Iranian clubs have been a dominant force in the previous continental championships with Foolad Sepahan winning the inaugural championship in 2010 and Shahid Mansouri Charchak missing out the title after conceding an extra-time defeat to Japan’s Nagoya Oceans in 2011.
Sanaye Giti Pasand’s dramatic entry into the competition hinged on last-minute calculations, after last year’s finalists Shahid Mansouri and Giti Pasand were tied equal on points from 26 matches in the league. Giti Pasand overtook Shahid Mansouri’s healthy goal difference in the last match day as they thrashed Persepolis Tehran 11-2 while Shahid Mansouri could only manage a 7-3 win over 2010 champions Foolad Mahan Sepahan.
Yarmouk SC will represent hosts Kuwait while defending champions Nagoya Oceans edged Shriker Osaka by a point to win the domestic futsal league to represent Japan in the continental competition. Lebanon’s All Sports SC also won the grueling best-of-five finals against Sadaka Beirut 3-2 to book a ticket for the finals in Kuwait.
Thailand’s GH Bank RBAC FC and Thai Son Nam FC of Vietnam are the winners of Zone 2 qualifiers where GH Bank defeated China’s Guangzhou Baiyunshan and Thai Son Nam beat Indonesia’s Pelindo in the semifinals to qualify for the final. GH Bank ultimately won the tournament after beating Thai Son Nam 1-0 in the final.
Likewise, Uzbek futsal giant Ardus Tashkent remained all conquering in the local futsal league with nine wins and one draw in 10 matches of league to represent Uzbekistan in the Zone 1 qualifier where they once again remained undefeated accumulating 12 points from four matches. Qatar’s Al Rayyan’s are the other team to join Ardus in Kuwait as they finished second behind Ardus in the qualifiers which was played in round-robin format.
The draw for the finals will be held on April 26 in Kuwait.