Afghan Futsal Dream Lives On With the Victory Over Iraq

Afghanistan’s historic AFC Futsal Asian Cup journey continues! They secured a thrilling 5-3 victory over Iraq in the playoffs today, keeping their World Cup qualification dream alive.

This sets the stage for a crucial match against Kyrgyzstan on Sunday, where both teams will battle for the fifth and final Asian spot at the 2024 FIFA Futsal World Cup in Uzbekistan.

Early Setback, Fierce Comeback:

Iraq started strong, grabbing the early lead. However, Afghanistan responded tenaciously. Akbar Kazmi equalized in the 10th minute, followed by a goal from Farzad Mahmoudi to complete the comeback.

Mehran Gholami then bagged a crucial brace before halftime, extending Afghanistan’s lead to 4-2. While Iraq pulled one back in the second half, a late goal by Javad Safari sealed the victory for Afghanistan.

Narrow Loss Doesn’t Derail World Cup Hopes:

While Majid Mortezaei’s squad fell short in their first knockout stage match against Tajikistan, Uzbekistan’s automatic qualification as hosts and their progression to the semifinals opens a unique path for Afghanistan.

A victory over Kyrgyzstan on Sunday, 28 April will secure their place as Asia’s fifth representative at the World Cup!

Don’t Miss Out! (Click on the slide below to see more photos from the Afghanistan-Iraq game.)