The Persian reign in the Asian Beach Games after edging the hosts in the final, as Palestine beats Lebanon for the bronze

21 Jun 2012

The Iran National team ended up as the gold medalists in this III Asian Beach Games. The Persian, edged China on their own home, in the final of a competition that has meant, above anything, a new and firm step forward in an Asian Beach Soccer which turns more and more competitive every tournament. The bigger experience of the Iranians, who had taken part in most of the FIFA Beach Soccer world Cups played so far -what becomes a real evidence about their outstanding role in the continent-, prevailed this time. Despite playing against such a spirited defense as the Chinese one, the Persian side managed to find the cracks in their resistance to unbalance things on their favour and edn up clinching a prize they had never had access to before.

First, it was the strong defender Abdollahi, whose long-range shot found the terrain’s collaboration to evade the Chinese goalie’s efforts past. With the score yet unleveled, although only slightly, it was Ongaro’s side the ones who needed to think, mainly, on the other end, something Iran took advantage of, getting more spaces and more seconds to decide what step to take next. With the match heading to its end, and China needing to run flat out into attack, another of the everyday-heroes in Iran, Ahmadzadeh, widened the distance and almost decided the game, as the two minutes remaining were not enough for the hosts to turn the score around. The silver medal, though, means the highest record for China in the competition, as well as their best continental result, quite a remarkable reward to share with the thousands of supporters cheering them from the beginning of the competition.

Goals: 0-1: Abdollahi, min. 3 (2); 0-2: Ahmadzadeh, min. 2 (3)