Coach: Branko Ivankovic
 
Iran qualified for the Asian Cup as winners of Group D but it wasn't one-way traffic for the three-time Asian Cup winners.
 
After an opening 4-1 win over Jordan in Tehran, the passionate fans of Team Melli must have felt that the group, which also contained DPR Korea and Lebanon, was all but sewn up. That changed three weeks later in Ammam when Jordan sprung a huge surprise by beating Iran 3-2.
 
The result brought about a change of coach as Homayoon Shahrokhi was moved aside to make way for the return of Branko Ivankovic, who coached Iran to gold at the 2002 Asian Games. The rewards were instant, with Iran winning a tricky away tie in DPR Korea.

Home and away win against Lebanon followed to guarantee Iran a place in China but the qualifying campaign ended on a sour note when a fire cracker was hurled onto the Azadi pitch in Tehran midway through the second half of the home game against DPR Korea. The visitors refused to play on and the match was abandoned. The AFC eventually awarded the game to Iran to give Brankovic¡¯s side 15 points and enabled them to top the group on goal difference from Jordan.

Iran's hopes of winning the Asian Cup for the first time since 1976 have been hampered by injuries to Moharram Navidkia, who is definitely out, and Alireza Vahedinikbakht, who is extremely doubtful.

ATTACK
In the 4-2-3-1 system which Brankovic favours, Ali Daei is the focal point of Iran's attack. Daei, the 2000 AFC Player of the Year, is already a legend in Asian football and will be keen to make sure that his last Asian Cup ends on a winning note.
 
Daei, the eldest player in the Iran squad, was the group's top scorer in qualifying and has now scored 94 times in internationals, making him the world's top international goalscorer. Daei has a strong physical presence, holds the ball up well and is dangerous in the air.

In midfield, Ali Karimi plays in the middle of the three-man formation, his ball control, passing and shooting making him a real attacking threat.

On his right is Mehdi Mahdavikia, the Hamburg player who is the reigning AFC Player of the Year, while Arash Borhani or Mehrzad Madanchi, both of whom played for Iran in this year's Final Round of Olympic qualifiers, will play on the left.  Mahdavikia is fast and is a great provider of goals for club and country. Borhani can play as a forward and a midfielder and scares defences with his direct running.

Javed Nekounam and Hamed Kavianpour are the men who occupy the defensive midfield positions, shielding the back four.
 
 
DEFENCE
In the four-man defence, Yahya Golmohammadi and Rahman Rezaei are in the middle. Golmohammadi, 33, is the second eldest member of the Iran party and brings with him a wealth of experience. He is leader at the back.
 
Rezaei, who plays for Messina, the Italian club side recently promoted to Serie A, has a powerful physical presence and is particularly strong in the air.
 
On the right is Hossein Kaebi, who had a trial with English side Wolverhampton Wanderers, while Ali Badavi will play on the right. Iran's first-choice goalkeeper is Ebrahim Mirzapour, who has been number one in the post for the national team for a few years. The Foulad man is reliable but his kicking is erratic.

FIRST ROUND PROSPECTS
If all tournaments have one 'group of death', for the Asian Cup 2004, it is Group D. Japan and Iran must be regarded as favourites to qualify but who will go through as group winners and who as runners-up is tough to predict.
 
Iran's opening game is against Thailand, whom they have not lost to in six competitive matches. They last met in October 2001, with Iran winning 1-0.
 
Next up are Oman, who have qualified for the Asian Cup for the first time. These two have met six times, with Iran winning four of these, Oman one. The last time they clashed was a friendly in Tehran in 2001, with Iran winning 5-2.
 
Japan and Iran have played one another nine times. The records show that Iran have won three times and Japan three. The last time they met was in September 1999 in a friendly when the game ended in a draw. 
Defenders
3 Mehdi Amirabadi
4 Yahya Golmohammadi
5 Rahman Rezaei
13 Hossein Kaebi
15 Ebrahim Taghipour
16 Gholamreza Enayati
18 Ali Badavi
19 Jalal Kameli
20 Mohammad Nosrati
27 Sattar Zare
Midfielders
6 Javad Nekounam
7 Hamed Kavianpour
8 Ali Karimi
17 Eman Mobali
26 Sayyed Mohammad Alavi
29 Farzad Majidi
Forwards
2 Mehdi Mahdavikia
10 Ali Daei
14 Arash Borhani