China coach Gao Hongbo on Monday expressed his confidence to beat Iran here on Tuesday in their second match of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Asian Zone qualifiers' last round.

中国国足教练高洪波周一表示，有信心在2018年世界杯亚洲区预选赛最后一轮中战胜伊朗。

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Millions of people poured on to the streets in a spontaneous party when Iran reached the World Cup finals earlier this year.

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Elsewhere in the Asian Cup, Iran comfortably topped the group with a maximum nine points -- the only nation to achieve that target -- after cruising to a 3-0 victory over United Arab Emirates despite fielding a weakened side.

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But out-going coach Afshin Ghotbi, an American citizen and Iranian exile who once scouted for Team USA against Iran at the 1998 World Cup, will hope that national pride will be restored with victory over their bitter rivals.

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