Tashkent: Coach Mohammad Nazemosharie is adamant Iran have their sights set on winning an 11th AFC Futsal Championship in Uzbekistan this month ahead of their Group B opener against Jordan on Wednesday.
Iran are comfortably the most successful side in the history of the AFC Futsal Championship having won 10 of the first 11 editions, although they were forced to settle for a runners-up finish in Vietnam in the 2014 tournament after a penalty shootout defeat to Japan.
But ahead of the meeting with Jordan at Universal Stadium, Nazemosharie is confident his side will return to winning ways.
“Futsal is very strong in Iran and we’ve come here to put on a good show,” said Nazemosharie.
“We respect all the teams in our group but we are aiming to be champions and we are a very powerful side.”
Jordan coach Salah Abu Jafer, though, is looking for a strong start for the debutants with an eye on the second round and will look to the likes of key player Samer Samih, who plays professionally in Qatar.
“It’s Jordan’s first time to reach the finals and the whole country is proud of this achievement,” said Abu Jafer.
“We’ve prepared well with several camps and our training has been good so we come in high spirits and with the aim of qualifying to the second stage.”
Also at Universal Stadium on Wednesday, Iraq will take on China with coach Haitham Abbas’ squad based on powerhouse club side, Naft Al Wasat.
No fewer than 12 of Iraq’s final 14 man selection are from the Najaf-based outfit who reached the semi-finals of last year’s AFC Futsal Club Championship.
“We don’t have any professional players in our squad unlike Iran but what we do have is a strong unity borne from the Naft Al Wasat side which is like a defacto national team,” said Abbas.
“Originally, I was looking at other players and we tried many different combinations but I kept coming back to the fact that this club had the best players – I’ve even called two goalkeepers from the same team.”
Opponents China also featured in the 2014 edition in Vietnam, although they failed to reach the knockout stage after losing to Iran, Australia and Indonesia but coach Shan Zhiping is hopeful of an improved performance.
“We’re very happy to be here in Uzbekistan and we’ve had a good preparation with the team being in camp since January 18,” said Shan.
“We enter with the same hopes and expectations as every other nation and that’s firstly to reach the knockout stage and ultimately to claim one of the five spots for this year’s World Cup.”
Photo: AFC