Courtesy: The AFC.com


Iran and Japan win futsal gold medals

Sunday, 08 November 2009

HANOI: Iran defeated Thailand 5-4 in a penalty shootout to claim their third straight Asian Indoor Games men’s futsal gold medal in Vietnam. Japan claimed the women’s gold medal by beating Jordan 5-0 in the final.

Iran and Thailand finished 3-3 after full-time in a tense match that saw Iran take the lead twice and the Thais holding the advantage towards the end.

Mahdi Javid gave Iran the lead on 10 minutes but Panomkorn Saisorn equalised for the Thais almost immediately. Seyedali Kiaei restored Iran’s lead after 24 minutes and once again, Thailand fought back with a double blow as Suphawut Theanklang levelled matters four minutes later and Keattiyot Chalaemkhet gave them the lead within seconds.

Iran were not to be denied, however, as Mostafa Tayyebi made it 3-3 in the 31st minute. Asia’s top team Iran then held their nerve to win the penalty shootout.

Uzbekistan won the bronze medal with a 2-0 victory over Turkmenistan in an all Central Asian contest.

Makhsud Fayzullaev, in the fifth minute, and Shavkatbek Muhitdinov’s 30th-minute strike gave the Uzbeks victory.

In the women’s final, Japan’s Shiori Nakajima and Yui Takahashi both scored two goals each against Jordan.

Najajima struck in the fifth and seventh minutes to stun the Jordanians while Takahashi added two in the second half after Mai Nagashima had given the Japanese s 3-0 lead.

Thailand won the bronze medal after defeating Iran 5-4 in the third-place play-off match. It was 2-2 at half-time before the Thais edged it in the second half with Orathai Srimanee and Pavinee Netthip scoring at the end to complete a come-from-behind victory.

Earlier, Fahimeh Zarei and Sohila Taraze had helped give Iran a 3-2 lead.






Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com