The Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) has confirmed that 2018 World Cup-bound Iran will play a friendly match with Sierra Leone on March 17.
The SLFA says John Keister’s men will on Wednesday, March 14 depart Freetown for Tehran, Iran.
According to The Head of Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) Mehdi Taj, Sierra Leone replaced Libya who withdrew from the friendly.
This Saturday’s test will be Iran’s first 2018 World Cup warm-up encounter and the first time they are facing the West Africa side in an international match.
The contest will take place in Tehran’s Azadi Stadium.
The two countries have a very good international relation and Sierra Leone for the first time considered to play a friendly by a team heading to a World Cup.
The African minnows ranked 97th while Iran is the best Asian football team and 33rd in the world.
Iran are in Group B at the FIFA World Cup alongside Spain, Morocco and Portugal.
Carlos Queiroz’s men will open their Russia 2018 campaign with a match against Morocco at Saint Petersburg on June 15, before taking on Spain in Kazan on 20 June.
Five days later take on Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal in Saransk.
Carlos Queiroz has already named his 22-man Iran squad for the friendly match.
Sierra Leone, on the other hand, are expecting four foreign-based players.
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