Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Nilai: Japan joined Iran in the final of the inaugural AFC Women’s Futsal Championship on Friday when they beat Malaysia 8-1 to seal their progress.
A stirring second half display saw the East Asians eventually notch their 22nd goal of the tournament when tournament joint leading scorer Chikage Kichibayashi rammed home her side’s eighth of the game in the final moments of an entertaining encounter at the Nilai Indoor Stadium in Malaysia.
Having impressed during the group stage, the hosts were to find the going much tougher against a strong Japan side who took the lead in the second minute following Mutsumi Sakata’s surging run and powerful shot.
Forward Anna Amishiro doubled Japan’s advantage some ten minutes later from close range, before Kana Kitagawa tapped in to send a jubilant Japan in at the break three goals to the good.
Worse was to come for Malaysia after the break however, as Maiko Higashiyama further extended her side’s lead in the 23rd minute with a neat volley ahead of Sakata’s second of the match 12 minutes later.
Malaysian goalkeeper Sity Norazizah Jamal reduced the deficit with an incredible long range effort from her own area, only to see Kichibayashi a quick-fire hat-trick in the match’s dying embers to take her Championship tally to seven and ensure Japan of Saturday's showdown with Iran who beat Thailand 1-0 in the day's earlier game.