Iran futsal continued its route towards winning its fourth consecutive title in the Asian Indoor games. In the semi-finals match played today, Iran futsal team beat Thailand in a closely contested game 5-4 to qualify for the Friday final.

Thailand, which has been a thorn in Iran’s back and a serious challenger to Iran’s futsal supremacy in Asia, scored quite early in the match in the 3rd minute. However, the Iranian response was quick and decisive. Hossein Tayebi , the top scorer for Team Melli Futsall team scored two quick goals in the 5th and 6th minutes to stun the Thai team and put them back where they started.  The match continued with Thailand pressing hard to score the equalizer, but it was Iran who scored the third on the stroke of half time. Maysam Khayyam scored with 3 seconds left to the whistle making it 3-1 for Iran.

Iran scored again in the 2nd half when Hossein Taybei completed his hat trick in this match making it 4-1 for Iran. Thailand players who started the second half quite strongly were determined to make a match out of this one and they soon got what they wanted when they scored their second to make it 2-4.  Iran players were still recovering from that goal when a whirlwind Thai attack added another goal within 9 minutes for Thailand to narrow the margin  4-3 leaving the Iranian dazed and fearing a repeat of last year heart-breaker when the same team beat them in the same stage , the semi-final , of the AFC Asian Futsal championship.

Jesus Candelas men however, were not going to allow the resolute Thai to repeat the result of last year. Iran took a grip on the game and played a patient and passing game in hope of drawing the Thai out of their defensive shell. Thailand was content to defend and let the Iranian have the ball as they pleased hoping for counter attack opportunities which they have demonstrated with success in this tournament.  As time was getting critical for both teams, and with 5 minutes to go, Iran got the break they wanted when Ghodrat Bahdori scored Iran’s 5th to relieve the Iranians from pressure and increase the margin to two goals. As Iran was leading 5-3, and the game coming to close, Thailand got a penalty which they scored with 7 seconds of the match left. It was one goal too late for the Thai as Iran took revenge of last year’s defeat and qualified for the final .