Iran skipper reportedly out, Karimi with problems

Nuremberg - Iran midfield star Ali Karimi skipped team training Monday because of an ailing leg, and ageing skipper Ali Daei reportedly was benched for the make-or-break tie with Portugal. A day after Iran went down 3-1 against Mexico in their opening game, Iranians were venting their anger against Daei, 37, and national coach Branko Ivankovic. Mobile phone text messages circulating among fans in Iran heaped abuse on the two leaders as well as goalkeeper Ebrahim Mirzapour, whose fumbling was partly to blame for the defeat. IRIB state television reported that team captain and former Bundesliga striker Daei, regularly attacked by Iranian media as lacking fitness, will not play against Portugal on Saturday, apparently due to back problems. Bayern Munich's Karimi took it easy, staying barefoot during training and doing only easy warmup runs. 'Karimi has slight problems with his leg,' Ivankovic told reporters in Nuremberg before the team's return to its southern World Cup base in Friedrichshafen. Karimi, 27, suffered a right ankle injury in March that kept him benched at the German champions until the end of this year's season. He was substituted in the second half of the Mexico game after taking a hit to his right foot. © 2006 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur

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