Wales – Iran : Preview & Prediction
Wales coach Rob Page will be hoping he doesn’t have to give his players another half-time motivational pep talk as they seek their first World Cup win since 1958. The Dragons earned a draw in their opening game against USA thanks to a late Gareth Bale penalty, but the goal hero admitted that the players “were woken up by the coach” during the break after a poor performance during the first 45 minutes that saw them dominated by their opponents.
While Page will be pleased with the second half performance, that 1-1 result means Wales are winless in their last six games (E2, P4) – their worst run since losing half a dozen consecutive matches between 2010 and 2011. Wales will be desperate to end that streak in this match to prepare for their final group stage commitment and have a chance of qualifying when they meet England, who could rest some players if they beat USA in Friday’s final clash.
On the other hand, Iran is coming off a game against England and suffered its worst defeat in a World Cup when it lost 6-2. Despite that, their players earned the respect of many around the world after refusing to sing their national anthem in protest to the events happening in their country. On the sporting front, it was a rare defeat for Carlos Queiroz’s side, who can still boast a record of 12 wins in their last 15 official matches (E1, P2).
However, the coach could opt to make some changes, and one option for him is Vahid Amiri, who did not see action in the previous match despite being on the bench. The Trabzonspor midfielder is Iran’s oldest player at 34, born ten years after the only previous occasion on which the two countries met, with Wales winning 1-0 in Tehran in 1978. If he plays, Amiri will want to improve Iran’s dismal World Cup record of just two wins in 16 appearances (E4, P10), 13 of which saw them concede the opening goal.
Players to watch: Bale’s goal against the U.S. was his fourth in major tournaments for Wales and means he has found the net four times in his last nine games for his country. Mehdi Taremi’s brace against England, meanwhile, means the Iranian striker has scored 15 goals for club and country this season, scoring the first or last goal of the game in nine of the 11 games in which he has found the back of the net.
Weekend stat: Wales is unbeaten in its last six matches against teams based outside of Europe (G2, E4).
World Cup Trivia: Wales’ 64-year gap between its first and second World Cup appearance is the widest of any nation.
Wales – Iran : Betting Tips
Wales – Win Odds: 1.75
