TEHRAN – Iran national football team skipper Ashkan Dejagah believes that it’s the time to support Team Melli coach Carlos Queiroz.

The Portuguese coach has come under pressure after accusing Iran's Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Massoud Soltanifar of ordering the country’s football federation not to extend his contract at the end of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.

“I’ve been a member of Iran national football team in the last eight years. In the 2018 World Cup, I could not help Team Melli because of injury but Queiroz backed me up and it is time for me to stand with him until the end,” Dejagah said.

Iran advanced to the 2019 AFC Asian Cup quarter-finals after defeating Oman 2-0 Sunday night at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

Alireza Jahanbakhsh was on target in the 32nd minute and Dejagah cemented theTeam Melli’s win nine minutes later when he converted his penalty kick.

“I am happy for helping Team Melli win the match. From now on, we have to focus on the match against China and afterward we can think of the team we will face in the semi-finals,” the unsung captain stated.