Iran dominates Japan to retain Futsal title

Iran dominates Japan to retain Futsal title

Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Reigning champion Iran emerged as the dominant force in the final
match of the Asian Futsal Championship to hand Japan a 6-0 loss
and retain the title for the fourth consecutive time here on
Wednesday.

Iran, with the backing of the majority of the spectators
packing the Bung Karno Sports Hall, scored three goals in each
half. Vahid Shamsaee led the scoring feast on the night with two
goals, others contributing one were Siamak Dadashi, Ahmad Pari
Azar, Mohammad Reza Heidarian and Mojtaba Moeeini.

In the other match earlier in the day, Thailand defeated South
Korea 4-2 to finish in third place.

Iranian coach Mohammad Hassan Ansarifar said the key to his
team's success over Japan was that he opted for a new "play
system".

"I plotted a special program of strategical and tactical play
against Japan," he said in a post-match media conference, but did
not elaborate.

Iran took the initiative to pile pressure on and found a crack
in the Japanese defense with Shamsaee continually penetrating
through from up front to force Japan, under the captaincy of
Takaaki Ichihara, to work hard.

Just four minutes into the first half, Shamsaee broke in to
poke the ball toward the goal post, but, while goalkeeper
Hisamitsu Kawahara was stranded, Yoshifumi Maeda was there to
clear the goal-bound ball.

As Shamsaee had yet to convert his chances, Ali Sanei Arani
and Dadashi made their own attempts only to find their balls
either going wide or just tipped away.

Japan could hardy create any chances. Poor team-work
compounded by inaccurate passes and crosses, were seen all night.
They only came somewhat close to goal when Maeda and Takuya
Suzumura took some easily saved shots.

Despite its unrelenting offensive, Iran appeared frustrated at
having not scored, until the 15th minute. Moeeini came off the
bench and duly found the net to start the goal feast in the first
half.

He made a solo run from the center, turned a defender inside
out before slamming home the ball which Kawahara had no chance
on.

Seemingly fired up by Moeeini's deft maneuver, Shamsahee
mounted his own efforts with two goals in two minutes. The first
came when he capitalized on Kiyoshi Sagene's mistake and poached
the ball to quickly run past another defender before driving the
ball home.

The second of his goals absolutely exposed the scrappy
Japanese. Defended by three opponents, he wriggled out and again
pounded it into the back of the net.

Iran was back with lots of energy in the second half with
another three goals being bagged away to confirm its status as
Asia's futsal kings.

In the previous contest, after flopping in the semifinal match
at the hands of Japan, Thailand took a consolation victory by
defeating South Korea 4-2 in the playoff.

The two teams were tied at the break with the goals coming
from Wuttichai Tintawee from Thailand and Lee Jong-muk for Korea.

About ten minutes into the second half, Anucha Munjarern put
Thailand back in the lead only to see it canceled out by Korea
through Kim Man-joong less than a minute later.

Anucha, who was later voted man of the match, carried on with
another two punishing goals in the 35th and 38th minutes. He was
mobbed by teammates in jubilation as soon as referee Suzuki
Fusaya blew the whistle at the end.

It was an improvement for Thailand over last year's tournament
in Teheran, in which it was stopped in the quarterfinals.