Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Bangkok: 2015 runners-up Japan are among the favourites to lift the AFC Women’s Futsal Championship 2018 trophy on Saturday, but Uzbekistan head coach Avaz Maksumov is aiming to mastermind an upset against the East Asians in Wednesday's quarter-final.
Uzbekistan finished winless and rock bottom of their group in the 2015 edition of the tournament, but reaching the Knockout Stage this time around is only the first step towards achieving Maksumov’s lofty pre-tournament goal.
“Maybe this is strange, but before this tournament our goal was to play in the final match,” he revealed.
“I think every coach should be wanting their team to play well every time. Maybe our team is not the best team here, but our goal is to go as far as we can and reach the final match.”
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Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Bangkok: Three years after her dazzling performances helped the Islamic Republic of Iran become the AFC Women’s Futsal Championship’s inaugural champions, Fereshteh Karimi remains a force to be reckoned with.
After contributing six goals, including the winner in the final, and being voted the tournament’s Most Valuable Player in the 2015 edition, Karimi has resumed her outstanding form in Thailand with back to back player of the match awards.
The 29-year-old was outstanding in her side’s impressive victories over Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, scoring four goals as Iran advanced to the quarter-finals with imperious ease.
Spectacular futsal and continental silverware in 2015 made the Karimi and her teammates household names in their home country, and the prodigy from the south of Tehran sees the buzz surrounding team as a source of motivation.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Bangkok: After 21 matches and 152 goals in six days, the field at the AFC Women’s Futsal Championship Thailand 2018 has been reduced to eight, with four mouth-watering quarter-finals set for Wednesday.
The top three finishers from the 2015 edition – Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan and Thailand - have all advanced to the Knockout Stage, with Vietnam joining Asian women’s futsal’s big three as group winners.
They will be joined by two tournament debutants, Indonesia and Chinese Taipei, who finished runners-up in Groups A and B respectively, while China PR and Uzbekistan also earned places in the second round.
A huge Wednesday of quarter-final action gets underway when Iran take on China at Bangkok Arena, with Japan to do battle with Uzbekistan at the same time.
Vietnam will look to continue their perfect record against Indonesia in an all-Southeast Asian affair later that evening, and all eyes will be on hosts Thailand when they meet Chinese Taipei in front of a fervent home crowd at the Huamark Indoor Stadium.
The victorious sides will be back on court in the following day’s semi-finals, with the AFC Women’s Futsal Championship 2018 to be decided in what promises to be a final to remember on Saturday.
