Dubai: Japan became the first team to book their place in the 2012 AFC Futsal Championship quarter-finals following their 6-1 thrashing of Tajikistan at the Al Wasl Club's indoor hall yesterday.
Meanwhile, Uzbekistan threw Group D wide open with a hard-fought 2-1 win over China even as debutants Kuwait trounced Indonesia 9-3.
Last year's runners-up Uzbekistan, who were held to a 1-1 draw by Kuwait on Friday, have four points.
Kuwait also have four points, while China has three and Indonesia's two straight losses meant they have crashed out of the event.
In Group B, Japan — who escaped with a last-gasp 3-2 win over Lebanon in their opening encounter on Friday — were much more composed in attack and defence, and now top Group B with six points.
Lebanon, on the other hand, improved their chances of earning a spot in the last eight with a 3-2 win over Chinese Taipei in an earlier game.
Lebanon coach Francisco Javier Araujo Fernandez termed today's match against Tajikistan as "our first final".
"Tajikistan will be our first final and then we will have a second final in the quarter-final stages if we are to achieve our goal of making it to the Fifa World Cup [in Bangkok] in November," Fernandez said.
Dream
"Tomorrow [Sunday] we need nothing short of a win [against Tajikistan]. Lebanon have never made it to a World Cup, and for us it would be a dream come true if we can keep our focus and achieve this objective," the coach added.
Though Japan started at a slow pace, Komiyama Yusuke and Murakami Tetsuya struck within three minutes to make it 2-0. Fayzullaev Firdavs pulled one back for Tajikistan immediately, though.
But that was all Tajikistan could manage as Japan scored two more through Osodo Nobuya and a second one from Tetsuya to lead 4-1 by half-time. The Japanese kept complete control in the second half and added another couple of goals through Nibuya Kazuhiro and Henmi Katsutoshi Rafael to complete the rout and seal their place in the knock-out, with a match still to be played today against Chinese Taipei.
Coach: Injury rule ‘regressive'
Japan's coach has lambasted the governing body for football in Asia for taking "regressive steps" in Futsal.
Miguel Rodrigo was reacting to the Asian Football Confederation's rule that does not allow replacement of injured players in the squad during the course of a competition. The coach claimed Japan will suffer badly from knee and ankle injuries sustained by star player Hoshi Shota during their 3-2 win over Lebanon. "I was not aware of the change in rules where we cannot bring in a new player in place of the injured one. I can't understand this rule and it is a step backward for the game of Futsal."
RESULTS
Friday's late results:
- Iran bt South Korea 14-1;
- Thailand bt Kyrgyzstan 2-0.
Saturday's Results:
- Kuwait bt Indonesia 9-3
- Uzbekistan bt China 2-1
- Lebanon bt Chinese Taipei 3-2
- Japan bt Tajikistan 6-1
- (Later matches - 5.30 pm KO)
- Australia bt South Korea 6-0
- Thailand bt Turkmenistan 4-1
Playing later
- UAE vs Kyrgyzstan
- Iran vs Qatar
Sunday's Fixtures:
- At Al Wasl: (12pm) Japan vs Chinese Taipei; (14.30) Indonesia vs Uzbekistan; (17.30) Iran vs Australia; (20.00) UAE vs Thailand.
- At Al Shabab: (12pm) Lebanon vs Tajikistan; (14.30) China vs Kuwait; (17.30) Qatar vs South Korea; (20.00) Kyrgyzstan vs Turkmenistan.
