Courtesy: FIFA.com

Iran set sights on seventh title

(FIFA.com) 23 May 2005

Less than six months after the 2004 FIFA Futsal World Championship in Chinese Taipei, Asia's four representatives - Iran, Japan, Thailand and Chinese Taipei - join hosts Vietnam and 19 other competitors at the AFC Futsal Championship in Ho Chi Minh city between 22 May and 4 June.
Despite failing to progress beyond the group stage in Chinese Taipei, Iran, who have bagged all six previous continental titles since 1999, are rampaging favourites to grab their seventh. Only Japan look like having a realistic hope of challenging Team Melli's dominance.

The Asian Football Association's (AFC) desire to promote the five-a-side game throughout the continent is obvious as they singled out Vietnam, who have never participated in the AFC Futsal Championship before, to be the hosts. Vietnam Football Federation representative Mui Tran Van responded by saying, "futsal is now attracting a lot of interest in our country and we strongly believe that this Championship will boost its development."

New format, more participants
With the participant field increasing to 24 from 16, the 7th installment of the AFC Futsal Championship will be the largest in its history. The teams have been divided into six groups, with the group winners and the top two runners-up advancing to the last eight.

A new format has also been introduced. The top eight finishers from the first group stage will be divided into two groups consisting of four teams each with the top two teams from each group qualifying for the semi finals.

An auxiliary competition has been introduced for those teams that fail to advance to last eight - the teams that finish third and fourth in each group together with another four runners up will compete in this 'losers' bracket.' The 16 sides will be then divided into four groups of four, with the group winners advancing to the semi-finals.

Team Melli dominate
Despite the increased number of participants, Iran, who reached the semi-finals in Hong Kong in 1992, still rise well above all their continental rivals. They underlined their dominance again on 17 April, when they defeated their closest chasers, Japan, 5-3 in the final to lift the Oil Nationalization Cup in Tehran. Star striker Vahid Shamsaei opened the scoring for the Iranians after only seven minutes before he sealed victory with a 39th-minute winner.

But an ever-progressive Japan look like posing a stiff challenge this time around. In a pair of friendlies with European powerhouses Ukraine in May, they pulled off two draws. "We are aiming to win the title at the AFC Futsal Championship," Said Japan's Brazilian coach Sapo, brimming with confidence. "We have learned some useful lessons from the two matches we played in preparation for the tournament."

Group A
Thailand, China PR, Maldives, Turkmenistan

Group B
Uzbekistan, Palestine, Macau, Philippines

Group C
Iran, Kuwait, Lebanon, Bhutan

Group D
Korea Republic, Chinese Taipei, Tajikistan, Qatar

Group E
Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Guam

Group F
Kyrgyzstan, Iraq, Hong Kong, Vietnam