In what will be remembered as one of the greatest finals in Asian futsal history, the Islamic Republic of Iran reasserted its continental dominance by edging hosts Indonesia 5–4 on penalties. The match, a breathless 5–5 rollercoaster after extra time, left a capacity crowd at the Indonesia Arena in awe and agony on Saturday night.
The “Garuda” started like a whirlwind. After an early scare where Hossesin Tayebibidgoli put Iran ahead in the third minute, Indonesia ignited the arena. Reza Gunawan pounced on a rebound in the 7th minute to level scores before Israr Megantara turned the game on its head.
Israr produced a stunning two-minute brace, first rounding the keeper in the 8th minute and then smashing a clinical strike in the 9th to give Indonesia a shock 3–1 lead. Iran pulled one back through Mahdi Karimi just before the interval, setting the stage for a frantic second half.
Iran leveled early in the second half through an Ahmad Abbasi strike that took a wicked deflection. However, the hosts responded instantly through Samuel Eko, who rifled home to make it 4–3.
As Iran turned to a high-pressure “Power Play,” their persistence finally paid off in the 38th minute when Karimi lashed home his second of the night, forcing the game into a tense period of extra time.
The drama reached fever pitch in the 49th minute when Israr Megantara completed his hat-trick off a quick corner, sending the home fans into delirium with what looked like the winning goal. But Iran, true to their “Kings of Asia” moniker, found an equalizer seconds later via Abbasi to make it 5–5.
In the shootout, Indonesia’s backup keeper Muhammad Nizar gave the hosts hope by saving Iran’s first kick. However, the tide turned when Mahdi Rostami denied Dewa Rizki. The final blow came when Indonesia’s hat-trick hero, Israr, sent his sudden-death effort wide, allowing Hossein Sabzi to step up and seal the trophy for Iran.
The victory marks Iran’s 14th AFC Futsal Asian Cup title, but they were pushed to the absolute limit by a relentless Indonesian side that came within seconds of a historic upset.
Credit Photo : AFC
