Tag: Farzaneh Tavasoli

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

Fareshteh Karimi , the Queen of Asian Futsal

As Iran celebrated a second consecutive AFC Women’s Futsal Championship final win over Japan, Fereshteh Karimi continued the theme and confirmed herself as a continental great by winning the tournament’s Most Valuable Player award for the second time.

The 29-year-old delivered what could only be described as the perfect tournament in Bangkok, scoring five goals and, remarkably, winning player of the match honours in all five of Iran’s matches.

The scorer of the tournament-deciding goal in Malaysia three years ago, Karimi also left her mark on this year’s decider, playing a major role in Misato’s Komura’s 30th minute own goal, before setting up Sara Shirbeigi to make it 3-0 moments later.

Speaking moments after Iran’s sensational 5-2 win, Karimi spoke of the significance of lifting the trophy for a second time.

“For women’s sport in Iran, the futsal team is the only team that has the ability to be an Asian champion,” she said.

“The national teams in other sports don’t have this ability and that’s why this is so important.

“Iranians are very emotional people, especially our women. This championship is the big opportunity for us to be more famous in the country, and the way we dress is unique and different from the other teams.

“All the people, especially our families, are so happy about this achievement.”

The 29-year-old graciously accepted the award, but said team success was at the forefront of her goals before thanking Iran’s technical staff.

“First of all I was thinking about how I could help the team. I knew that if I could help the team then I could be the MVP of the tournament,” she revealed.

“Before the final our staff analysed Japan for us very well. We had two sessions of analysing them and our plan was to make Japan tired in the first half, then try to score in the second half.

“That was our plan and thankfully it worked. We really need to give our thanks to our staff.”

Iran head coach Shahrzad Mozafar paid tribute to Karimi, saying her dual achievement is evidence of her standing as one of the game’s greats.

“Congratulations to Fereshteh,” she said. “To be the MVP of the tournament for the second time means that she is one of the really great players in Asia and, to me, in the world.”

Iran’s hat-trick hero in the final, Sara Shirbeigi (pictured below) won the award for the tournament’s top scorer. The 26-year-old finished level with teammate Fatemeh Etedadi and Japan’s Anna Amishiro with nine goals, but won the award by virtue of contributing three assists, compared to her competitors’ two.

Karimi thanked her teammates, giving special praise to the goal scoring duo as well as star goalkeeper Farzaneh Tavasoli.

“All the Iranian players are the MVP, and they should all be here beside me accepting this award.

“The top scorers, Sara and Fatemeh have been among the best players in this tournament, as well as our goalkeeper Farzaneh.”

Iran also claimed the Fair Play Award to take a clean sweep of the honours.

AFC WOMEN’S FUTSAL CHAMPIONSHIP 

AWARDS

Most Valuable Player – Fereshteh Karimi (IRN)

Top Goal Scorer – Sara Shirbeigi (IRN) – 9 Goals

Fair Play Award – Islamic Republic of Iran