AFC - Uzbekistan champions Ardus will be eyeing to end the Iranian dominance in Asian futsal when they take on Iran’s all-conquering Sanaye Giti Pasand in the final of the AFC Futsal Club Championship today at the Yarmouk Indoor Stadium.

Iran’s champions Foolad Mahan Sepahan had won the inaugural continental futsal championship back in 2010 while Japan’s Nagoya Oceans defeated Iranian opponents Shahid Mansouri in 2011.

If Ardus win on Friday, they will be the first Uzbek side to win the continental honour while by making it to the final, Giti Pasand maintained the trend of having an Iranian team in the final.

“There is no secret, Giti Pasand are a level up than the rest of the sides in this competition,” Ardus’ coach Alexander Petrov told www.the-afc.com.

“But in football or futsal, it’s not always the top team wins and they should not always. We have been waiting for this match from last two years and it’s a chance for my players to step in on the big occasion,” he added.

Ardus will be without the services of Dilshod Rakhmatov who sustained injury while playing against GH Bank and also missed Ardus’ 3-1 victory over Al Rayyan in the Thrusday’s semi-final.

In contrast, apart from minor niggles, there are no injury concerns for Giti Pasand as coach Afzal Alireza has the luxury of using all his firepower against Ardus.

“Ardus are deservedly there, and it won’t be easy for my young side on Friday but we will be taking this match like what we did with other games – play good futsal and win,” Alireza told www.the-afc.com.

“We believe that we can win this tournament but at the same time we are aware that there are teams who can give us a good chase,” he said.