Iran on course for record eighth title

AFC - Iran stayed on course for a record eighth consecutive AFC Futsal Championship crown after defeating Thailand 6-3 and booking their berth in the semifinals on Tuesday here at the Yunusabad Sports Complex.

In the other inconsequential Group D match, Turkmenistan demolished Indonesia 10-3.

Iran went into the encounter as overwhelming favourites but preferred to play cautiously against their ASEAN rivals, no wonder the memory of last year’s shock 3-3 draw, Team Melli’s first ever in the history of the tournament, still fresh in the minds of Vahid Shamsaee and his teammates.

The Thais went flat out and Panuwat Janta opened the scoring for them in the very first minute, capitalising on some lax Iranian defence. But this was almost immediately neutralised by Shamsaee (2) and the next goal didn’t materialise after some ultradefensive play by both sides till the 18th minute. Prasert Innui scored this one and Thailand had re-established their lead which was however shortlived after Shamsaee netted his brace on the stroke of half time.

The second period saw Iran reasserting their control and camping in the Thai half. But poor finishing and some tight marking meant only Mostafa Nazari (24), Maged Raise (27), Shamsaee (30) and Mohsin Zarei (34) could bulge the net. Sermphan Kurmthinkaew pulled one more goal back for Thailand on 33 minutes.

”We had to change out strategy after the first Thai goal,” said Iran’s coach Jurandir Dutra after the match. “The players were also nervous in the first half and made many mistakes.”

”But we have the kind of players who can decide the outcome of a match. If you ask me, the championship has started only today for us!”

Iran meet the toppers of Group B – either Japan or Tajikistan – in the second semifinal on May 26. Only Japan have defeated Iran in the seven-year-long history of the tournament.

Turkmenistan’s match against Indonesia was only of academic interest but this didn’t prevent the Central Asian team from walloping its rivals. On the mark for Turkmenistan were Agajan Resulov (14), Artur Gevorkyan (7,16,19,30), Aleksandir Sidorov (10,21), Taji Abdullayev (24,32) and Mergen Orazov (38), while Indonesia’s goals came from Israqul Issa (23) and Safarudin (39, 39).