While Islamic Republic of Iran’s Mes Sungun Varzaghan cruised into the final, Vietnam club Thai Son Nam had to fight to earn their place in the tournament showpiece.

the-AFC.com speaks to both teams ahead of the title showdown.

With majority of their players representing national teams, the match promises to be an explosive encounter as the two sides have met before in the quarter-finals of the 2015 edition in Isfahan with Iraqi side Nafit edging their opponents 3-2 on penalties after a 4-4 deadlock.

Most recently, Iraq came out tops in the 2018 AFC Futsal Championship quarter-finals in Chinese Taipei to win the tie 9-8 following a gruelling 20- penalty shootout after the match ended 2-2.

Mes Sungun were quick off the blocks and came close to taking the lead in the first minute as they pressed Nafit, but Hossein Tayebibidgoli’s volley from the edge of the area missed the target.

Nafit kept it tight at the back and countered a minute later with Waleed Khalid Al Mayali’s effort but he pulled his shot wide of the post.

It was a tense contest as both teams fought hard for possession and were evenly matched as they struggled to find the net.

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Thai Son Nam’s win sets up an enticing final against the Islamic Republic of Iran club while Beirut will play Nafit Al Wasat in the third-place playoff on Sunday.

Thai Son Nam started with purpose as they tried to get a head start in the game but the Vietnam club found Beirut’s defence hard to breakdown.

Abdultahman Altawail found himself with space and made a surging run in the second minute but Beirut goalkeeper Hussein Hamadani was in top form to deflect the effort.

Beirut, however, did not sit back and went ahead in the second minute when Mahdi Javid timed his run to perfection and his pass found Mouhammad Hammoud unmarked in the box and he made no mistake from close range.

 

The Indonesian club exceeded expectations when they qualified for the Knockout Stage after finishing second in their group on goal difference.

Vamos, a young team that was put together just weeks before the start of the tournament following the exit of established players, took the game to Iraqi side Nafit at the Gor Amongrogo.

Coming in as Group A winners, Nagoya had a record of only having conceded one goal in three group stage games, but the Vietnamese champions proved to be their toughest challenge yet.

Three-time champions Nagoya, played with aggression and moved fluidly but it was Neto Antonio Hirata who was a thorn for Thai Son Nam.

In the sixth minute, he dribbled past two Thai Son Nam defenders on the left before sending the ball to an unmarked Ryohei Ando at the penalty mark, who then made no mistake to hit home.

 

The opening minutes of the match were highly entertaining as both sides took on an aggressive approach from the first blow of the whistle.

Ali Asghar Hassanzadeh opened the scoring within the first minute of the game but Mes Sungun’s had no time to enjoy the lead as Dilshat Kadyrov scored the equaliser from a kick in set-piece just moments after the restart.

Sangsefidi etched his name on the scoresheet in the third minute when a set-piece split Erem’s defence and a string of passes between Farhad Fakhim and Mortteza Ezzati led to Sangsefidi laying the finishing touch.