AFC Futsal Club Championship Vietnam 2017: Meet the Teams – Sanaye Giti Pasand (Group C)

AFC – KUALA LUMPUR, With the AFC Futsal Club Championship Vietnam 2017 just two days away, the-AFC.com’s preview of the Continent’s premier club futsal tournament continues.

SANAYE GITI PASAND (IRN)

Over the years, Islamic Republic of Iran has established itself as a dominant force, not only in the Continent but also in world futsal. As far as club competition goes, few can claim to have a better record than Sanaye Giti Pasand.

Despite appearing in only their third edition of the championship, Giti Pasand are the only Iranian team to have appeared in two successive finals, winning the coveted crown in 2012 before losing their title defence agonisingly on penalties to Chonburi Blue Wave in 2013.

Giti Pasand boast an impressive four players – Ahmad Esmaeilpour, Mohammad Keshavarz, Ali Hassanzadeh and Mehran Alighadr – from Iran’s historic third place finish at the FIFA Futsal World Cup Colombia 2016.

All eyes will be on Iranian legend Ahmad Esmaeilpour, who amazed spectators with his spectacular performances that won him the Bronze Ball award in Colombia. The 28-year-old has also won the continental club championship not once, but twice, clinching the top-scorer award with nine goals en route to Giti Pasand’s solitary triumph in 2012.