[caption id="attachment_139634" align="alignright" width="168"] Irans national football team[/caption]
The Iranian national football team has arrived in the Australian city of Melbourne to prepare itself for the first AFC cup game against Bahrain.
The national team arrived in Sydney on Wednesday where it isscheduled to face Bahrain on January 11 in itsopening match of the AFC Asian Cup championship.
A group of Iranians in Melbourne greeted their favorite footballers in the citys airport, according to IRIB.
The national outfit arrived in Sydney on December 30, 2014 and started its trainingin the citys Cromer Park. They beat Iraq in a friendly match closely watched by AFC elite as the team is viewed one the main contenders to win the tournament.
Before the Sunday 1-0 win against Iraq, Iran had played its sole friendly since the 2014 FIFA World Cup against South Korea in Tehran inNovember whereIran overpowered its old rival 1-0.
Irans national team head coach, Carlos Queiroz, is expected to feature familiar names in his squad including former Fulham player Ashkan Dejagah, long-time captain Javad Nekounam and Charlton Athletics Reza Ghoochannejhad.
The three-time continental winner is drawn in Group C of the tournament along with Qatar, the UAE and Bahrain. AFC Asian Cup 2015 will run from January 9 to 31.