Iran national football team coach Amir Ghalenoei expressed deep frustration on Tuesday after authorities ordered his squad to immediately return to their Tijuana camp following a 2-2 World Cup draw against New Zealand in Los Angeles.
The unexpected travel directive disrupted Iran's plans to stay overnight in California for post-game recovery, forcing them onto a 140-mile flight shortly after the final whistle at SoFi Stadium.
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"They didn't even give us time to recover," said Ghalenoei through an interpreter. "After the game today, they said to us, 'You have to leave immediately.'
It's very important for us to have time for recovery, but we are asked to get on a plane and return to our camp in Tijuana, and we are really troubled by that."
The logistical disruption adds to ongoing difficulties faced by the team, whose World Cup preparations have been heavily impacted by the war initiated by the U.
S. and Israel against Iran on February 28.
"We don't know why they are returning us, to be honest," said Ghalenoei. "I think it's very strange.
It seems like others are doing the planning for us. The decision-making for us is being made elsewhere.
We were supposed to come two nights before the game, and we were supposed to stay tonight to recover and return tomorrow at lunchtime.
We have no idea why."
"I think our team is perhaps the most oppressed in the World Cup," he added.
