Iran eyeing more glitter at Intercontinental Beach Soccer Cup in Dubai
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Loading...Khaleej Times – DUBAI, Team Melli finished third at the 2017 Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup in the Bahamas after losing on penalties to Tahiti.
On a high following their best ever finish at a World Cup earlier in the summer, 2013 champions Iran are hoping to keep the momentum going at the Huawei Intercontinental Beach Soccer Cup this week and add some more “glitter” to their trophy cabinet.
Team Melli finished third at the 2017 Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup in the Bahamas after losing on penalties to Tahiti in a hard-fought semifinal, but picked up two individual awards at the sport’s showpiece event – Mohammad Ahmadzadeh won the Golden Ball, while the ever-dependent Peyman Hosseini returned home with the Golden Glove title. The Iran goalkeeper also won the award for the Goal of the Tournament.
“These titles are not enough for me or Mr Hosseini,” said Ahmadzadeh, who will lead the Iran team here at the Huawei Intercontinental Beach Soccer Cup, which is organised by the Dubai Sports Council and runs from Oct. 31 to Nov. 4 at its swanky new home on Marasi Business Bay.
“We are looking for more glitter to help our team reach the heights we deserve. We are a good team and we have repeatedly shown we are among the best in the world.
“It has been a few years since our team has been on this upward climb and we were able to put up a good show in the Bahamas World Cup, getting third place and some individual titles.
“The management of Iran beach soccer has begun a process since years ago, which is expected to lead to the World Cup title. So we are not aiming only for the Intercontinental Cup, but our target is to win the World championship.”
Iran, who denied Russia’s bid for a third successive Intercontinental Cup title in the 2013 final, will open their bid for glory at this seventh running of the tournament against Paraguay on Tuesday night and then take on Mexico on day two before clashing with Russia on Thursday night, in what has become one of the best-attended matches of the tournament.
