Tag: Bangkok

Iran Uzbekistan- Futsal Semi-Final

Preview - Semi-final: Uzbekistan v IR Iran

Bangkok: Uzbekistan will encounter their toughest challenge yet when they go head-to-head with Iran in the semi-finals of the AFC Futsal Asian Cup Thailand™ 2024 at the Bangkok Arena on Friday.

Both sides are in great form, having won their previous four matches en route to the semi-finals with Uzbekistan showing nerves of steel to defeat Vietnam in the quarter-finals on Wednesday, thanks to Sunatulla Juraev’s last-gasp goal. 

Head coach Jose Venancio Lopez knows it will be even tougher against 12-time champions Iran. 

“Facing Iran is a different proposition altogether. They are undeniably one of the best teams in the world and are rightfully considered favorites,” said Lopez.

#ACFutsal2024 | Quarter-final : Uzbekistan 2 - 1 Vietnam

“It’s difficult to figure out how to beat Iran. We’re aware of their high-quality play. However, in one game, anything is possible, and we’ll strive to do everything within our power to achieve our target.”

Iran, on the other hand, have been cruising through the tournament and booked their semi-final spot with a 6-1 win over Kyrgyz Republic but head coach Vahid Shamsaee wants his team to remain focused.  

“We know it’s going to be a tough match, both physically and tactically, and we’re determined to show the best performance we can,” said Shamsaee.

#ACFutsal2024 | Quarter-final : IR Iran 6 - 1 Kyrgyz Republic

“The past is the past. We had friendly games with Uzbekistan before this tournament, but there’s a significant difference between the Uzbek team and my team. Each team possesses unique conditions and physical attributes. Right now, our focus is solely on the next game, and we aim to maintain our concentration.

“With each game, we’re improving. We had two targets, and yesterday, we achieved one by qualifying for the FIFA Futsal World Cup Uzbekistan 2024. After our quarter-final game, all my players understood their roles. They know what they need to do tomorrow: to fight until the end without stress and with the hope of delivering a good performance.”

Uzbekistan  v Iran  
Venue: Bangkok Arena (Bangkok)
Kick-off: 17:00 (UTC+3) – Iran Time: 17:30 (UTC+3:30)  

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. 

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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.

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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.

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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.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

FIFA World Futsal, Iran facing Uzbekistan.

The regional rivals, Iran and Uzbekistan meet on Friday evening for a place in the quarter-finals of the FIFA Futsal World Cup Lithuania 2021.

The two teams have met 30 times with Uzbekistan failing to win any match against Iran. The last time the two teams met in Bangkok, the match was competitive as the Uzbeks tested Team Melli to the limit managing to score 5 times, which is a rarity against Iran in Asian Competitions.

29-Jul-21

Continental Champ Bangkok

Iran vs. Uzbekistan

7    –   5 

Scorers: Farhad Tavakoli (2), Behzad Azimi , Asghar Hassanzadeh , Mahdi Javid , Saeed Abbasi (2)

Head Coach Nazim Al-Sharia has already warned his players of any complacency especially since Uzbekistan has been preparing quite well for this world cup.

Iran will go into the match with Hossein Tayebi, the leading scorer, still not fully fit for the match against Uzbekistan in the Round of 16. The head coach said that although Tayyebi has been training with the team, he is still not 100% fit enough, and will miss the Uzbekistan match.

Saeed Ahmad Abbasi and Moslem Oulad-Ghobad, two other players who had slight injuries are fully fit and available for selection.

Meanwhile, in the FIFA Futsal World Cup Lithuania 2021, the three-time Asian champions Japan enjoyed a dream start against Brazil when Shota Hoshi opened the scoring in the fourth minute but Ferrao responded almost immediately for Brazil, who turned on the power in the second half to confirm a quarter-final meeting with Morocco. Thailand was beaten comprehensively by Kazakhstan 7-0 while Vietnam fought gallantly against Russia but lost 3-2 and was eliminated.

Iran and Uzbekistan remain the only AFC representatives with the quarter-final having a place for One Asian Team only.

Omid Team arrives in Thailand

Iran’s Omid Team arrived in Thailand to start preparing for the upcoming AFC U23 Championship 2020. The squad flew to Bangkok then transferred to a domestic flight to fly south to Songkhla near the border with Malaysia.

Hamid Estili has made sure that the players have enough time to acclimatize before the competition starts on the 9th Jan against Uzbekistan.

Iran is unquestionably in the most difficult group facing the powerful Koreans, the defending Champion Uzbekistan, and the aspiring Chinese team. In simple term, there is no easy matches for Omid team in Thailand. A win in the first match will be the perfect result but by no means an assurance to qualify for the next round.

This championship is also the qualifying rounds for the Tokyo Olympic Games. The top 3 teams from this tournament will make it to Tokyo.

Omid Team training is at full throttle.

Omid team is actively preparing for the crucial AFC U23 Championship 2020  by conducting constant practice sessions under the direction of Hamid Estili.

Today’s (Sunday) session which started at 9:30, Hamid Estili briefed the players on the objectives and details of today’s practice session. Then Mohammad Sharifi, Sina Zamiran and Mohammed Mohebbi left the group to conduct the fitness tests which all other players went undertook.

The training of the rest of the squad started with all members of the technical staff supervising the proceedings and giving the required tactical and technical advice.

This session which was carried out in the National Football Training Center included a light physical program. The next practice is scheduled for tonight at 9 pm.

Meanwhile, Omid Noorafkan and Mohammad Mohebbi (Sepahan) Reza Shekari and Mohammad Reza Azadi (Tractorsazi) Aref Aghasi and Mojtaba Najarian (Foolad Khuzestan) Ali Shojaei and Reza Dehghani (Nasiji Mazandaran) Ali Shahsavari and Mohammad KhodabandehLo (Peykan) and Sina Zamehran (Shar Khodro ) have joined the squad after their respective teams released them to Omid team.

Mohammad Mehdi Khani who plays for the Croatian side  NK Varaždin will also join the Omid (Olympic) squad on Monday.

“The initial list of Olympic team players, including 50 players, according to the AFC’s regulations. ” Hamid Estili said on the eve of the training camp’s inauguration. “After shortlisting the number to 30, the squad departs to  Qatar, where we will have an 8-day training camp and two friendly matches in Doha.”

“After returning to Tehran, we will announce the list of the final 23 players which form the Omid Team that will be competing in the AFC Asian Championship also the Olympic qualifiers scheduled to be held in Thailand. In some of the posts, we are still looking for the final option, such as the right-back, which was vacated due to the injury to  Aghajanpour and we are reviewing the names of 1 or 2 options to decide the final squad,” Estili added.

The coach of the Omid team once again called on the clubs to cooperate and assist with the team by saying: “Our plan during these 18 months of engagement was comprehensive. We tried to invite players for training or matches in FIFA days. We were aware of their special circumstances and situation, but at this juncture we expect the clubs to understand our situation too. Invited players will return to the clubs before the 16th week but after the end of the week it is necessary for the clubs to abandon their squads and allow our training to start. There are legal measures we can refer to, of course, but there should not be such issues among colleagues, and we need to all work in a friendly manner. I am sure my good colleagues at the clubs are on the side of the Omid team, preferring the national interest to everything else and helping us at this point.”

Tough draw for Iran in AFC U23 Championship Thailand 2020

Bangkok: Iran’s Omid Team has been drawn in what must be the toughest group of the AFC U23 Championship Thailand 2020.
Joining Iran are the defending champions Uzbekistan, Korea Republic and China in Group C. The Thailand 2020 Finals draw was held in Bangkok on Thursday. Iran had no representation in the draw ceremony.
Uzbekistan will open their defence of the AFC U23 Championship title in Group C with a match against Iran’s Omid Team. It promises to be an exciting group as all three of Uzbekistan’s challengers will be aiming to win the title for the first time.

The fourth edition of the Championship will be played across three cities – Bangkok, Buriram and Songkhla – with the tournament kicking off on January 8, and the final to be played on January 26. Besides Continental glory, 15 of the 16 teams will also be competing for places in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where the top three sides will join hosts Japan as Asia’s representatives next July.

Hosts Thailand was drawn in Group A and they will have 2013 champions Iraq, Australia and debutants Bahrain to contend with.
Qatar, third in 2018, 2016 champions Japan, Saudi Arabia – runners-up in 2013, and Syria are in an exciting looking Group B.

Vietnam, runners-up in 2018, have DPR Korea, Jordan – third in 2013 – and United Arab Emirates for the company in Group D.
Should Japan make the last four stage, the other three semi-finalists will be assured of their places in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Under newbie coach Farhad Majidi, Iran’s U23 had a disappointing showing in the preparation matches two of which were against the same Uzbekistan team which they will meet on 9th January 2020. With the powerful South Koreans, who are a title contenders in their own right, waiting next for Iran, it is going a steep mountain to climb for Iran. Realistically, Iran chances look dim for qualification but would be more than happy to be in the top two teams. China, the other team of the group have been performing well qualifying to the finals with ease after beating Laos 5-0 and Philipines 8-0 while drawing with host Malaysia 2-2. The Chinese have two friendly matches arranged in South America in Late November with Colombia in Bucaramanga and then against Peru in Lima.

The star-studded Korean team who are the Gold Medal holders of the Asian Games 2018 may include Tottenham Hotspurs star Son Heung-min who is 27 now. However upfront they have Hamburger SV forward Hwang Hee-chan and Italian Club Verona Lee Seung-woo in the squad. It is not clear if these players will be released for this championship.

 

 

Group C match fixtures

DATE VENUE TEAM TEAM
9 January 2020 Tinsulanon Stadium, Songkhla   Uzbekistan Iran
9 January 2020 Tinsulanon Stadium, Songkhla South Korea China PR
12 January 2020 Tinsulanon Stadium, Songkhla Iran South Korea
12 January 2020 Tinsulanon Stadium, Songkhla China PR Uzbekistan
15 January 2020 Thammasat Stadium, Pathum Thani Uzbekistan South Korea
15 January 2020 Tinsulanon Stadium, Songkhla China PR Iran

Fareshteh Karimi , the Queen of Asian Futsal

As Iran celebrated a second consecutive AFC Women’s Futsal Championship final win over Japan, Fereshteh Karimi continued the theme and confirmed herself as a continental great by winning the tournament’s Most Valuable Player award for the second time.

The 29-year-old delivered what could only be described as the perfect tournament in Bangkok, scoring five goals and, remarkably, winning player of the match honours in all five of Iran’s matches.

The scorer of the tournament-deciding goal in Malaysia three years ago, Karimi also left her mark on this year’s decider, playing a major role in Misato’s Komura’s 30th minute own goal, before setting up Sara Shirbeigi to make it 3-0 moments later.

Speaking moments after Iran’s sensational 5-2 win, Karimi spoke of the significance of lifting the trophy for a second time.

“For women’s sport in Iran, the futsal team is the only team that has the ability to be an Asian champion,” she said.

“The national teams in other sports don’t have this ability and that’s why this is so important.

“Iranians are very emotional people, especially our women. This championship is the big opportunity for us to be more famous in the country, and the way we dress is unique and different from the other teams.

“All the people, especially our families, are so happy about this achievement.”

The 29-year-old graciously accepted the award, but said team success was at the forefront of her goals before thanking Iran’s technical staff.

“First of all I was thinking about how I could help the team. I knew that if I could help the team then I could be the MVP of the tournament,” she revealed.

“Before the final our staff analysed Japan for us very well. We had two sessions of analysing them and our plan was to make Japan tired in the first half, then try to score in the second half.

“That was our plan and thankfully it worked. We really need to give our thanks to our staff.”

Iran head coach Shahrzad Mozafar paid tribute to Karimi, saying her dual achievement is evidence of her standing as one of the game’s greats.

“Congratulations to Fereshteh,” she said. “To be the MVP of the tournament for the second time means that she is one of the really great players in Asia and, to me, in the world.”

Iran’s hat-trick hero in the final, Sara Shirbeigi (pictured below) won the award for the tournament’s top scorer. The 26-year-old finished level with teammate Fatemeh Etedadi and Japan’s Anna Amishiro with nine goals, but won the award by virtue of contributing three assists, compared to her competitors’ two.

Karimi thanked her teammates, giving special praise to the goal scoring duo as well as star goalkeeper Farzaneh Tavasoli.

“All the Iranian players are the MVP, and they should all be here beside me accepting this award.

“The top scorers, Sara and Fatemeh have been among the best players in this tournament, as well as our goalkeeper Farzaneh.”

Iran also claimed the Fair Play Award to take a clean sweep of the honours.

AFC WOMEN’S FUTSAL CHAMPIONSHIP 

AWARDS

Most Valuable Player – Fereshteh Karimi (IRN)

Top Goal Scorer – Sara Shirbeigi (IRN) – 9 Goals

Fair Play Award – Islamic Republic of Iran

Thailand Friendly game in doubt.

Team Melli’s friendly international match against Thailand in Bangkok looks in doubt following the death of king of Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej. The revered monarchy who died at the age of 88 in Bangkok after a long illness was a much sacred figure and a period of one year mourning has been declared by the government in which no celebrations will be carried out.

Iranian official were alerted to this fact by the Thai counterparts, however the final call on the match status will be given to the FFIRI on Monday 17th October.

The match scheduled for 9th November, was part of Team Melli’s preparation for the final group match of the FIFA World Cup 2018 qualifiers against Syria in Malaysia. Carlos Queiroz needed the match for players acclimatization of the hot and humid weather of the far east.

FFIRI officials are already looking for an alternative to the Thailand match.

 

Team Melli to play Thailand in Friendly International.

Team Melli will play a friendly international match in Bangkok prior to the group’s last round match in the FIFA World Cup 2018 qualifiers Group A.

The match against Thailand will be played on November 9th and is so far the only friendly game in Team Melli program. Thailand is in group B of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers alongside Australia , Japan , UAE, Iraq and Saudi Arabia

 

Iran and Thailand have met 14 times in various competition with Team Melli recording 11 and 3 draws. Thailand has never beaten Team Melli since the first meeting in the Asian Cup 1972 in the Thai Capital.

Team Melli has scored 32 goals while receiving 5 goals back.

The venue for the away match against Syria on the 15th November is yet to be decided.