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READY FOR BATTLE: Brazil's futsal head coach Fernando Ferretti (right) and team captain Lavoisier Freire Martins said they have a squad good enough to win the World Futsal five-a-side tournament which starts at the Putra Indoor Stadium in Bukit Jalil today. The Brazilians acknowledged that the strongest challenge will come from Argentina.
KUALA LUMPUR - Four-time Asian champions Iran are confident that they will meet three-time world champions Brazil in the KL World 5s Futsal Championship final at the Putra Stadium in Bukit Jalil here this weekend.
Iran's team manager Mohammad Sadegh Deroudgar said they had a good chance of emerging group champions after being drawn into Group D along with Uzbekistan and England.
"We feel that we can beat Uzbekistan because we have beat them 9-0 in the Asian Futsal Championship two years ago, while England are still new with futsal and lack experience," he told a media conference here Monday.
Iran, the Asian champions since 1999, will open their campaign against Uzbekistan Tuesday.
In 1992 Iran became the first Asian country to be in the top four at the second FIFA Futsal World Championship along with Spain, the United States and Brazil.
"Even though our best player, Vahid Shamsanee, will not be playing because of injury, we still feel that with some key players such as Mohamed Reza Heidarian, Siamar Dadashi, Ali Sanee and Mojtaba Ahangran, we could enter the final," said Mohammad, the head of futsal section in the Iranian Football Federation (IFF).
Striker Vahid would be around to lend moral support to the team, he said.
Iran, who aim to be among the top three in the fifth FIFA Futsal World Championship in Taiwan next year, lost to Italy 6-2 and drew 2-2 with Spain in their recent European tour.
Iran, who started their development programme for futsal eight years ago, now have about 10,000 teams in the armed forces, 2,000 teams in schools, 1,000 teams in universities and 100 teams in the women's division.
June 3 - 1. Iran vs Uzbekistan 3 pm, 2. Japan vs Indonesia 5 pm, 3. Brazil vs South Africa 7.10pm, 4. Malaysia vs Uruguay 9.10 pm.
June 4 - 5. England vs Iran 3 pm, 6. Indonesia vs Argentina 5 pm, 7. Uruguay vs Guatemala 7.10 pm, 8. Thailand vs Brazil 9.10 pm.
June 5 - 9. Uzbekistan vs England 3 pm, 10. South Africa vs Thailand 5 pm, 11. Argentina vs Japan 7.10 pm, 12. Guatemala vs Malaysia 9.10 pm.
June 6 - 13. 3rd Group B vs 3rd Group D (5.10 pm), 14. Runner-up Group B vs Runner-up D (7.10 pm), 15. Winner Group B vs Winner Group D (9.10 pm).
June 7 - 16. 3rd Group A vs 3rd Group C (5.10 pm), 17. Runner-up Group A vs Runner-up Group C (7.10pm), 18. Winner Group A vs Winner Group C (9.10 pm).
June 8 - 19. Winner 13 (match) vs Winner 16 (5.10pm), 20. Winner 14 vs Winner 17 (7.10 pm), 21. Winner 15 vs Winner 18 (9.10 pm).
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