The match will give Carlos Queiroz a chance to gauge his players as the IR Iran head coach works on his 35-player squad ahead of the FIFA World Cup which kicks off on June 14.

Queiroz will have to trim his final squad to 23 players and Saturday's friendly against Uzbekistan and the May 29 tie against Turkey will be the final avenues for the players to prove their selection worth. The final squad has to be named by June 3.

Queiroz revealed his 35-man preliminary squad earlier this week with Dutch Eredivisie top scorer Alireza Jahanbakhsh heading the bill as Team Melli, Asia's top ranked team, get set for playing in back-to-back FIFA World Cups for the first time in their history.

Steven Beitashour, who has not appeared for his country since Brazil 2014, also has the opportunity to make the final squad, while U-20 World Cup captain Omid Norafkan was also presented with the chance to prove himself, alongside uncapped Esteghlal teammate Majid Hosseini.

Sardar Azmoun’s inclusion also means the striker is set to face off against Spain in the Kazan Arena, where he plays his club football with Rubin Kazan. Iran will also face European champions Portugal and Morocco in Group B.

Photo: Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran

The 65-year-old famously led his native Netherlands all the way to the FIFA World Cup Final eight years ago, following a scintillating run through the knockout stage at South Africa 2010.

More recently, Van Marwijk helped Saudi Arabia end their 12-year World Cup drought, only to resign following qualification for Russia 2018. 

He then assumed the Australia role left vacant by Ange Postecoglou’s surprise exit last November, after Saudi Arabia had edged the Socceroos on goal difference for an automatic ticket to Russia 2018.

Van Marwijk, who will be Australia’s third Dutch coach in the past four World Cups, has so far had just 10 days and two matches with his new side ahead of an upcoming training camp in Turkey.

Van Marwijk speaks about his new side’s characteristics, the qualities of the France team that Australia will face, the value of experience for a World Cup coach and his memories of South Africa 2010.

Coached by Argentinian Juan Antonio Pizzi, Saudi Arabia opened the scoring on 19 minutes thanks to Villarreal's Salem Al-Dossari, one of several Saudi players sent on loan to Spanish clubs in January.

Greek hopes of levelling were compounded when Dimitrios Giannoulis saw red two minutes before the interval.

And defeat was confirmed 10 minutes from regulation time when Mohamed Kanno hit Saudi Arabia's second.

Greece did not qualify for Russia 2018, where Saudi Arabia will have the honour of facing the hosts in the tournament opener on June 14.

Egypt and Urugay also feature in Group A along with Saudi Arabia and Russia.

Source: AFP

Korea Republic head coach Shin Tae-yong announced the roster of 28 players for the World Cup in Russia, where they will face Germany, Sweden and Mexico in Group F.

Korea Republic are scheduled to open their Group F campaign with Sweden in Nizhny Novgorod on June 18 and will face Mexico five days later in Rostov-on-Don. The Taeguk Warriors will take on defending champions Germany in Kazan on June 27.

Shin's preliminary squad has three goalkeepers, 12 defenders, nine midfielders and four forwards.

Shin said he decided to add five more players to his World Cup list because of injured players. Korea Republic lost defenders Kim Jin-su, Kim Min-jae and midfielder Yeom Ki-hun due to injuries.

"I first wanted to select 23 players and build up our teamwork in the upcoming weeks, but because of injured players, I had to change it," Shin said at a press conference at Seoul City Hall.

"I was told that Kim Min-jae and Yeom Ki-hun have to be sidelined for eight to 10 weeks. As for Kim Jin-su, he can jog at this moment, but I will have to decide whether he can stay with us after watching him in our training."

Among the 28, half of them play in the domestic K League, with four players selected from the defending champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.

The list also includes a handful of Europe-based players like Son, Ki Sung-yueng of Swansea City, Kwon Chang-hoon of Dijon FCO, Hwang Hee-chan of Red Bull Salzburg and Koo Ja-cheol of FC Augsburg.

There were also surprise selections, Lee Seung-woo of Hellas Verona, Moon Seon-min of Incheon United and Oh Ban-suk of Jeju United. All three have been named to the senior national team for the first time.

"These three players never played for us, but they can also go to the World Cup if they can show impressive performances with us (in the upcoming tuneup matches)," the coach said.