More misery for Daei

Ali Daei in action for Iran

Iranian legend Ali Daei has suffered a long-term injury, inflicting yet further misery during a trying few weeks for the 33-year-old national team captain.

Daei will be out for at least two months after tearing knee ligaments playing for his United Arab Emirates club Al Shabab against Al Jazira.

The 1999 Asian Player of the Year had only just returned to action having left Iran's Asian Games squad following the death of his father, 70-year-old Abulfazul who suffered a stroke and heart attack at the beginning of October.

Daei's Asian Games campaign seemed cursed from the onset. He arrived on the day of Iran's opening game against Afghanistan nursing a hamstring injury and several stitches in a cut to his head suffered playing for Shabab the night before flying to South Korea.

Although the former Bayern Munich and Hertha Berlin star scored twice against the Afghans and once more against Lebanon, he then sprained an ankle in training and sat out the final group match against Qatar, before the family tragedy forced his early departure.

Al Shabab are reported to be negotiating with Iranian car manufacturers Saipa to try and secure the services of Javad Kazemeyan, the scorer of one of Iran's two goals in the Asian Games final against Japan, as a temporary replacement for Daei.