Iran rout Kuwait

AFC - Reigning champions Iran opened their bid for a ninth AFC Futsal Championship title with a resounding 12-0 Group D success over Kuwait at Hua Mark Indoor Stadium.

Vahid Shamsaee, Mohammad Taheri and Majid Raeisi each netted twice while Mohammad Reza Heidarian, Ali Ashgar Hassanzadeh, Javad Ashgari Moghaddam, Mohammad Hashem Zadeh, Mohammad Keshavarz Nasrabadi and Ali Ashgar Navlinghe were all on target in a devastating display by the top seeds.

Kuwait failed to trouble Iran, who have won eight out of nine tournaments, a run punctuated only by Japan's victory in Tashkent in 2006.

Hossein Shams' side peppered the Kuwait goal in the early stages but could find no way past goalkeeper Sayyedhasan Ebraheem.

Iran were camped in the Kuwait half but the defence stood firm until Heidarian tucked in Taheri's cross midway through the first half.

Taheri struck a second within a minute, lashing a fierce right-foot shot high into the net.

Ebraheem made a good stop low to his left to deny Kazem Mohammadi Tirabadi before J Ashgari Moghaddam surged down the left and teed-up Raeisi.

Shamsaee cut in from the left to whip in a right-foot shot for his first before turning creator, laying on a tap in for Hassanzadeh as Iran took a 5-0 half-time advantage.

Ashgari Moghaddam prodded in early in the second half and M Hashem Zadeh struck a seventh soon after.

Heidarian set up Taheri for his second before Keshavarz drove down the centre and struck a rasping shot which went in off the bar.

Navlinghe made it 10 before Shamsaee netted his second with Raeisi following suit.