Dubai: Defending and ten-time champions Iran look the strongest on paper and in the best of form for a record eleventh crown as the 2012 AFC Futsal Championship enters the knock-out stages today.
Sport | Football
Iran favourites at AFC Futsal Championship
Japan have shown potential to challenge defending champions
- By Alaric Gomes, Senior Reporter
- Published: 00:01 May 29, 2012
- Image Credit: AHMED RAMZAN/Gulf News
- UAE players defend a Thai attack during the AFC Futsal Championship 2012 at Al Wasl Club in Dubai recently.
Iran have been way ahead of the rest of the teams involved in this championship, with their three emphatic wins in Group C telling their own tale.
They started off with a 14-1 thrashing of South Korea, then hammered Qatar 8-0 in their second encounter, before pulverising a resolute Australia 9-0. Iran have won all the editions of the AFC Futsal Championship, except one that was claimed by Japan in 2006.
In the quarter-finals, Iran will take on Uzbekistan in a repeat of the 2010 final that was convincingly won by the Iranians 8-3.
Coming closest to challenging them could be Japan, who have been showing a marked improvement in their performances here.
Japan will take on Kyrgyzstan in their quarter-final clash today and then await the winner of the second quarter-final between Australia and Kuwait. Japan's Spanish coach Miguel Rodrigo is confident as he set his sights on a place in the 2012 Fifa Futsal World Cup in Bangkok later this year.
Fixtures
Quarter-finals on Tuesday:
At Al Wasl Club:
(3.30 pm) Thailand vs Lebanon
(6.30 pm) Japan vs Kyrgyzstan
At Al Shabab Club:
(3.30 pm) Iran vs Uzbekistan
(6.30 pm) Kuwait vs Australia
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