Iran swept to an impressive 6-1 win against Afghanistan on Friday and head coach Hossein Abdi wants his players to ride on the momentum and positive mindset that resulted from the performance.
“The first match is very important in any competition and now that we have finished it, we can think about the second match,” said Abdi.
“When you get a win, you can then recover well and be inspired for the next match. You can train, sleep and eat with confidence. Recovery also has a mental aspect; if you had lost, you cannot recover well… when you finish with three points and lots of goals, (it helps you) for the next match.”
The win marked the first time that Iran has scored six times in one match in the history of the tournament, and another win against Qatar will surely seal progress from the group stage for the first time since 2016.