Iran eyes qualification for 2014 World Cup

Iran's soccer coach Carlos Queiroz has said that the national team's goal is to qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Tehran Times daily reported on Saturday. "We have an obvious goal which is to qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. We should concentrate on this and not celebrate after a win or get disappointed from a defeat," Queiroz was quoted as saying. Iran's soccer coach referred to the Tuesday 1-0 victory of Iran over South Korea in the qualifying tournament, saying that "the atmosphere in the stadium against South Korea was terrific and the fans were right behind us. I had been in a lot of big matches but the game against South Korea was a special day for me," according to the report. "The main key to our success in this match was that the players did their job well. They did all of the things that I told them in the dressing room," said Queiroz. In the meantime, Iran captain Javad Nekounam said that after beating South Korea, the national team has set sights on Uzbekistan for the 2014 World Cup qualifier. "Defeating South Korea really made us happy. Our guys did a great job since we were 10 men from the start of the second half," Nekounam was quoted as saying by the daily. "Iran needed this victory. I am happy as well as the all the Iranian people. However, I believe that we have to defeat Uzbekistan as well to pave the way for the World Cup," the 33-year-old said. "Iran is second behind South Korea with seven points. If we want to book a place in the World Cup we will have to get six points more from our four games," he added. Iran is scheduled to play Tajikistan in a friendly match in Tehran on November 6 ahead of the Uzbekistan match in the 2014 World Cup qualifier on November 14. After four rounds of the games, South Korea remains atop Group A with seven points on goal difference. Iran is second with seven points. The Uzbeks are third with five points, one point ahead of Qatar and Lebanon.