BeachSoccer - The defending champions and the World Cup winners will compete in the final of the 2021 Tecnotree Intercontinental Beach Soccer Cup tomorrow.
It will be the third time that the sides have faced each other in the final, and Iran have won both previous meetings.
Russia handily defeated Portugal to reach their seventh of the ten Intercontinental Cup finals, and Iran came from behind to defeat Senegal in a fiery semi-final match-up.
It was a bittersweet moment for the Iranians as two legends of beach soccer, Peyman Hosseini and captain Hassan Abdollahi, announced their retirement from international beach soccer.
Portugal will play Senegal again tomorrow for third place, while Spain and Japan contend fifth, and Paraguay and UAE will battle for seventh.
Senegal 5-7 Iran
The debutants met the defending champions in the semi-final, and it was Iran who were quicker off the mark as Mokthari smashed home midway through the first period.
Newcomers to the Intercontinental Cup they may be, but the Lions of Teranga pounced into action, Diagne leading the charge with three first period goals, stunning Iran before the whistle.
Raoul made it four in the second, but Mokthari and then Moradi – with a stunning mid-air volley – had the overwhelming Iranian crowd on their feet before long, cutting the score to 4-3.
Amir Akbari, who both won top scorer and broke his arm in the last edition of the Intercontinental Cup, struck with a minute of the second period left and straight from the restart Mokthari completed his hat-trick with an impressive acrobatic finish to give Iran the lead!
Mirshekari made it 4-6 but Madione converted for Senegal with six minutes of the match left and it looked as if the African champions might find an equaliser.
But the final blow went to the three-time kings, as captain Ahmadzadeh netted with seconds on the clock to seal a fourth final, and a third against Russia.
It was the perfect send off for Iranian talisman Peyman Hosseini and Hassan Abdollahi, who announced their retirement after the win against Senegal.
Goals: 0-1: Mokthari, min. 6 (1); 1-1: Diagne, min. 5 (1); 1-2: Diagne, min. 5 (1); 1-3: Diagne, min. 3 (1); 2-3: Mokthari, min. 1 (1); 2-4: Raoul, min. 10 (2); 3-4: Moradi, min. 6 (2); 4-4: Akbari, min. 1 (2); 4-5: Mokthari, min. 11 (3); 4-6: Mirshekari, min. 7 (3); 5-6: Madione, min. 6 (3); 5-7: Ahmadzadeh, min. 0 (3);
The final of the 2021 Tecnotree Intercontinental Beach Soccer Cup match between Russia and Iran national teams will be broadcast by Varzesh TV on November 6 at 19:30 Tehran Time.