AFC Futsal Championship: Lebanon stay alive as Iran cruise to big win

AFC -  Lebanon kept alive their hopes of a place in the knockout stage of the AFC Futsal Championship from Group D with a 4-2 win over China here on Monday even as seven-time champions Iran virtually booked their place in the next round with an effortless 15-1 mauling of Malaysia.

Lebanon went into the match with confidence after a brave but losing performance against Iran. They needed a win and played well to get the result. They won narrowly and with Malaysia as their final group match tomorrow they would be fancying their chances to advance.

This match was important to both teams for different reasons. Lebanon had lost to powerhouse Iran, whereas China beat Malaysia, the team least expected to progress.

This match started with both teams going for broke. There was plenty of action at both ends. In the early going both teams were limited to long range shots.

Lebanon relied on Khaled Takaji while China on the other hand favored a more team oriented playing style.

The first 10 minutes of the match were almost even with both teams getting some shots on target. The breakthrough came from Lebanon's Khaled Takaji around the 10 minute mark when he scored on a powerful and well placed long range shot.

Lebanon now seemed to have more confidence and carried on attacking and got lucky as China conceded an own goal from a cross. This second goal changed the game as now Lebanon sat back and China went searching for the goals. After a barrage of shots and saves from Lebanese keeper Rabie El Khaki, China finally hit the mark on a long range shot well struck by Xiao Zhang to make the score 2-1.

This goal came in the final minute of the half so the half ended 2-1.

In the second half China came roaring again looking for the equalizer. Lebanon was comfortable sitting back and relying on the counter. China's attacking was awarded with a goal after some alert thinking. Xiaoyu Wang took a quick corner, which Jie Hu was on the spot to tap in for 2-2. The game changed again as now Lebanon had to attack searching for victory as a loss would have eliminated them from the competition.

Around the mid point of the second half, Mahmoud Itani made a pass to Haysssam Atwi who then laid on a pass for Takaji who calmly finished off the play to put Lebanon in front 3-2.

Both teams were accumulating fouls and first over the limit was Lebanon, but luckily for them China could finish on the resulting free kick from the second penalty marker.

With China also over the limit Lebanon made no mistake and Serge Said put away his chance to give Lebanon a 4-2 win.

China coach Zhicheng Zhang said: "In the first half my players didn't run enough. I asked them to improve in the second half. We played better in the next half but we couldn't score because they have a really good goalkeeper."

About the next match against Iran, he said: "We will have a very good strategy to play them. We will have to run more and rotate more.”

Lebanese coach Dory Zakhour said his team had “to win” against Malaysia in the last group game.

In the other group game, Iran had only one thing in mind, and that was to try and match Japan's impressive rout of the Philippines.

Iran came out in an unforgiving mood and won 15-1 for the biggest win in the Amagasaki bracket.

From the kickoff, Iran came out attacking furiously and the goals came quickly and frequently. Superstar Vahid Shamsaee turned in a brilliant performance and showed his intent in getting the golden boot by scoring an impressive six goals.

Teammate Mohammad Hashem Zadeh also added a hat-trick.

Iran started with great ball movement and scored three times within the first 5 minutes through Mohammad Hashem Zadeh twice and also Ahmad Pari Azar. Iran continued to dominate and through fluid play, the score was an incredible 7-0 at halftime.

Shamsaee scored two goals in the first half. Kazem Mohamaddi Tirabadi also added one. Ahmad Pari Azar got a goal just before the break.

The second half saw Iran continue its devastating form by adding a further eight goals, while just conceding one to Malaysia.

Shamsaee scored four in the second half, while Mohammad Hashem Zadeh completed his hat-trick. The other goals were scored by Kazem. Mohammadi Tiribadi added one. Ahmad Pari Azar also got one from a corner kick tap in.

Malaysia got their lone goal on a rebound from a free kick. The scorerer was Mohamad Fadzil Ab Karnim. Asked about the match, Malaysia coach P Balakrishnan said: "In Malaysia we don't have a league yet. We don't have many players to choose from. Iran are professionals and we are amateurs."

His counterpart, the Iranian coach, Hosseim Shams said: "Game by game our tactics change. It depends on the team we face. There are still many tactics we haven't shown yet."