On Nov. 29, 1997, staged an astonishing late rally to grab the last berth in the 1998 FIFA World Cup finals on the away-goals rule after a 2-2 draw with Australia in Melbourne Cricket Ground. Abedzadeh, beyond a shadow of a doubt, played a significant role in the match and sent the team to the World Cup after 20 years. Plucky Abedzadeh were jumping over the Australian stars and showed great fighting spirit in front of the 85,000 fans at MGC.
Led by young strikers Mark Viduka and Harry Kewell, the Socceroos spent the entire first half laying siege to the goal. With Stan Lazaridis and Robbie Slater making inroads on the flanks, and Aurelio Vidmar pushing forward from midfield, it seemed an Aussie avalanche was inevitable. The nation will never forget Abedzadeh’s smile during the game while the match could be chaotic for Iran. But the Captain kept the score level with some inspired goalkeeping. The Persepolis legend turns 55 today.
