Azerbaijan fans visiting Cardiff for the opening World Cup qualifier against Wales will be hoping for a warmer welcome than the one they received on Iranian soil this week.

The Azeris, who share a border with Iran, flew into the capital Tehran to take on their Iranian neighbours in a not-so-friendly international.

The ruckus started when Azeri fans were removed from their seats in the Azadi stadium by Iranian police.

Azerbaijan football association (AFFA) general secretary Elkhan Mammadov said that problems arose when police officers put pressure on the Iranian citizens of the Azeri origin who came to support Azerbaijan.

"Over 100 fans came to support Azerbaijan. The officers didn't let them take their seats in the stadium saying that they were taken by Iranian fans. As a result, Azeri fans had to observe the game from other stand. But the policemen demanded them to leave the seats again", explained Mammadov.

The AFFA chief said that it was only when Azeri officials intervened that the trouble subsided.

"We thought the police officers tried to take the fans out of the stadium. I expressed my great dissatisfaction to the stadium administration and Iran Football Federation officials. I told them that if they do not stop pressure I was going to join Azeri fans in the stand. Only after that they ordered the police officers to stop the pressure on them," he said.

The lead up to the game had been marred by protests from Azerbaijan, who had complained to FIFA about the decision of the Iranian Football Federation to appoint an Iranian referee for the friendly.

The two countries have endured fractious relations in the past and reports say problems arose when Azeri fans raised an Azerbaijani flag and started shouting "Azerbaijan", "Tebriz", "Baku" and other slogans.

It was then that the Persian spectators demanded that police officers take action against the Azeri fans.

After the match violence erupted between local Azeris and Persians outside the stadium. Instead of stopping the brawl between the two sides, police officers supported the Persians. The attackers took the Azerbaijani flag and various posters from Azeri fans.

As for the match, it ended in a 1-0 victory for Iran. A goal in the 82nd minute from substitute Mohammad Nouri.

RICCY Scimeca has been dealt a devastating blow with the news that he has badly damaged ligaments in his right ankle.
The experienced midfield player was carried off on a stretcher during City's Carling Cup win against Milton Keynes Dons.
An early diagnosis suggested Scimeca had escaped with soft tissue damage, which would have been a massive bonus after a year fighting back from several groin operations.
But x-rays revealed ligament damage and he will be out for at least eight weeks.
"Riccy has suffered ruptured ankle ligaments and torn others," said City manager Dave Jones. "He will be out for two months, possibly more.
"It's a tough blow for any player to take - a long injury absence followed by another long injury absence."
Darcy Blake, Tony Capaldi, Kevin McNaughton and Gavin Rae are also in the treatment room at the training ground. McNaughton looks the only one of those with a chance of playing on Saturday, although no final decisions have been made.
See tomorrow's South Wales Echo for all the latest news from the Cardiff City camp.

HUNGARIAN defender Gabor Gyepes played his first match for Cardiff City this afternoon.
He was involved in the 90 minutes for City in a reserves match against Bristol Rovers at the Memorial Ground.
Gyepes scored and came through well in a 3-0 Bluebirds win, goalkeeper Peter Enckelman keeping the clean sheet.
Darren Dennehy, the young defender signed from Everton, also did well, while City's goalscorers were Gyepes, Jon Brown and substitute Leigh Smith.
Who would you play at the heart of the City defence at Sheffield United - two out of Gyepes, Roger Johnson and Darren Purse?

CARDIFF City are through to the third round of the Carling Cup courtesy of their 2-1 win against Milton Keynes Dons.
The Bluebirds are still unbeaten this season and, last night, goals from Ross McCormack, his fourth in three matches, and Peter Whittingham, his 14th for City, secured a victory which was more comfortable than the scoreline suggests.
Cardiff, though, are still not playing the flowing, fluent style they can.
New signings for this transfer window are over - and City have the squad to see them through the first half of the season.
What's your view of Cardiff City's form? How did you rate Eddie Johnson's debut against MK Dons? He has pace, but he looked rusty after a spell without matches and a lot of travelling with the USA Team.
Miguel Comminges impressed against Dons, but what about that goal conceded.
Goalkeeper Tom Heaton slipped as he tried to move, but why did Sean O'Hanlon escape the attention of Darren Purse and Roger Johnson.
Having seen the goal again it looks as though Purse isn't close enough and Johnson could not get to O'Hanlon. What did you think?

RICCY Scimeca suffered a terrible blow during the first half of Cardiff City's Carling Cup tie against Milton Keynes Donas at Ninian Park.
The experienced midfield player was carried off on a stretcher - and was the third Bluebirds' man to go off injured.
Tony Capaldi limped out of the action after 10 minutes and Dacry Blake followed soon after.
But it was the loss of Scimeca, who has worked so hard to regain fitness after a series of groin operations, which was the biggest blow.
Scimeca suffered an injury to his right leg just before half-time when challenged by Drissa Diallo.
He was taken off on a stretcher and Ross McCormack scored from the resulting penalty to put City 1-0 ahead at half-time.
The departure of Scimeca opened the way for teenage full-back Aaron Morris to make his first team debut for the Bluebirds.
Cardiff City: Heaton, Capaldi, Purse (capt), R Johnson, Blake, Whittingham, McPhail, Scimeca, Ledley, E Johnson, McCormack. Subs: Comminges for Capaldi, Parry for Blake, Morris for Scimeca.

Can things get any worse for JohnToshack? Not only is the beleaguered Welsh boss beset by injury worries, but now his already fractured World Cup plans look set to be derailed further by a run-in with West Ham boss Alan Curbishley.

The source of this managerial flare-up? The call-up to Wales' World Cup squad of Curbishley's Welsh duo Craig Bellamy and James Collins.

Curbs admits he is confused by Tosh's decision to include Bellamy and Collins in his squad for next month's 2010 World Cup qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Russia.

The Hammers' boss wants Toshack to explain his decision to call on two players who, he believes, are nowhere near ready for a return to international football.

"I don't know what's happened there," said Curbishley.

"Craig Bellamy has obviously been out for three weeks and has just got back into training and James Collins has been out for nigh-on six months and is nowhere near available.

"So I think both players are going to be best served staying with us and we'll let John know that in the week."

Bellamy is working his way back to fitness from a hamstring injury, while former Cardiff City defender Collins is continuing his rehabilitation from a cruciate knee ligament operation.

Bellamy is understood to be at least another two weeks away from fitness while Collins has just one half of playing time under his belt thanks to a behind-closed-doors friendly against QPR last week.

The centre-half is earmarked to appear in another specially arranged friendly this week as he makes encouraging progress from the horror injury that he sustained back in January.

Wigan's Jason Koumas has today emerged as an injury doubt for Wales' opening World Cup qualifying games.

The Welsh playmaker was substituted at half-time in Wigan's 1-0 home reverse to Chelsea, not for tactical reasons as originally thought, but because the player suffered a reccurence of a recent knee injury.

Speaking to the Wigan Observer Lactics' boss Steve Bruce said: "We brought in Jason Koumas, but he suffered a recurrence of the knee injury which forced him to miss most of the pre-season."

Koumas joins Freddie Eastwood as players who suffered injury blows playing for their clubs this weekend.

There's no further news on how serious or otherwise the midfielder's injury is, however Wales boss John Toshack will be praying that the Welsh injury curse that has dogged his reign as manager isn't set to strike again.

JOHN TOSHACK'S plans for the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers have been rocked by the news that strike ace Freddie Eastwood faces a race against time to be fit for the opening games against Azerbaijan and Russia.

The Coventry City striker was substituted at half-time during the Sky Blues' 3-0 home defeat to Bristol City after suffering a groin strain within the first 10 minutes of kick-off.

The former Wolves hitman now faces less than two weeks to be fit for the opening World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday 6 September.

Recovery time from groin strains vary between two weeks to two months, depending on the severity of the injury.

It's not known yet how serious Eastwood's injury is, however Coventry City manager Chris Coleman immediately ruled out the striker from his side's Carling Cup clash with Newcastle United on Tuesday evening and the forward looks unlikely to make Coventry's Championship game against Doncaster Rovers next Saturday.

After the 2-1 reverse to Georgia, Welsh boss Toshack bemoaned the injuries that have shorn him of a first choice central defensive line-up, however with Craig Bellamy yet to make his return from injury and Eastwood now battling to be fit for those crucial World Cup qualifiers against Azerbaijan at home and Russia away, Tosh will have grave concerns over the fitness of his first choice strikeforce.

Wales boss John Toshack has finally received some positive injury news.

It's been a torrid week for the Welsh boss, seeing both the U21s and a depleted senior side crashing to defeat, but he would ahve been cheered by the news of key centre half James Collins coming through his first match action since suffering a knee ligament injury in January.

Toshack is facing up to a defensive crisis ahead of Wales' opening World Cup qualifying matches against Azerbaijan and Germany, with both Danny Gabbidon and Lewin Nyatanga crocked.

Collins appears unlikely to have completed his rehabilitation in time for those first round of matches, however, Ginge's return to action, playing the first half in a behind closed doors practice game at home against QPR in midweek, will have been a welcome sight for Tosh.

"It was good to be back out there but also very strange," admitted Collins speaking to the official West Ham United website.

"I think it was the most nervous I have ever been before a game in my life but I got through it, played 45 minutes and am just looking forward to the next game now. It is the worst injury of my career so far and it has been a long old road trying to get back but I have got one game under my belt now which is the first step really."

It's testament to how hard Collins has worked that he's even contemplating playing again so soon. "When I first got the injury the surgeon seemed to think I could be out for a year or even 18 months so to be back after seven months is credit to all the medical staff here and the surgeon who did my operation."

The former Cardiff City player said that despite rumours linking him with a move away from Upton Park, he has no intention of leaving the Hammers. "I know there has been a bit of speculation about my future but I am more than happy here, the treatment I have had with my injury and the way the lads have been reinforces my desire to remain here.

"I feel like I still have a big part to play in West Ham's future so I am just looking to get my head down and concentrate on getting back as soon as possible. I think it will still be a couple of months before I am fully fit but with other centre-backs having injuries as well my aim is to get back and straight into the team."

PAUL Parry and Ross McCormack were given attacking responsibility for Cardiff City on their first ever visit to Doncaster Rovers' new Keepmoat Stadium.
Steve Thompson and Jay Bothroyd were on the bench as manager Dave Jones opted for pace to try and unsettle the home back four.
This is the first Coca-Cola Championship match at the Keepmoat - Doncaster were promoted via the play-offs - and a good atmosphere was building around the stadium.
McCormack was welcomed back as a former Doncaster player, having spent time with the Yorkshire club on loan from Rangers.
Glenn Loovens is set to sign for Celtic today - that transfer should be completed later - with Darren Purse taking over alongside Roger Johnson.
In midfield Riccy Scimeca played alongside Stephen McPhail with Gavin Rae injured.
Purse wore the captain's armband as he does whenever he is on the pitch.
Doncaster Rovers: Sullivan, O'Connor, Roberts, Hird, Mills, Stock (capt), Wellens, Coppinger, Hayter, Guy, Taylor. Subs: Spicer, Woods, Elliott, Lockwood, Chambers.
Cardiff City: Heaton; McNaughton, Johnson, Purse (capt), Kennedy; Whittingham, Scimeca, McPhail, Ledley; McCormack, Parry. Subs: Thompson, Bothroyd, Blake, Comminges, Enckelman (capt).