Iran's U-23 Football Team Arrives in Malaysia

Iran's U-23 football team arrived in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Monday afternoon local time. The team is in the country to participate in the qualifying matches for the 2004 Athens Olympics and to play their first match against the Malaysian team. According to IRNA news agency, the Iranian sports delegation was welcomed at Kuala Lumpur airport by the Iranian ambassador to Malaysia, students, and sports enthusiasts residing in Malaysia. During the welcoming ceremony, two students from the Islamic Republic School in Kuala Lumpur (Misbah) welcomed the U-23 team members to Malaysia and prayed for their victory, then presented bouquets to Mohammad Mayeli Kohan, the head coach, and Azizollah Mohammadi, the team manager. In their first friendly match, Iran's U-23 team defeated Singapore 3-2 at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore, and another friendly match against Japan on February 8 ended in a 1-1 draw at the 63,000-seat Saitama Stadium in Japan. To qualify for the 2004 Athens Olympics, Iran's U-23 team is grouped with South Korea, China, and Malaysia, and if they secure the top position in this group, they will qualify directly for the Olympics. The first match for Iran's U-23 team in this group will be held on Wednesday evening, March 3, against Malaysia at the Petaling Jaya Stadium.