AFC Futsal Asian Cup
It was a record extending 13th title for Iran while Tajikistan and Afghanistan created history of their own by qualifying for maiden appearances at the FIFA Futsal World Cup.
Group Stage
Hosts Thailand began their campaign with a 3-1 win over China PR, while Myanmar goalkeeper Mai Soe Myat Htwe delivered an inspirational performance to secure his side a 1-1 draw against Vietnam.
Thailand secured their quarter-final spot on Matchday Two by scoring five unanswered goals past Myanmar, with Suphawut Thueanklang netting twice. Vietnam rebounded with a 1-0 win against China PR.
#ACFutsal2024 | Group A : Myanmar 0 - 5 Thailand
Myanmar made headlines on Matchday Three with their first win, defeating China PR 3-1, while Thailand claimed the top spot by edging Vietnam 2-1.
Uzbekistan showed their quality when they came back from a goal down to edge Australia 3-2 on Group B's opening day, while Iraq flexed their muscles to overwhelm Saudi Arabia 5-1.
Saudi Arabia bounced back in style, scoring a 4-2 win against Australia, while Uzbekistan powered their way to a 4-1 victory against Iraq.
#ACFutsal2024 | Group B : Uzbekistan 3 - 1 Saudi Arabia
The Central Asian side topped the group following a 3-1 win over Saudi Arabia with Iraq taking second spot after they came from two goals down to finish 6-2 winners against Australia.
Tajikistan were the dominant side in Group C as they defeated Korea Republic 2-0, then shared the spoils in a 2-2 draw with Kyrgyz Republic before closing out their campaign by holding defending champions Japan to a 1-1 stalemate to top the group.
Japan’s quest to defend their title suffered a setback when they were stunned 3-2 by Kyrgyz Republic on the opening day.
#ACFutsal2024 | Group C : Japan 2 - 3 Kyrgyz Republic
The four-time winners bounced back to record a 5-0 win against Korea Republic but came up short on Matchday Three after their draw against Tajikistan saw them exiting at the group stage with Kyrgyz Republic advancing after a thrilling 5-5 stalemate with Korea Republic.
Iran cruised to a 3-1 win against debutants Afghanistan in their Group D opener, then showed resilience to overcome Bahrain 5-3 before beating Kuwait 4-0 to seal top spot.
Kuwait started with a 2-1 win over Bahrain and a 3-3 draw with Afghanistan but it wasn’t enough as Afghanistan secured second place on goal difference after their 3-2 defeat of Bahrain.
Quarter-finals
Therdsak Charoenphong’s dramatic late winner saw Thailand defeat Iraq 3-2 to book a semi-final meeting with Tajikistan and qualify for the FIFA Futsal World Cup Uzbekistan 2024.
Tareq Sulaiman forced Thailand to concede possession just inside their half and Al Husaynat pounced on the loose ball, took a few steps forward, and thundered a shot past goalkeeper Arut Senbat with just over two minutes played.
On 16 minutes, the Thailand goalkeeper left his area with the ball at his feet but upon turning back towards his goal, his loose pass was pounced on by an opportunistic Sulaiman who rolled the ball into an unguarded net.
With two minutes left to half-time, Thailand reduced the deficit as Jirawat Sornwichian played a set-piece across the box to Alongkorn who drilled home.
#ACFutsal2024 | Quarter-final : Thailand 3 - 2 Iraq
There was still time for further drama before the halt-time buzzer as Apiwat Chaemcharoen received his marching orders for a high challenge.
And not long after being restored to their full complement of players, the hosts' ill-discipline cost them again as Muhammad Osamanmusa received his second yellow card and was sent off with Thailand down to four men once again for another two-minute penalty period.
After once more surviving being a player down, Thailand then found parity in the 31st minute as Therdsak laid the ball to Alongkorn, whose low shot found its way past Zaher Mahdi.
Narongsak Wingwon then took control of a loose ball before relaying it to Therdsak who grabbed the spectacular winner from deep within his own half with no goalkeeper at home to send the bench and supporters alike into wild celebrations.
#ACFutsal2024 | Quarter-final : Tajikistan 2 - 1 Afghanistan
Fayzali Sardorov’s extra-time winner saw Tajikistan edge Afghanistan 2-1 to secure a place in the semi-finals for the first time and qualification for a maiden FIFA Futsal World Cup.
Tajikistan opened the scoring against the run of play as Komron Aliev’s surge down the left resulted in a cross that was turned into his own net by Reza Hossein Poor two minutes before the break.
The scores were level three minutes into the restart, though, as Farzad Mahmoodi ran onto a lay-off from Akbar Kazemi and drilled his low shot past goalkeeper Firuz Bekmurodov.
Afghanistan came close to taking the lead in the 26th minute when a long ball up court found Kazemi, only for his header to crash against the post.
With under four minutes left on the clock, there was more drama to come as Tajikistan went down to four men following Idris Yorov’s second yellow card.
But even with a man advantage for the two minute-penalty period, no further goals were forthcoming and the tie went to extra-time.
After a goalless first period, Tajikistan’s moment of history came in the second minute of the restaart after a nerveless 10-metre penalty from Sardorov etched his name into his country’s record books.
#ACFutsal2024 | Quarter-final : Uzbekistan 2 - 1 Vietnam
Uzbekistan sealed their place in the semi-finals after coming from behind to edge Vietnam 2-1.
Uzbekistan were stunned in the 17th minute when they failed to clear a corner, with Tu Minh Quang pouncing on the rebound from his initial effort to square the ball to an unmarked Thinh Phat to slot home from close range.
A stung Uzbekistan equalised a minute later when Ropiev’s volley from distance took a deflection, looping over a packed box before bouncing off the underside of the bar and crossing the line.
Tu Minh Quang could have put the game to bed for Vietnam with two minutes left but was denied by the crossbar and it came back to haunt the Southeast Asian side as Sunatulla Juraev scored a dramatic winner for Uzbekistan just before the end.
#ACFutsal2024 | Quarter-final : IR Iran 6 - 1 Kyrgyz Republic
Iran defeated Kyrgyz Republic 6-1, with Behrooz Azimihematabadi striking the opener in the seventh minute.
Kyrgyz Republic drew level a minute later when Bekbolot Akmataliev squared the ball to Amanbaev Donierbek, who beat his marker on the turn before slotting home a grounded effort, leaving Iran keeper Bagher Mohammadi stunned.
Iran restored their lead two minutes later with Salar Aghapour curling his free-kick over the wall and into the top right corner and went further ahead two minutes into the second half when Ali Asghar Hassanzadeh played the ball for Saeid Abbasi to strike home from just above the arc past a diving Akmataliev.
Iran scored their fourth in the 25th minute after Abbasi gained possession before squaring it to Hassanzadeh to tee-up Mahdi Karimi to slot the ball through the legs of Akmataliev. Karimi doubled his tally in the 35th minute after collecting the ball off Aghapour’s cutback to slot home on turn from the top of the box before Hassanzadeh made it 6-1 from the penalty spot.
Playoffs
With a fifth spot available for Asia at the FIFA Futsal World Cup Uzbekistan 2024, Iraq faced Afghanistan while Vietnam met Kyrgyz Republic.
An inspired Afghanistan were too hot for Iraq to handle as the Central Asian side fought back from going behind to emerge 5-3 winners.
#ACFutsal2024 | Play-off 3 : Afghanistan 5 - 3 Kyrgyz Republic
Daniiar Talaibekov was Kyrgyz Republic's hero, striking the winner with a minute remaining as the Central Asian side edged Vietnam 3-2.
Kyrgyz Republic, however, found Afghanistan in inspired form in the final playoff, succumbing to a heartbreaking 5-3 defeat as the winning side confirmed their ticket to the FIFA Futsal World Cup Uzbekistan 2024.
Semi-finals
Iran and Thailand had to work hard before securing places in the final, with both needing penalties to see off the challenges of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan respectively.
#ACFutsal2024 | Semi-final : Thailand 3 (6) - (5) 3 Tajikistan
Tied 3-3 at the end of the match, Thailand goalkeeper Arut Senbat was the hero in the shootout as the hosts advanced with a 6-5 win.
Iran custodian Bagher Mohammadi was his team's star after a 3-3 tie meant penalties would be needed.
#ACFutsal2024 | Semi-final : Uzbekistan 3 (4) - (5) 3 Islamic Republic Of Iran
Mohammadi saved two spot-kicks as Iran moved within a match of a 13th AFC Futsal Asian Cup title.
Third-place playoff
Uzbekistan denied Tajikistan a medal finish, winning their third-place playoff 3-1 on penalties after the match ended 5-5.
#ACFutsal2024 | 3rd/4th Place : Tajikistan 5 (1) - (3) 5 Uzbekistan
It was a heartbreaking end for Tajikistan as they fought back from going 2-0 and 4-2 down to lead 5-4 only to be denied a medal at the very end.
Final
Iran waltzed their way to a record-extending 13th title with a 4-1 win over Thailand in the final.
Iran got off to a fine start, taking the lead in the first minute off a set-piece situation when Salar Aghapour teed-up Mahdi Karimi, who finished into the bottom corner of the net from the top of the arc.
Thailand, despite being urged on by their fans, struggled to break through, with Krit Aransanyalak finding his forays on the right flank consistently halted by Iran’s solid defending.
#ACFutsal2024 | Final : Thailand 1 - 4 Islamic Republic Of Iran
Thailand keeper Arut Senbat was kept on his toes, having to block Karimi’s drive from the left flank, before seeing Alireza Rafiei Pour pull his effort wide from inside the box.
The hosts had their first look on goal in the fourth minute when Alongkorn Janphon lost his marker at the centre before playing the ball square to the advancing Therdsak Charoenphong, who fired his effort over the bar.
A lapse in concentration saw Thailand concede again in the fifth minute when Mohammadreza Sangsefidi played the ball on for the overlapping Moslem Oladghobad on the right flank, who supplied a pinpoint cross for Saeid Ahmad Abbasi to score his eighth goal of the tournament.
The onus was on Thailand to find their way back and they did so in spectacular fashion in the 25th minute when Jirawat Sornwichian exchanged passes with Muhammad Osamanmusa before darting through the centre and chipping the ball over Bagher Mohammadi.
#ACFutsal2024 | IR Iran: The New Champions of AFC Futsal Asian Cup™
A relentless Iran responded two minutes later off a set-piece situation when Sangsefidi lofted the perfect cross to an unmarked Ali Asghar Hassanzadeh to volley home to regain their two-goal advantage.
Thailand, desperate to reduce the deficit in the second half, opted for the power play but the move proved costly in the 34th minute as Mohammadi gained possession in his area before lofting the ball over to score Iran’s fourth to confirm his nation's 13th AFC Futsal Asian Cup™ title.
Iran’s Abbasi won the Most Valuable Player and Top Goalscorer awards while custodian Mohammadi scooped the Best Goalkeeper award.
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