England begins their journey in the 2022 World Cup facing a firm Iranian side in their first game at the group stages.
Gareth Southgate hopes to succeed in his third major international competition as a manager of the Three Lions whereas Temi Meli is looking to reach the knockouts for the first time in their third participation in a row.
ENG vs IRA Match Details
Date: Monday, 21 November 2022
Time: 18:30 (IST)
Venue: Khalifa International Stadium, Doha
ENG vs IRA Match Preview
This will be the second group stage game of the 2022 World Cup and it will be played in the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha. A place where one migrant worker who lived in Hove back in England, Zachary Cox died while working at the stadium. It was revealed that Cox was using potentially lethal equipment that the site managers instructed. He died after a platform he was standing on broke and his harness snapped during the fall. Cox fell close to the center-circle where either Mehdi Taremi or Harry Kane will kick off the match. With such a tragedy of worker deaths in the background, England will take to the pitch wishing to get a flying start to the tournament. Kane will also wear the 'OneLove' rainbow armband against discrimination at the World Cup in Qatar despite FIFA announcing plans for its own band on the eve of the tournament. On the pitch, Southgate will wish the squad that potentially has the last chance to shine under him to facilitate their chances in the tournament. England reached the semi-finals in the 2018 edition when a fifth-minute Kieran Trippier free-kick look set to give them a place in the final was prevented by a rousing comeback from Croatia. The Three Lions reached a major competition final for the first time since 1966 in the Euros with Luke Shaw’s early goal seems to replicate the very same scenes in Wembley but they lost to Italy. So, if Southgate’s men will pull off a trophy for the third time asking is just a waiting game now. Even having an excellent qualifying campaign, England have gone six games winless prior to the tournament and it could turn worse if Iran suddenly becomes a mountain of a task to overcome. Injuries and fitness concerns have also not helped nor the manager’s tactics have poured the confidence in. Calculating the media attention and other factors, all pressure will be on England as usual. So, they will give a taste of their remedy in the first game before they take on two more elegant sides in USA and Wales.
Iran, meanwhile, will have their own share of issues to deal with. There will be a lot going through the players’ minds when they will line up for their first game because of the protests back in their homeland. The national team will show their solidarity as well. That after not mentioning the calls for expulsion led by Ukraine for the nation’s missile supplies to Russia and even by their own sports personnel for ill-treatment of women in the country. Nevertheless, the situation will pull up their spirits in a match that they don’t have many burdens on although a big challenge to overcome. Team Meli are pushing to advance to the knockout stages for the first time in a World Cup after coming close four years ago. Masked in controversy as well, coach Carlos Queiroz is in the dugout again after Dragan Skocic was sacked following a divide in the dressing room for his position. Having the same manager should reignite their past flurry but they are in a stronger group this time out with USA and Wales vying for the second place should England finish first. This will be the first meeting between the nations in any competition. As usual, the country hailing from Asia will use the defense as their weapon to frustrate the Three Lions as they did against Spain and Portugal in 2018. The team has the necessary experience to grace such a stage but in-possession display could make them vulnerable. The lack of creativity against a strong opposition could also stop them from getting out of the box allowing the opposition to eventually sneak through them. if not from open play, England might try to break the resistance from set-pieces with 12 of the 18 goals scored by them in World Cups including 9 out of 12 such situations in 2018. Something definitely to keep an eye on.
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ENG: DLLDD
IRN: WDWL
ENG vs IRA Team News
As Iran is expected to be defensive and form a deep block, Southgate must go with an attacking 4-2-3-1 as he has used for the group stages in the Euros last year. Kyle Walker has chalked him from contention in the first game as his recovery from groin injury reaches to its conclusion. Leicester’s playmaker James Maddison will also have to wait for his World Cup debut for missing training last week due to a knee injury. Aside from this, there are no other issues in the squad. On any other day, Southgate could have gone for his trusted midfield pair of Declan Rice and Kalvin Philips but the latter’s lack of game time could instead point towards Jude Bellingham starting. He is important to bring in drive and an additional creative number for an opposition that will defend so ruggedly. Raheem Sterling remains the first choice on the right wing for his major competition excellence last time than the more in-form Bukayo Saka. Phil Foden could get the nod on the right despite not making the manager’s books every time. Harry Maguire marshals the back four in his second World Cup respecting the loyalty of repeated selection by his manager. He has fallen off the ladder at his club Manchester United.
As for Team Meli, their shape will vary per Carlos Queiroz's thought even if the team’s formation is on the same page as that of the Three Lions. Experienced midfielder Omid Ebrahimi could have provided more solidity in the midfield in games like this but he is out for the tournament. So, the onus falls on the midfield unit of Ahmad Nourollahi, Ali-Karimi and Saeid Ezatolahi to quieten up the English attack. Another major blow will be Sardar Azmoun not starting the clash due to a calf injury. However, Mehdi Taremi is the key striker in the squad who can be a nightmare moment if England fails to penetrate Iran’s backline.
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ENG vs IRA Predicted lineups
ENG: Jordan Pickford; Kieran Trippier, John Stones, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw; Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham; Raheem Sterling, Mason Mount, Phil Foden; Harry Kane
IRN: Alireza Beiranvand; Sadegh Moharrami, Morteza Pouraliganji, Hossein Kanaani, Haji Safi; Ahmad Nourollahi, Ali-Karimi, Saeid Ezatolahi; Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Mehdi Taremi, Vahid Amiri
ENG vs IRA Dream11 Team Prediction
GK: Pickford (8)
DEF: Trippier (8.5), Pouraliganji (8.5), Maguire (7), Safi (9)
MID: Jahanbaksh (8.5), Bellingham (8.5), Mount (8)
FW: Sterling (8), Kane (9), Teremi (8.5)
Vice-captain: Raheem Sterling
Captain: Harry Kane
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