Author: admin

22/04/202422/04/2024

Afghanistan book historic berth

MON, 22 APRIL, 2024

Bangkok: Afghanistan made history by reaching the AFC Futsal Asian Cup™ Thailand 2024 knockout stage in their debut after defeating Bahrain 3-2 at Bangkok Arena on Monday.

With Group D winners Iran beating Kuwait 4-0 at Hua Mark Indoor Stadium, Afghanistan leapfrogged the West Asians on goal difference to take second place in the group.

Afghanistan will now face Group C winners Tajikistan in the quarter-finals for a place at the 2024 FIFA Futsal World Cup in Uzbekistan.

Coming into the tie Afghanistan knew that a win was the first priority in keeping their qualification hopes alive, but it was Bahrain who began the stronger with Saleh Sanjar stinging the fingertips of goalkeeper Javad Safari two minutes in.

The Central Asians responded in the fifth minute, however, and Mohamed Al Sandi made Safari’s opposite number, Amin Mohamed, pull off a flying save to tip over.

And in their next attack Afghanistan had the lead they craved. Jassam Saleh found Ali Al Araibi on the edge of the area, and he drilled his shot home.

On the 10th minute mark Afghanistan went inches from doubling their lead when Saleh saw his low fizzer strike the foot of the post.

A well-worked set-piece saw Bahrain draw level with five minutes of the half remaining. Maysam Faizi’s ran over the ball and into the area and wasn’t picked up by the Afghanistan defence allowing Farzad Mahmoodi to find his teammate for an easy finish.

The turnaround was completed by Bahrain on the 17th minute as Mohammad Moradi was brought down in the area by Jafari and Sanjar confidently dispatched the resulting spot-kick.

With 20 seconds of the half remaining Afghanistan could have drawn level only for Reza Hossein Poor’s blistering effort to cannon back off the intersection of crossbar and post.

Needing to restore parity as quickly as possible, Afghanistan came out with purpose and thought they had won a penalty four minutes into the second half only to see the video check determine the handball by Al Sandi was accidental.

But on the 25-minute mark, Afghanistan found their own leveller as Akbar Kazemi poked home at the second attempt after Mohamed’s initial save following Mehran Gholami’s corner-kick.

And with six minutes remaining the lead was one more back in the hands of Majid Mortezaei’s men as Kazemi’s persisted down the right flank ended with a ball into the on-rushing Gholami who fired home.

Bahrain had a chance in the final minute, but Al Araibi scuffed his shot wide from close range and saw Afghanistan hold onto the lead and secure their place in AFC Futsal Asian Cup history.

The performance of CAFA Futsal teams has been perfect so far as Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan , and Uzbekistan, the 5 CAFA teams qualified to the finals of AFC Futsal Asian Cup™ Thailand 2024 knockout stages.

It is unfortunate that two CAFA teams will be knocked out in the quarter finals as Iran will be meeting Kyrgyzstan who have defeated the defending champions, Japan, while Afghanistan will meet Tajikistan.

22/04/202422/04/2024

Futsal Team Melli with a perfect record after defeating Kuwait.

Bangkok: Iran were at their best as they sailed 4-0 past Kuwait in their AFC Futsal Asian Cup Thailand™ 2024 Group D tie at the Hua Mark Indoor Arena on Monday.

The victory meant Iran topped the table with nine points with a quarter-final against Kyrgyz Republic next in their bid to win a 13th title.

Defeat for Kuwait meant elimination as debutants Afghanistan finished ahead of them on goal difference with both teams tied on four points.

Kuwait needed just a draw to reach the knockout stage and were the first to settle with Naser Alalban almost finding a way through on the right before Iran’s Mohammadhossein Derakhshani pulled off a fine tackle to clear the danger.

The momentum switched instantly in Iran’s favour as Kuwait keeper Fahad Alkhawari had to repel a series of shots, first a rocket of an effort from Moslem Oladghobad in the third minute, followed by attempts from Ali Asghar Hassanzadeh and Mohammadreza Sangsefidi.

The goal finally arrived for Iran in the eighth minute when Ali Akrami showed his individual brilliance, dribbling past his marker down the right flank before scoring from a tight angle with the ball taking a deflection off Abdulrahman Altawail.

Kuwait almost equalised in the 15th minute when Alalban gained possession from Iran’s Oladghobad down the right flank, exchanging passes with Altawail before squandering his effort at the end.

Iran increased their tally in the 17th minute when Karimi squared the ball to Salar Aghapour, whose shot took a deflection off Kuwait’s Ahmad Alfarsi before sailing past Alkhawari.

Kuwait were desperate to reduce the deficit but their full-court press was ineffective when Alalban lost the ball to Saeid Ahmad Abbasi, who struck cooly from the halfway line into an unattended net to put the score 3-0 going into the break.

Kuwait started the second half with the same intensity as the first half and threatened with Saleh Alfadhel testing Iran keeper Saeid Momeni from distance, while Altawail could only hit the side netting when he forced his effort from down the right flank in the 26th minute.

21/04/202421/04/2024

Cultural and Social Anomalies in Iranian Football

Introduction

Cultural anomalies and social misdemeanor tensions in Iranian football have long posed significant challenges for cultural and social experts and activists. Various committees within the football federation have been tasked with addressing these issues and reducing tensions.

The Role of Committees

Ethical Committee: Responsible for defining regulations related to ethical, and cultural issues, and fair play, as well as overseeing their implementation and addressing non-compliance cases.
Fair Play and Social Responsibility Committee: Focuses on establishing regulations related to cultural issues, fair play, and supervising their implementation within the football federation structure.

Cultural Integration in Clubs

Many Iranian clubs have incorporated cultural aspects alongside sports, often appointing a “Cultural Deputy” to manage cultural and social affairs within the clubs.

Challenges and Questions

Despite the existence of these committees and roles, questions arise regarding the effectiveness of their measures in recent years:

What fundamental measures have been taken to address cultural and social issues within Iranian football?
How successful have these committees and administrators been in curbing misbehavior and enhancing the image of domestic football?

Recent Incidents

Recent events involving players and coaches in prominent Iranian teams have highlighted ongoing challenges:

Danial Esmaili-Far and Javad Nekonam’s incidents raised concerns about player conduct and its impact on fans and the football community.

Impact and Reflection

The behavior of players and coaches on the field often mirrors the conduct of spectators, emphasizing the need for positive role modeling and cultural awareness within football.

Repeat Offenders

There are too many footballers and coaches who misbehave regularly with the fear of being punished, however, two of them have to be singled out as a prime example :

Javad Nekounam, a prominent figure known for his record as the most capped player for Team Melli and a former Captain, has consistently attracted media attention since transitioning to coaching after retiring as a player. His tenure, starting from Foolad Khuzestan, has been marred by frequent involvement in contentious incidents, including instances of unprofessional behavior, indiscretion, and verbal altercations.

Shoja’a Khalilzadeh: A player known for his misconduct both on and off the field. Recently, he has engaged in altercations with the press, hurling insults during interviews and displaying tantrums. His behavior has escalated to the point where he openly challenged the disciplinary committee of the federation to impose a ban on him.

Calls for Action

Behavior Management: Emphasizes the importance of managing emotions and behaviors through expert guidance and club interventions.
Club Responsibility: Urges clubs to take proactive measures in addressing misconduct before federation intervention becomes necessary.

The Need for Transparency

There is a call for greater transparency regarding the cultural initiatives and their impact:

Clubs and federations should clarify the measures taken in cultural fields and assess their effectiveness in fostering positive change.

Conclusion

While acknowledging challenges and weaknesses in disciplinary rules, there is an expectation for clubs and federations to prioritize cultural integration and responsibility to set positive examples within the football community.
Ever changing CEO’s of the clubs, financial instabilities, poor administrators and weak management of FFIRI has made the task of improving the culture of football so much more difficult, if not impossible.

21/04/202421/04/2024

Iran’s futsal struggle to beat Bahrain

Bangkok: Iran became the first team from Group D to secure a spot in the AFC Futsal Asian Cup Thailand™ 2024 quarter-finals following a thrilling 5-3 win over Bahrain on Saturday.

Saeid Abbasi starred with two goals for Iran, who will face Kuwait on Monday, while Bahrain takes on Afghanistan.

Bahrain will be disappointed with the result after having twice taken the lead in the pulsating tie.

Iran dominated the early minutes, channeling a barrage of shots in the direction of Bahrain keeper Sayed Abbas, with Alireza Rafiei Pour’s attempt grazing the left post in the opening minute.

Saeid Abbasi should have scored for the 12-time champions in the third minute when Ali Asghar Hassanzadeh sent a through ball to the top of the box, only for the Iran No 9 to hit his effort straight into the arms of Abbas.

Abbas then denied Mahdi Karimi twice, first keeping out an angled shot from the left and then a long-range effort from the center before the Bahraini custodian foiled Rafiei Pour’s shot from distance and then produced a point-blank save to keep Saeid Abbasi out.

Iran were left frustrated again when Behrooz Azimihematabadi appeared to have found the right angle in the sixth minute from just outside the box only for his effort to be denied by the right post.

Bahrain gradually settled down and took the game to Iran and were rewarded in the 10th minute when Ali Alaraibi slotted home the rebound after his initial effort was blocked by Iran keeper Bagher Mohammadi.

Iran responded immediately, Ali Asghar Hassanzadeh’s clever set-piece finding Rafiei Pour, who dinked the ball past Abbas.

However, Bahrain struck again with two minutes left on the clock when Mohamed Alsandi sent a delightful through ball for Saleh Sanjar to strike home from close range.

Saleh Sanjar had a chance to further extend Bahrain’s advantage but was denied from the spot by Mohammadi just before the break.

Iran came out fighting in the second half and leveled the score in the 22nd minute when Abbasi found an unmarked Karimi, who finished with aplomb from inside the box.

Iran then took the lead for the first time seven minutes later through Abbasi’s effort from a tight angle but their joy was short-lived as Bahrain refused to give up.

The West Asian side equalized a minute later with Ali Alaraibi initiating the move from his defensive end before finishing a well-orchestrated team move himself from close range.

Iran underlined their superiority when they regained the lead in the 33rd minute with Azimihematabadi striking a powerful shot from the edge of the box which escaped the clutches of Abbas

Abbasi scored Iran’s fifth goal when he pounced on Alsandi’s poor pass before sending the ball from above the half-way line into an unattended goalmouth to seal the victory.

18/04/202418/04/2024

Iran futsal begins with a victory against Afghanistan

the-afc.com
Bangkok

Iran got their AFC Futsal Asian Cup Thailand™ 2024 Group D campaign off to a strong start at Hua Mark Indoor Stadium with a 3-1 win over debutants Afghanistan on Thursday.

A brace from Saeid Ahmadabasi and a strike from Mahdi Karimi proved to be the difference as Iran eventually broke down hard-working opponents who restricted the Asian futsal powerhouses to just one goal at half-time before Mehran Ghorlami wrote his own little piece of history with his nation’s maiden goal at the tournament.

Afghanistan kept a dominant Iran at bay in the opening phases of the match until the 12-time champions finally opened the scoring just before the halfway mark of the first half when Karimi broke the deadlock.

And it was a goal worth waiting for as ’s cute backheel pass found Karimi steaming through on the left to slam his strike past Mohammad Safari.

If the game had to wait a while for its first goal following the initial kick-off, it needed no time for its second after half-time as right from kick-off Ahmadabasi closed down the Afghanistan defense, recovered the ball, danced he way past two opponents with ease and then unleashed a rocket of a shot into the roof of the net.

And just a minute later the same player had his brace and Iran’s third. A flowing move saw Ali Asghar Hassanzadeh find Mohammadhossein Derakhshani who in turn played in Ahmadabasi to drill confidently home from a slight angle.

Vahid Shamasee’s side did not have it all their own way and Afghanistan aimed to hit the Iranians on the counter when the opportunity allowed, but it was the continental heavyweights who could have extended their lead further when Behrooz Azimi slammed an effort from just inside the area against the crossbar on 24 minutes.

Nevertheless, Afghanistan continued to seek a historic maiden AFC Futsal Asian Cup goal, and two minutes later their hard graft was rewarded when Ghorlami fired home after being set up by Hussain Mohammadi.

Despite conceding, Iran were content to sit on their two-goal advantage and Afghanistan were unable to make further headway as the 2022 runners-up began their campaign on the front foot.

Iran will next face Bahrain on Saturday, while Afghanistan meet Kuwait in the day’s earlier game at Hua Mark Indoor Stadium.

15/04/202415/04/2024

Futsal Team Melli claims for the lost title.

Iran’s national futsal team squad departed Tehran this morning(Monday) after a one-day delay due to airspace closure heading to Bangkok via Istanbul (!!).

Iran is one of a few contenders for the title this year along with defending champions Japan, Uzbekistan, and host nation, Thailand. Futsal Team Melli is grouped with Afghanistan, Bahrain, and Kuwait in the preliminary rounds. Under Vahid Shamsaei, Iran will be determined to regain the crown it lost to Japan two years ago.

Team Melli will be missing Hossein Tayebbi due to injury but apart from that, the strongest team is aiming for the title led by veteran Ali Asghar Hassanzadeh and the star of the team Moslem Oladghobad, who is playing for the Spanish Primera Division de Futsal side, Palma.

THE SQUAD

1-Bagher Mohammadi [Ghand Katrin Amol], 32 years,
2-Saeed Momeni [Crop], 32 years
3-Ali Khalilvand [Giti Pasand], 26 years, ,
4-Alireza Rafieipour [Crop], 28 years,
5-Mohammad Hossein Derakhshani [Giti Pasand], 29 years,
6-Mohammadreza Seng Sefidi [Giti Pasand], 34 years,
7-Ali Asghar Hassanzadeh [Mes Sungun] 22 years
11-Mehdi Karimi, [Giti Pasand], 36 years
8-Moslem Oladghobad [Palma (ESP)], 26 years
9-Saeed Ahmad Abbasi [Valdepeñas (ESP)], 31 years
10-Salar Aghapour, [Mes Sungun] 22 years
11-Mehdi Karimi, [Giti Pasand], 25 years
12-Ali Akrami [Crop], 24 years
13-Masoud Yusuf
14-Behrouz Azimi

Iran record

Previous Appearances: 16
Best Finish: Champions (1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2016, 2018) 12 times
2022 Result: Runners-up
Head Coach: Vahid Shamsaei (IRN)

Matches Schedule

Thursday, April 18, 2024

FINALS – GROUP D

IRAN 12:00 AFGHANISTAN HUA MARK INDOOR STADIUM (BANGKOK)

Thursday, April 18, 2024

FINALS – GROUP D

KUWAIT 17:00 BAHRAIN HUA MARK INDOOR STADIUM (BANGKOK)

Saturday, April 20, 2024

FINALS – GROUP D

AFGHANISTAN 12:00 KUWAIT HUA MARK INDOOR STADIUM (BANGKOK)

Saturday, April 20, 2024

FINALS – GROUP D

BAHRAIN 17:00 IRAN

HUA MARK INDOOR STADIUM (BANGKOK)

Monday, April 22, 2024

FINALS – GROUP D

UPCOMING

IRAN 17:00 KUWAIT HUA MARK INDOOR STADIUM (BANGKOK)

Monday, April 22, 2024

FINALS – GROUP D

BAHRAIN 17:00 AFGHANISTAN BANGKOK ARENA (BANGKOK)

02/04/202402/04/2024

16 players called for Iran’s Futsal squad.

Vahid Shamsaei, the head coach of Iran’s national futsal team, invited 16 players to participate in the preparatory camp for the AFC Futsal Asian Cup 2024 in Thailand.

The invited players are all in the domestic league while the legionnaires will be invited at a later stage with the agreement of the clubs. Team Melli recently played in the Vietnam tournament and managed two wins against Vietnam and New Zealand while losing against Morocco.

The Invited players are:

Sepehr Heydari, Saeed Momeni, Bagher Mohammadi, Alireza Rafieipour, Mohammad Hossein Derakhshani, Mohammad Reza Sang Sefidi, Ali Asghar Hassanzadeh, Ali Akrami, Alireza Javan, Salar Aghapour, Mehdi Karimi, Amir Hossein Davodi, Masoud Yousef, Behrouz Azimi, Sajjad Yousef Khah and Ali Khalilvand

02/04/202402/04/2024

Jahanbakhsh’s imminent departure from Feyenoord.

Reports in Dutch media predicted the departure of Team Melli winger Alireza Jahanbakhsh from Feyenoord at the end of the season.

Feyenoord has officially terminated Alireza Jahanbakhsh’s contract, making him a free agent at the end of the season. According to the Dutch media outlet “nu,” Feyenoord had a one-way option to extend Jahanbakhsh’s 30-year-old contract for one more year, but this extension needed to be activated before April 1. Since Feyenoord managers decided not to renew the contract, Jahanbakhsh’s departure from Feyenoord is now official. However, it’s important to note that Jahanbakhsh is not definitively separated from the club. As a free agent this summer, he can negotiate with other clubs, including Feyenoord. There’s a possibility that he may return under a different contract, similar to what happened with Saman Ghoddos last summer at Brentford. Nevertheless, given the current composition of Feyenoord’s players, it seems unlikely that he will remain with the team.

Jahanbakhsh joined Feyenoord in the summer of 2021, and this season he primarily served as a reserve player. He only started 2 games only while coming in from the bench 8 times. During the previous season, when Feyenoord won the Dutch championship, he played in 28 games scoring 5 goals. In addition to Jahanbakhsh, Costas Lampero, the reserve goalkeeper for the team, has also been informed that he can leave in the summer. The 32-year-old Greek player signed a one-year contract with Feyenoord last summer but did not play a single minute this season.

The 30-year-old winger has been experiencing a gradual decline in form both at club and international level.

30/03/202430/03/2024

Rostov Midfielder Mohammad Mohebi Shines Despite National Team Commitments

Rostov, Russia — In a thrilling match during the 22nd round of the Russian Premier League, Rostov secured a resounding victory over Dynamo Moscow, triumphing with a 4-1 scoreline. The standout performance of the day came from none other than Mohammad Mohebi, Team Melli, and Rostov’s talented midfielder.

Rostov remained the only RPL team that did not lose points after the winter break. In the previous two rounds, Karpin’s team beat Krylia Sovetov (2-0) and Krasnodar (2-1).

After 22 rounds, Rostov are in 7th place in the RPL with 30 points. Rostov are one point ahead of Rubin and Krylia Sovetov (29 points each), who have one game in hand. In the 23rd round, Valery Karpin’s team will host Sochi. The meeting will take place on April 6 in Rostov-on-Don and will begin at 20:00 Moscow time.

Mohebi’s Remarkable Double and Assist

Mohebi’s impact on the game was undeniable. He not only scored a brace, finding the back of the net twice but also contributed an assist that helped secure Rostov’s dominant win. His versatility and ability to create opportunities for his team were on full display.

National Team Commitments: No Hindrance for Mohebi

Despite recently representing the Iranian national team in two matches against Turkmenistan, Mohebi showed no signs of fatigue. When asked about his readiness for the match against Dynamo Moscow, he responded confidently:

“I talked with the physical training coach both in the national team and in Rostov. They gave me a plan that I followed. I have recovered. Three days ago, I played a difficult game against Turkmenistan on an artificial pitch that was not of the best quality, but today I was fresh. Thank God we won.”

Mohebi’s dedication to maintaining peak performance levels is evident. His commitment to both club and country is commendable.

Team Effort and Personal Rituals

When questioned about his consistent goal-scoring prowess, Mohebi humbly deflected the praise:

“This is the merit of the whole team; we play as a unit. Sometimes you can score one, sometimes two. Today, we succeeded. Let’s move forward. After the game, I always talk to my mother. She’s my rock, regardless of the result.”

Indeed, Mohebi’s pre- and post-match ritual of calling his mother underscores the importance of family support in his career.

Memorial Match in Memory of Tragedy

The match against Dynamo Moscow held deeper significance. It was a memorial match dedicated to the victims and survivors of a terrorist attack in Crocus. Mohebi expressed his unwavering commitment to the cause:

“Even if the team did not go to the scene of the tragedy, I would go alone or with an interpreter. Having played in Russia for about seven months now, I’ve experienced the warmth and kindness of the people. I can only be grateful for this.”

Mohebi’s compassion and empathy extend beyond the football pitch, reflecting the spirit of unity and resilience.

As Rostov continues its campaign in the Russian Premier League, fans eagerly anticipate more stellar performances from the Iranian. His dedication, skill, and heartwarming gestures make him a true asset to both the club and the community.

29/03/202429/03/2024

Ghalenoei wants a sharper Iran