Iran wins 2024 AFC Futsal Asian Cup [VIDEO]

FIFA – BANGKOK, IR Iran claim a record 13th continental title, seeing off hosts Thailand to win the AFC Futsal Asian Cup.

Continental superpower IR Iran have claimed a record 13th AFC Futsal Asian Cup title, swatting aside hosts Thailand 4-1 in an entertaining final in Bangkok.

Team Melli were imperious across the past fortnight in Thailand, reeling off six straight victories and trailing for less than 20 minutes all told at a tournament where they played with control, speed and a clinical edge in front of goal.

In front of a capacity crowd at the Bangkok Arena, goals from Mahdi Karimi and tournament MVP Ahmadabbasi inside the first five minutes put Iran into a commanding early position.

Thai captain Jirawat Sornwichian pulled a goal back five minutes after the restart but that was as close as the hosts came, with Iran immediately asserting control once more.

Ali Asghar Hassanzadeh restored the two-goal advantage before keeper Bagher Mohammadi got in on the action, launching a long shot into an empty net to round out the 4-1 result with five minutes remaining.

Returning to the Asian summit after a six-year absence should fill Iran with real belief that they can translate that form on to the global stage as they aim to better a third-place finish at Colombia 2016.

Joining the finalists in securing qualification for Uzbekistan 2024 were Tajikistan and Asian Cup debutants Afghanistan. In a sign of the growing competitiveness of the sport on the continent, Vietnam – who had featured at the past two global finals – and Japan both failed to qualify. Japan’s capitulation was certainly eye-catching with the defending Asian Cup champions stunningly failing to progress from the group.

Elsewhere, Myanmar won their first ever continental match, Kuwait failed to reach the quarter-finals for the first time since 2012 and Kyrgyz Republic came within one match of securing a maiden World Cup berth.

The FIFA Futsal World Cup Uzbekistan 2024™ gets under way on 14 September.