Iran aim to win AFC Asian Cup, says coach Queiroz

Tehran : Iran national football team head coach Carlos Queiroz said his side wants to win the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, after having gone 43 years without winning Asia's leading international football tournament.

Iran have been drawn along with Iraq, Yemen and Vietnam in Group D of the competition, which will take place in January in the UAE, reports Xinhua news agency.

Queiroz's men will play Venezuela in a friendly match on Tuesday in Doha, Qatar, as part of their preparations for the cup.

"We've chosen Venezuela since the team plays very well and they have so many Europe-based players. We played Venezuela last year so we can see how we have improved between now and then," Queiroz was quoted as saying.

"Without a doubt, the teams with better preparation have more chance of getting positive results in the Asian Cup. Japan, South Korea and Australia are the best Asian teams in terms of improvement and preparation. The UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar have also prepared well for the event," he said.

"Firstly, we are aiming to reach the semi-finals. Iran travelled to (World Cup in Russia for honour ) and pride, but in the Asian Cup we want to win the title," Queiroz added.