Syria cancels football friendly with Iran

Tehran, Aug 17 (IANS) Syria has cancelled a friendly football match with Iran in preparation for the remaining matches of the World Cup qualification group stage. The Iran football federation had already announced that they will host Syria in Tehran on September 3."An apology has been made since we cannot play Iran but we will meet Iraq in a friendly match as planned," Syrian national football team head coach Nabil Maaloul was quoted as saying by Tehran Times daily on Sunday, writes Xinhua news agency.The Iran national football team is also scheduled to meet Uzbekistan in Tashkent on September 7. According to Iran football federation spokesman Amir Mehdi Alavi, the match will be held as planned."The Asian qualifying matches of the 2022 World Cup have been postponed but our plans go ahead as scheduled," Alavi was quoted as saying.Iran, who sit third in Group C behind Iraq and Bahrain, have four must-win matches ahead in the competition.
--IANS aak/