TEHRAN Following the crushing defeat of the Iranian National Soccer Team in the friendly match against As Rroma on Tuesday night, the Croat Head Coach of the team Tomislav Ivic was dismissed and was replaced by Jalal Talebi, the Iranian Football Federation announced Wednesday. Talebi's appointment was made by head of the federation Mohsen Farahani. The move came three weeks before the World Cup matches are to kick off in France. Talebi, a former member of the National Soccer Team, was appointed as technical advisor to the national soccer teams on May 3.

Ivic was appointed the head coach of the National Iranian Soccer Team last spring.\ (IRNA)