Iran U23 wins CAFA Futsal Cup
Iran’s under-23 team claimed the title at the CAFA Futsal Cup thanks to a final-day 1-0 victory over Tajikistan.
Ali Akrami bagged the only goal of the game as Ali Sanei’s side finished atop the six-team table with 12 points.
Iran got off to a losing start at the event in Dushanbe, suffering a shock 2-1 defeat against Turkmenistan, but bounced back to beat Kyrgyzstan (1-0), Afghanistan (5-1), and Uzbekistan (5-0) before Sunday’s win against the host.
Akrami went on to pick up the Most Valuable Player award while his teammate Mehdi Rostami was named the Best Goalkeeper.
Afghanistan finished as the runner-up with 10 points, courtesy of three wins and one draw and defeat apiece, followed by Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and the Kyrgyz Republic.