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.
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.
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.
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.
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
| Rank | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | VIETNAM |  | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 6 |
| 2 | Iran |  | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| 3 | HONG KONG, CHINA |  | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 8 | -4 | 0 |
| 4 | PHILIPPINES |  | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | -4 | 0 |