FRANCE 98 – Iran – K. Azizi : “It's imperative that we win against the USA”

(12):

What do you think about the YUGOSLAVIA – IRAN match, Sunday 14 June at SAINT-ETIENNE?

“Well, for us, the match was really fantastic, our team played really well. As for the YUGOSLAVIA team, they’ve got some excellent players and they play a dynamic game but they thought that IRAN weren’t that good. On Sunday, we demonstrated that with lesser means we still managed to play well. All our players are capable of playing for big teams. IRAN only played to 80% of its potential. If we’d played full out, we could have easily beaten them 3-1.”

 Do you feel guilty about the free kick converted by MIHAJLOVIC (11)?

“I have my share of the blame, but the entire team supports me”.

 How do you feel about facing the USA a week from now?

“I think that the media coverage is making this a sensitive fixture. Of course we want to win, but we’ll play a friendly man to man game against the Americans. The most important thing is have a friendly spirit on the pitch.”

How do you feel a day after the YUGOSLAVIA – IRAN match?

“When the referee blew his final whistle, the match was over. I really think the players did their best, even though we lost. Our football is better than theirs, that’s why we feel a little disappointed in losing.”

You were the star of the match, how do you rate yourself?

“I was part of a team and we all played well. The individual doesn’t count in our culture. We reward teamwork and I must say that yesterday we had more chances than the Yugoslavs.”

 How will you approach the next match against the USA on Sunday 21 June at LYON?

“The matches against YUGOSLAVIA and GERMANY are important. If we play well, we won’t be disappointed even if we lose. On the other hand, it is imperative that we win against the USA. For historical reasons, our country is a lot more sensitive to this meeting. “IRAN has been disappointed by American politics in recent years. This is the most important match of my life. But this said, we’ll see a friendly spirit between the two teams on the pitch.”