Iran futsal national team, the No.1 team in Asia advanced to the semi-final against over Vietnam futsal national team with a score of 8-1 in the AFC Futsal Asian Cup 2022 Quarter-finals at Saad Al-Abdullah Hall, Kuwait City.
Just as Iran head coach Vahid Shamsaee had predicted, Vietnam adopted a defensive approach but the defending champions wasted no time in testing goalkeeper Ho Van Y through Salar Aghapour and Hossein Tayebi’s early efforts.
Ho then denied Saeid Ahmad Abbasi and Mohammadhossein Bazyar in the fifth and sixth minutes respectively to keep his side in the game.
The Vietnam keeper, however, could do little to stop Tayebi’s incredible strike in the seventh minute, with the Iran skipper volleying home Moslem Oladghobad’s corner-kick for a deserved lead.
Iran, who scored a whopping 24 goals to top Group C, displayed their attacking brilliance in the 10th minute when Abbasi teed up Aghapour, who let loose a scorching right-footed strike from over 20 meters out into the top right corner before Alireza Rafiei Pour drilled home their third goal moments later from a corner-kick set-piece.
Vietnam could have been further adrift in the 11th minute after committing their sixth foul, but Alireza Javan failed to convert from the second penalty spot.
Desperate to stay in the game, Vietnam initiated power play in the 11th minute but found no openings to exploit.
Instead, Iran further widened their lead in the 16th minute when Oladghobad intercepted a pass before relaying it to Tayebi to place the ball in an empty goalmouth.
Vietnam, forced to play on the counter-attack, had a golden opportunity to reduce the deficit in the 24th minute when Rafiei Pour was penalised for handling the ball at the edge of the box, but the Southeast Asians failed to capitalise.
At the other end, there was no stopping Iran, with Bazyar converting a corner-kick from close range effort in the 25th minute, before Oladghobad’s left-footed strike beat Ho a minute later to make it 6-0.
Vietnam tried to limit the damage by pressing the Iranians with man-to-man marking, but Tayebi completed his hat-trick in the 33rd minute after Abbasi’s initial shot deflected off the upright.
Abbasi netted the eighth three minutes later with Vietnam then scoring a consolation – amazingly only the second goal Iran have conceded in the tournament – through Pham Duc Hoa.
Iran, who scored their fourth consecutive victory en route to making the semi-finals, will face the winners of the Thailand-Tajikistan last eight tie next.
Credit Photo : AFC
