45
14:59
After almost an hour, the first half is slowly coming to an end.
45
14:57
First big chance for Iran! After the English lost the ball, Iran switched quickly and found Jahanbakhsh, who was completely free, with a cross from the left, but who volleyed the ball relatively well over the box.
45
14:54
The Three Lions have been letting the ball run through their own ranks for a few minutes, Iran is just chasing.
45
14:50
England is now playing freely thanks to the comfortable leadership.
45
14:47
Tooor for England, 3-0 by Raheem Sterling
England follows suit immediately! Bellingham sees Kane on the right, who gets past Pouraliganji and crosses the ball to the first post. Sterling has positioned himself there and places the ball with his right outside instep in the short corner.
45
14:46
Official stoppage time (minutes): 14
43
14:43
Tooor for England, 2-0 by Bukayo Saka
A standard situation leads to 2-0 for the Three Lions! A corner kick from the left Shaw brings inside, where Maguire beats his opponent hard but fair and headers at Saka. The ball bounces once before Saka pulls out of the air and slams the ball under the bar with his left.
41
14:42
Even after the 1-0 England has clear control over the game, they are currently letting the ball circulate calmly in their own ranks.
38
14:39
The goal became apparent in the last few minutes, especially when Harry Maguire hit the crossbar, and it is absolutely deserved. Gareth Southgate’s side have performed well so far and are clearly superior to Iran.
35
14:35
Tooor for England, 1-0 by Jude Bellingham
The deserved lead for the favourite. Left-back Luke Shaw is released from the outside and can cross into the center relatively unchallenged. There Jude Bellingham proves his great class, climbs the highest and heads the ball into the far corner in a technically demanding manner. Hossein Hosseini can only watch, England lead!
32
14:34
Bar! After a corner kick from the right, Maguire prevailed in a header duel and put the ball on the crossbar! Bad luck for England, goalkeeper Hosseini would have had no chance.
30
14:32
After a combination via Sterling and the very flashy Saka, Mount finishes about six yards from goal, but his direct acceptance just wide of the right post.
27
14:30
A first small test for substitute goalkeeper Hosseini. Saka is passed to the right corner of the penalty area by Mount and looks for a hook that is typical for him for the long corner. However, the right winger’s left shot is too weak and no problem for the goalkeeper, Saka can do better.
26
14:26
Again the English try to play a free kick from midfield flat behind the chain on Kane. This time the Iranians are a bit more attentive and are able to intercept the pass.
25
14:25
Alireza Jahanbakhsh (Iran) is shown a yellow card.
Jahanbakhsh is late against Shaw and receives the first yellow card of the game.
22
14:22
After a break of more than ten minutes, the game has now picked up speed again.
20
14:20
Hossein Hosseini comes on for Iran
20
14:19
Substitution for Iran: Alireza Beiranvand
17
14:19
Well then: Less than a minute after the restart of the game, Beiranvand announced that he had to be substituted. While the first goalkeeper is carried off the field on a stretcher, substitute Hosseini gets ready for the substitution again.
16
14:17
The game will now continue.
15
14:16
Now, after a long treatment, it looks like Beiranvand can continue. However, the goalkeeper still looks a bit dazed, this decision seems more than questionable at first glance. Substitute goalkeeper Hosseini meanwhile puts on his substitute shirt again.
13.
14:14
Iran are just one of three teams, along with Tunisia and Switzerland, to have nominated four goalkeepers for the Qatar tournament.
11.
14:13
The game is still suspended and goalkeeper Beiranvand will probably not be able to continue. Incidentally, when a concussion was suspected, FIFA let it be known in the run-up to the World Cup that they wanted to allow a sixth change.
8th.
14:10
After a foul on Saka in midfield, England played the logical free-kick to the right, where captain Kane had gone through. His sharp cross is a little too far for the incoming Maguire, who can no longer place the ball correctly and places it in the side netting. Iranian goalkeeper Amiri collides with teammate Hosseini in the center and both need treatment.
6.
14:06
What many suspected when looking at the staff is now confirmed in the first few minutes: The Three Lions play with a back four, before the tournament a back three was considered realistic.
3.
14:04
Kieran Trippier takes the first corner of the game, but his cross sails over friend and foe and ends up in the goal. Harry Maguire falls in the middle and calls for a penalty, but the referee decides it’s a goal kick.
1.
14:01
After the Englishmen fell on their knees as a sign against racism, we can start! England is the first European team to start the tournament.
14:00
Iran’s national team is silent during their national anthem, and some spectators in the stands are in tears.
13:56
The teams have just stepped onto the pitch at Khalifa International Stadium. Now the two national anthems sound, beginning with the “new” English anthem “God Save the King”.
13:53
Both teams won their qualifying group and easily qualified for the tournament in Qatar.
13:44
But the president does not only receive encouragement from the national team. For example, Leverkusen striker Azmoun was critical of the Iranian regime and campaigned for the women of his country. For a long time, Azmoun was not nominated, but in the end the goalscorer was called up to the squad.
13:41
While in England the squad nomination, above all the non-nomination of defender Fikayo Tomori, caused a need for discussion, in Iran, of course, political issues are currently in the foreground. The national team, which actually enjoys a good reputation in Iran and has regularly united the people in recent years, has recently made a name for itself primarily through its meeting with controversial President Ebrahim Raisi.
13:34
At Iran, Carlos Queiroz, who is returning to the coach, will be without Leverkusen attacker Sardar Azmoun, who was injured for a few weeks and is currently on the bench. Alongside Azmoun, Team Melli’s best-known player is probably FC Porto striker Mehdi Taremi, who has already scored five goals in this year’s Champions League group stage. Also active in Europe are Feyenoord Rotterdam winger Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Dinamo Zagreb defenders Sadegh Moharrami and AEK Athens’ Milad Mohammadi, and AEK Athens captain Ehsan Hajsafi.
13:21
First to the staff: As expected, Jordan Pickford is preferred in goal to Aaron Ramsdale and Nick Pope, in central defense coach Gareth Southgate relies on Harry Maguire, who has been heavily criticized, despite a lack of match practice at the club. Dortmund’s Jew Bellingham is the only legionnaire in the Three Lions squad to make it into the starting XI and will likely play alongside Declan Rice in the double six. Manchester City jewel Phil Foden will initially take a seat on the bench, along with team-mate Jack Grealish, Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford and many other well-known players.
13:00
Welcome to the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. After yesterday’s opening game, the co-favourites from England start the tournament today and meet Iran on the first day of Group B. The game kicks off at 2:00 p.m.