AFC Futsal Asian Cup:
Iran eases past Kuwait, lands Kyrgyzstan in last eight
Iran defeated Kuwait 4-0 to make a clean sweep of three victories in Group D of the AFC Futsal Asian Cup in Bangkok, Thailand.
The top-spot finish in the group means the 12-time champion will square off against Kyrgyzstan, which stood second to Tajikistan in Group C on goal difference, in today’s quarterfinal in Bangkok Arena.
Stepping into Monday’s game on the back of two unconvincing wins against Afghanistan (3-1) and Bahrain (5-3), Vahid Shamsaei’s men saved their best for the last round of group fixtures.
Dominating the early stages, Iran broke the deadlock eight minutes into the contest, when Ali Akrami dribbled past his marker down the right flank before his strike from a tight angle ricocheted off Kuwaiti captain Abdulrahman Altawail’s knee to find the back of the net.
Iran had another Kuwaiti player to thank for its second goal in the 17th minute, as the reigning Asian Player of the Year Moslem Oladqobad’s effort took a deflection off Ahmad Alfarsi to go past goalkeeper Fahad Alkhawari.
Needing a single point to progress, Kuwait opted for power play to reduce the deficit late in the first half but the decision cost the Middle Eastern debutants a third goal, with Saeid Ahmad-Abbasi intercepting a Naser Alalban’s pass before his cool strike from halfway line sealed a fifth goal for the Iranian in Bangkok.
Shamsaei’s men took their foot off the pedal after the break but still managed to extend their lead with less than eight minutes left on the clock, courtesy of an Ahmad-Abbasi’s spot kick after Salar Aqapour was brought down by Sulaiman Alomran.
The result also saw Afghanistan make history by reaching the knockout phase in maiden appearance in the Asian flagship international event, pipping Kuwait to the runner-up spot on goal difference following a 3-2 win against Bahrain.
Standing between Iran and a last-four place – and a berth in September’s Futsal World Cup in Uzbekistan – is an impressive Kyrgyzstan side, which stole the headlines by beating defending champion Japan 3-2 in their group opener.
“I’ve played against Kyrgyzstan as a player and a coach before, but the mentality that the new coach has given the players has made them a much different team. I’m sure we’re going to have a tough but exiting match against them,” Shamsaei said of today’s opponent.
Japan bounced back from the first-day upset to beat South Korea by five goals but Monday’s 1-1 draw against Tajikistan eventually sent the Blue Samurai packing.
“I was really saddened by Japan’s exit as they also missed out on the World Cup spot. The performances by other teams show that there are no easy opponents in this tournament. Just watch some of the games in the group stage to see how futsal has improved across Asia,” added Shamsaei, who won the tournament as a player on eight occasions.
Elsewhere in the quarterfinals, host country Thailand will take on Iraq, while Tajikistan will face Afghanistan.
Uzbekistan and Vietnam will also go head-to-head, with the winner facing Iran or Kyrgyzstan in Friday’s semifinals.