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Iran Women Futsal to the Semi-finals following victory vs. Chinese Taipei

Hohhot: Iran stayed on course to win a third AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup™ title by overcoming Chinese Taipei in the quarter-finals on Tuesday.

They were made to sweat for the 3-1 victory at the Hohhot Sports Centre by a determined opposition, who were gunning to reach the last four for the first time.

After the match finished 1-1 at the end of regulation time, Fereshteh Khosravi and Farzaneh Tavasoli netted deep in extra time to make it 13 wins in 14 matches overall.

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The breakthrough was made by the Central Asians after just two minutes when Mahtab Banaei was fouled by goalkeeper Chu Fang-Yi in the area, allowing Maral Torkaman to step up and smash in the penalty for her second goal of the tournament.

Iran pushed for a second and Chu had to save efforts from Khosravi, Elham Anafjeh and Sara Shirbeigi, with Nasimeh Gholami and Banaei also spurning chances from close range.

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They were given a scare when Su Hui-Chi rounded custodian Tavasoli but put the ball wide while off-balance, while Chen Min-Huang twice blazed wide from decent positions.

But Chinese Taipei did find the equaliser in the 18th minute through a well-worked kick-in routine, which saw Chen set up Liu Wen Ling to lash in her tournament-leading fifth goal from range.

Q-final: Chinese Taipei v IR Iran

That elicited a strong response from Iran, who peppered the opposing goal with shots from the restart – only to be as wasteful as they were before.

Their attempts were either tame strikes at Chu or off-target, with only Fereshteh Karimi coming close when she side-footed wide from Sara Shirbeigi’s pass in the 25th minute.

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Having been under the cosh for most of the half, Chinese Taipei then came agonisingly close to taking the lead with five minutes left.

Pouncing on a loose ball, Liu Chih-Ling strode down the right and cracked a howitzer off the bar with Tavasoli a mere spectator.

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Straight down the other end, Banaei fired wildly from a promising position and the Chinese Taipei rearguard held out to send the tie into extra time.

Torkaman thought she had broken the resistance in the 42nd minute only for Chu to produce a stupendous one-hand fingertip save, with Tavasoli then denying Chen with an outstretched leg a minute later at the opposite end.

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Torkaman was foiled again by Chu in the second half of extra time but then with less than two minutes left, Iran struck the fatal blow.

A swift move saw Banaei accelerate away down the left before squaring for Khosravi, who made no mistake at the far post.

There was no way back with seconds left as Tavasoli sent a goal-kick into an empty net with Chinese Taipei throwing everyone forward, sealing a semi-final showdown with Japan on Thursday.

A soul-less goal less draw by Iran’s women futsal.

Hohhot: Iran and Vietnam played out a 0-0 draw on Sunday evening in the AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup™ China 2025 at the Hohhot Sports Centre.

With both sides having confirmed progress to the last eight prior to this encounter, the result meant that Vietnam finished top of Group B.

It also ended Iran’s remarkable winning streak in the tournament, having won every one of their 12 games prior to this encounter.

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The only team to have won this tournament, two-time champions Iran saw plenty of the ball in the first half but never really troubled Tran Thi Hai Yen’s goal, apart from a Sara Shirbeigi effort that was well saved.

Meanwhile, Vietnam were content to let their opponents do the probing as they sat back and waited for opportunities to break, though these never materialised.  

Iran took their foot off the pedal after the break, but Vietnam could not take advantage.

Group B: Iran v Vietnam

Tran Thi Thu Xuan came close with a strike from an impossible angle, which was deflected away by goalkeeper Farzaneh Tavasoli. Then, with two minutes left, Bui Thi Trang dragged a low shot wide of the left post.

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Hai Yen then ventured out of her goal to have a pop, which flew well off target as the match petered out into a stalemate.

Vietnam will next face the Group C runners-up in the quarter-finals on Tuesday, while Iran take on Chinese Taipei in the final last-eight tie on the same day.

Former Team Melli coach speaks about Iranian football and Compatriot Skočić acheivment.

Branko Ivanković praised his compatriot Dragan Skočić in an interview, emphasizing that Skočić has a winning mentality and stating that various lobbying efforts prevented him from sitting on Iran’s bench during the World Cup.

Many Croatians have left a significant mark on Iranian football, and the championship that Dragan Skočić won this season with Tractor is the latest honor achieved by a Croatian coach in Iranian football.

According to the Croatian site Jutarnji, this is not Skočić’s first major achievement. He previously pulled the Iranian national team out of a crisis and led them to World Cup qualification in Qatar but was dismissed shortly before the tournament. Nonetheless, this is his first national title in his trophy case.

The most prominent Croatian name in Iran in terms of achievements is Branko Ivanković, the current head coach of the Chinese national team. He continues to follow all developments in Iran.

“This championship is a huge result for Skočić and all the Croatian players at Tractor. Croatian coaches have achieved great results in Iran. Tractor is a unique club in Iran that had never won a championship before, but it’s considered one of the big teams alongside Persepolis, Esteghlal, and Sepahan. The city of Tabriz is located in Iran’s mountainous region and its population is predominantly Azerbaijani,” said Ivanković to Jutarnji from China. “They often came close to winning the title but never saw it through to the end. That’s why Tractor’s championship is an unbelievable achievement.”

In the next part, the former Iran and Persepolis coach commented on Skočić:
“Tractor has a good coach who has a clear vision and most importantly, a winning mentality. They were the most consistent team in the league and were strengthened by signing three Iranian national players. Apart from that, the Croatian players did great. Druždek has been outstanding since he arrived. This is once again a big plus for us Croatians—both coaches and players.”

When asked how he has so much information about Iranian football, Ivanković replied:
“I follow all Asian leagues, and in addition, my analyst is Iranian, so I get even more information about Iranian football.”

Igor Postonjski, Tomislav Štrkalj, and Domagoj Druždek, who never played for Croatia’s biggest clubs, have become very important figures in Iran’s Persian Gulf Pro League.

Ivanković continued:
“Tractor performed well even though Persepolis and Esteghlal had enormous budgets—probably the biggest in their history. Coaches there earn around 2 to 2.5 million dollars and many players make close to 1 million per season. They had the opportunity to sign big players, which is why Tractor also made some major signings. Tractor did exceptionally well, and this makes the collective success even greater.”

Tractor is one of the most popular Iranian teams. Reports say that 120,000 spectators attended their match against Esteghlal, setting a record in Iranian club football. On average, they had 42,000 fans per home game and had previously been league runners-up three times. In an AFC poll in 2020, Tractor was voted the most popular club in Asia.

Ivanković added:
“Tractor’s title isn’t that surprising because they were always competing for the top spot. Persepolis with 40 million fans and Esteghlal with 25 million are not happy with the situation. Tractor has always had a large fanbase.”

In conclusion, the Croatian coach said:
“Skočić was also fantastic with the national team. Iran was on the brink of elimination in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, but Skočić won all the matches and was then dismissed. The same happened to Tomislav Ivić in 1998. There are always various lobbyists playing their own games.”

Branko Ivanković led Iran in the 2006 World Cup in Germany and as Persepolis manager, he won the league three times in a row (2017–2019), the Hazfi Cup, three Super Cups, and reached the AFC Champions League final.
Other successful Croatian coaches in Iran include Ivić, Miroslav Blažević, Zlatko Kranjčar, and Dragan Skočić.

Ivanković concluded:
“Stanko Poklepović was the first Croatian to shine in Iranian football with great results. Today, Tomislav Ivić is still remembered, as is Blažević. Luka Bonačić, Vinko Begović, and Mladen Frančić also achieved notable success.”

Iran women futsal qualify for the knockout rounds.

Hohhot: Defending champions Iran secured their place in the quarter-finals after defeating Hong Kong, China 3-1 in their AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup™ China 2025 Group B tie on Friday.

The win took Iran to six points – level with Vietnam who also qualified – with the two to meet on Sunday to decide the group winners. 

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Having opened their campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 win over the Philippines, Iran took time to find their rhythm, with Fatemeh Hosseini testing Hong Kong, China goalkeeper Ng Cheuk Wai in the fifth minute.

The East Asian side tried to match Iran’s agility but were often caught in transition with their defence scrambling to close down the danger from the flanks.

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Cheung Wai Ki had a great chance for Hong Kong, China in the sixth minute – latching onto Chan Wing Sze’s pass before striking a low shot which brought the best out of Iran keeper Farzaneh Tavasoli.

Iran’s pressure came to fruition in the 10th minute after Fereshteh Karimi’s effort rattled the left post with the rebound falling kindly for Elham Anafjeh to tap the ball home.

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Hong Kong, China, however, maintained their feisty demeanour to level the tie two minutes later after Nastaran Moghimi turned Tsang Lai Mae Halasan’s effort into her own net.

Iran almost regained the lead in the 16th minute with Fereshteh Khosravi and Elham Anafjeh both being denied by the post while at the other end, So Hoi Lam’s curling effort was tipped over the bar by Tavasoli.

Group B: Hong Kong, China v IR Iran

A 5-3 defeat to Vietnam in their opener meant Hong Kong, China needed the points to salvage their campaign but their efforts of the first half were undone by a costly mistake in the 26th minute.

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A poor pass from Kung Yuet Charis to Chan Wing Sze was caught out by Mahtab Banaei, who powered her way through to fire past Ng.

Iran piled on the pressure and put the game beyond Hong Kong, China’s reach in the 37th minute after Maral Torkaman laid the ball for Anafjeh to drill a low shot into the bottom right corner to claim her second goal of the evening.

Group B

RankTeam PWDLFAGDPTS
1VIETNAMVIETNAM22008356
2 IranIR Iran22004136
3HONG KONG, CHINAHONG KONG, CHINA200248-40
4PHILIPPINESPHILIPPINES200204-40

 Belarus end Iran’s dream

Victoria: Iran’s FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Seychelles 2025 title ambitions came to a premature end after losing 4-3 to Belarus in the quarter-finals on Thursday.

The AFC Beach Soccer Asian Cup™ Thailand 2025 champions Iran struck first but in the end, could not stop Belarus from powering their way back into the game to take their place in the semi-finals against either Senegal or Italy.

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Belarus goalkeeper Mikhail Avgustov shook the Iran crossbar with a vicious volley, before picking the ball out of his net seconds before the first period was up, Mohammad Masoumi guiding home Ali Mirshekari’s pass.

Ihar Bryshtsel won and thrashed home a penalty to equalise in the second, and put Belarus ahead with a fine finish at the start of the third. 

Bryshtsel then earned a second spot-kick, but this time Seyedmohammad Dastan made a big block.

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The relief was short-lived. Yahor Hardzetski dispatched a gorgeous overhead kick and Anatoliy Ryabko headed home to put Nico’s team three goals up. 

Masoumi and Movahed Mohammadpour then struck to pull Iran to within one, but Belarus held on to progress.

A lone goals seals Iran women futsal victory

Hohhot:
the-afc.com

A late goal from Iran secured a 1-0 victory in their opening match of the AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup™ China 2025 as they saw off the Philippines on Wednesday morning.

Making their tournament debut, the Philippines came within a whisker of pulling off one of the biggest upsets in the competition’s history against the defending champions, who won every one of their 10 matches en-route to claiming the title in both previous editions in 2015 and 2018.

In the end, IR Iran found a way through in the dying stages as Maral Torkaman broke Philippines’ hearts to take all three points in the Group B encounter at the Hohhot Sports Centre.

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Far from being overawed, the Philippines took the game to their opponents from the start and Isabella Bandoja nearly gave them the lead in the third minute as Farzaneh Tavasoli denied her in a one-on-one situation before the rebound was chipped just over by Isabella Flanigan.

Iran then found their stride and saw efforts from Mahtab Banaei, Nasimeh Gholami and Torkaman saved by Samantha Hughes, while Elham Anafjeh and Fereshteh Karimi put their chances wide.

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That sort of profligacy characterised the Central Asians’ first-half showing as Karimi and Torkaman blasted the ball over from good positions, while Hughes – the youngest player at this tournament who turns 17 in two weeks’ time – stymied Iran’s other shots, in particular pulling off an outstanding double save on Torkaman and Banaei.

Group B: IR Iran v Philippines

It was Tavasoli’s turn to shine shortly after the break as she somehow clawed away Dionesa Tolentin’s point-blank shot before then repelling another fierce strike from the same player.

The teams continued to trade blows but Iran, ranked ninth by FIFA – 46 places above the Philippines – struggled to find the breakthrough thanks to tenacious defending and strong goalkeeping.

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But just when it looked like the match would end in only the second-ever goalless result, Torkaman came up with the goods for Iran.

Having spurned several chances already, Torkaman made no mistake with three minutes left after being set up by Sara Shirbeigi to sidefoot into an empty net and seal a hard-fought win.

Preview – Group B: Iran v Philippines

Tue, 06 May, 2025
the-afc.com

Hohhot: Set to make their tournament debut, the Philippines arguably could not have asked for tougher opening opponents than Iran as both prepare to face off in their AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup ™ China 2025 Group B tie on Wednesday.

The reigning champions have won all of their 10 matches in the competition’s history and will be confident of adding a third crown. Having led them to glory in the inaugural 2015 edition, Foruzan Solymani returns to helm a side with plenty of experience, with five players set to appear in their third tournament.

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One of them is Sara Shirbeigi, who is the competition’s all-time top-scorer with 14 goals, who is optimistic about recovering from an injury setback to play her part.

“I hope we can become champions of Asia for the third consecutive time,” she said. “All our goals and efforts will be focused on this. However, as you know, achieving this is challenging since teams like Japan and Thailand are strong competitors. Nonetheless, we are Iran.

“Our team still has weaknesses that we worked on during the recent SAT Futsal Championship in Thailand and I hope that by addressing these issues, we can lift the championship trophy for the third time and make our nation proud.”

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The Philippines will certainly aim to give the Central Asians a stiff test as they continue to prepare for the inaugural FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup 2025 in November, which they have automatically qualified for as hosts.

Led by Spanish head coach Rafael Rodriguez, the FILIPINA5 — recently unveiled as the team’s new moniker — impressed in the Qualifiers against higher-ranked opponents to seal their first-ever berth in the Finals. 

While Rodriguez believes preparations have gone well, he acknowledged that Iran will pose a tough challenge, especially with key striker Katrina Guillou — scorer of four of their 10 Qualifiers goals — sidelined.

“It’s a big challenge for us – they’re the best team in Asia,” said Rodriguez. “We’re going to learn a lot from that match. We know it will be very difficult, but we’re approaching it with great enthusiasm.

“We have tried to train as much as possible in the Philippines over the past month, although players have been joining gradually over the last few weeks. We played two friendly matches in the Philippines, and the rest of our preparation took place in China.

“I don’t think there’s any one key player but it’s true that Katrina, who couldn’t be with us, brought a lot of experience. She’s also a player with a knack for scoring goals.”

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While the Philippines played their first women’s futsal national team match in 2005, the side has only been revived in recent years and Rodriguez, in looking at the big picture, feels that being awarded hosting rights to the FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup will further boost their developmental efforts.

“I believe we’re making progress in many areas,” he said. “We want to build a solid team, with a strong mentality and a clear identity. We’re improving both individually and collectively. We need to keep consolidating every step we take.”

IR Iran v Philippines

Venue: Hohhot Sports Centre (Hohhot)

Kick-off: Wednesday, 05:00 (UTC+3)   

Portugal-Iran ends with a European victory

Victoria: Iran concluded their FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Seychelles 2025 Group B campaign with a 7-5 defeat to two-time champions Portugal on Monday.

The loss saw AFC Beach Soccer Asian Cup™ Thailand 2025 champions Iran finishing second in Group B, setting up a quarter-final meeting against Group A winners Belarus on Thursday. Portugal will face Japan.

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Team Melli struck first inside The Paradise Arena. Seyed Mirjalili dribbled the ball forward and, with the Portuguese expecting a trademark volley, cannily played a perfect pass to Mohammadali Nazarzadeh, whose excellent, acrobatic finish gave Pedro Mano no chance.

Andre Lourenco equalised, but Iran regained the lead through Reza Amiri’s stunning overhead kick.

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A period of Portuguese dominance then ensued. Leo Martins, one of the most lethal finishers in the game, turned provider as they netted five goals without reply. 

Mohammadali Mokhtari pulled one back in style, only for Miguel Pintado to restore Portugal’s four-goal advantage. 

Nazarzadeh and Mokhtari pulled two back for Iran, but it was too little, too late.

Iranian Women’s National Futsal Team Eyes Historic Hat-Trick at 2025 AFC Championship

The Iranian women’s national futsal team, champions of the last two editions of the AFC Women’s Futsal Championship, is aiming to secure a historic third consecutive title in the upcoming tournament. Riding on the momentum of its golden generation, Iran enters the 2025 championship as a firm favorite.

Tournament Overview

The third edition of the AFC Women’s Futsal Championship is set to take place from May 6 to 17, 2025, in Hohhot, China. This premier continental competition will bring together Asia’s strongest women’s futsal teams, each vying not only for the trophy but also for a spot in the inaugural FIFA Women’s Futsal World Cup, hosted by the Philippines.

The tournament will begin with a group stage, where two teams from each group will directly advance to the knockout rounds. Additionally, the two best third-placed teams will also qualify for the quarter-finals. The top three finishers in the tournament will qualify for the World Cup, joining host nation Philippines.

Iran’s Group and Key Opponents

Iran has been drawn in a group with:

  • Vietnam
  • Hong Kong
  • Philippines

Vietnam, who held Iran to level points in a recent friendly tournament in China, poses the most significant challenge in the group. Meanwhile, the Hong Kong and Philippine teams, though spirited, have not yet reached Iran’s level of competitiveness. The Philippines, however, may prove unpredictable due to their added motivation as World Cup hosts.

Championship Pedigree and Aspirations

Iran claimed the AFC title in 2015 and 2018, establishing itself as a powerhouse in Asian women’s futsal. Now, after a seven-year break, the national team is eager to lift the trophy for the third time. This ambition has brought renewed energy to both the players and coaching staff, all committed to cementing Iran’s dominance in the sport.

Squad and Key Players

Iran’s 14-player squad retains much of the core that secured their previous two championships. The team is coached by Forouzan Soleimani. Iran’s women’s futsal Team is ranked 9th in the FIFA Ranking. Key figures from the golden generation include:

  • Farzaneh Tavassoli
  • Tahereh Mehdipour
  • Nasimeh Gholami (Captian)
  • Sara Shirbeigi
  • Fereshteh Karimi

These seasoned athletes bring not only skill but invaluable championship experience to the squad.

Emerging talents who have excelled in domestic leagues will also feature prominently:

  • Mahdieh Mahmoudinia
  • Fatemeh Rahmati
  • Maral Torkman
  • Fatemeh Hosseini

Together, this blend of experience and youth forms a balanced, formidable lineup ready to take on Asia’s best.

Outlook: A Defining Moment

This tournament represents a critical moment in the history of Iranian women’s futsal. A third title would solidify Iran’s status as the dominant force in Asia and secure its spot at the first-ever FIFA Women’s Futsal World Cup. The stakes are high, and the road ahead is challenging, but Iran is determined to rise once again.

PLAYER TO WATCH

MARAL TORKMAN

Name: Maral Torkman
Date of Birth: 06th Dec 2002
Place of Birth: Karaj
Age: 22 years
Club Nasr Fardis
Height: 160 cm

Maral started her sporting activities at the age of 11, playing football in the neighborhood. She was influenced by her brothers, two of whom play professional football: Mehdi who plays for Mes Rafsanjan and Amir Hossein. Her father was also a former footballer.
At the age of 14 , Maral was selected for the Iran U15 team.In a strange twist, Maral at 17 decided to change her passion and head towards Futsal. She joined the local team Saipa team and quickly became a success story. She was soon selected for the National Iranian women’s futsal team.

Iran’s Group Stage Schedule – 2025 AFC Women’s Futsal Championship

  • Wednesday, May 07
    🆚 Iran vs. Philippines – 06:30 (Tehran Time)
  • Friday, May 09
    🆚 Hong Kong vs. Iran – 12:30 (Tehran Time)
  • Sunday, May 11
    🆚 Iran vs. Vietnam – 12:30 (Tehran Time)

Iran qualifies for the Quarter Final after defeating paraguay in FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup

Victoria, Seychelles: A suffocating defense carried Iran to a second consecutive victory at Seychelles 2025, leaving winless Paraguay on the brink. In the match held at the Paradise Arena, Victoria, Iran led in the first period by a score of 2-0.

Iran got off to a fast start with Movahed Mohammadpour and Mehdi Mirjalili smashing in shots from distance sealed the first period.

Paraguay’s attempts to cut the deficit were thwarted until midway through the second, when Milciades Medina took flight and scored a sensational bicycle kick.

Ali Nazem restored Iran’s two-goal cushion, followed by insurance strikes from Mahdi Shirmohammadi and Mohammad Masoumi to seal things for Team Melli.

Iran had 4 players cautioned in the match, one of whom Mirshekari would miss the decider against Portugal due to his second yellow card in the tournament.
Movahed MOHAMMADPOUR, Ali MIRSHEKARI, Mohammadali NAZARZADEH and Mohammad MASOUMI were the recipient of yellow cards.