball!

Mehdi Mahdavikia
Without hesitation Mehdi Mahdavikia is the best right winger in Iranian football history. (Even my beloved Ebrahim Ashtiani’s of the 70’s was not as good). And it was in great sadness that we had to witness the diminishing of an era in slow motion.
Mehdi’s lackluster performance was not because he was not trying. Quite the contrary he was full of passion. However, it is his age that is keeping up with him and last night we discovered yet again, why he is on the bench of the Frankfurt these days.

Ando Teymourian
The Pride of Persia had a bad start and lost quite a few balls, but as the game moved forward Ando got better and began winning challenges. Ando was the best midfielder in yesterday’s match.

Pejman Nouri
Had a good game giving the added protection to defense. He was fast and played as good of a game as Ando.

Forwards
Vahid Hashemian
One look deep into our midfielders’ situation will reveal how lonely it is to be in Hashemian’s shoes these days!
You can’t create opportunities for yourself, start from the center line, move forward, and score goals all on your own, especially if you are an aging striker who is at the end of his career.
One glance at his supporting cast will show why he was the loneliest man on that filed.

The head coach!
Surprisingly Ghotbi’s team showed promise in the beginning.
Assigning Mohammad Nosrati on the left back was a revolutionary move and a wise move I might add. The most vulnerable position in our team was allocated to experience and the result was a great coverage on left side.
However, and on a rare opportunity and in a day that our defensive line was almost spotless, Ghotbi’s conservatism cost the team dearly.

The gamble that did not pay off
Sticking to Ali Karimi and/or Shojaei for most of the game was a horrible move.
Afshin Ghotbi neglected to see the best Iranian player right under his nose, sitting on the bench!? Khalatbari who is the most effective player of the past few games was the victim of Ghotbi’s gamble.
Khalatbari for certain could have helped this team achieve the impossible, but for some unknown reason Afshin Ghotbi saw the situation otherwise!

The bench
For certain and at least on the 2nd half we could use younger and fresher legs.
Madanchi’s participation was an accident as he was subbed for the injured Khalili. He had a great shot at goal on his first contact, but it was all too little too late.
Borhani and/or Kazemian could have at least added some speed upfront, but they were not chosen.

The Godsent!
Rahmati
Do I need to elaborate on this one?

Ghotbi’s supporting cast
With Mansoor Pourheidari and scores of other Iranian and non Iranian assistants, Ghotbi lost the coach’s half to his Korean counterpart.
The 2nd half was controlled by Koreans and we were lucky to walk off the filed with ONE point at hand.