Ho Chi Minh City: On paper, Iraq’s Nafit Al Wasat are the competition’s top seeded side, having reached the final in 2016, particularly since last year’s champions Nagoya Oceans failed to qualify for this year’s edition of the AFC Futsal Club Championship.
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Nafit’s rise to Asia’s elite exemplifies the ever-improving landscape of futsal in the continent, reaching the semi-final in their maiden competition in 2015 before progressing further into the final a year later.
Coming within touching distance of the Continent’s ultimate futsal club prize has ignited a sense of renewed belief for Nafit, and Head Coach Haitham Abbas Bawei has every intention on prolonging his side’s proud tradition of outdoing their preceding performances as they prepare to take on Tajikistan’s Disi Invest in their Group B opener at the Phú Th? Indoor Stadium on Friday.
“Every one of the teams here has prepared well and can pose a threat. All the teams, in particular, Al Rayyan will be a difficult match, but you never know, the other teams might just surprise you. We respect the other teams but we are confident we can do well to repeat at least our achievements in the last edition.”
Just as eager to write their own masterpiece in Asian futsal history are DISI Invest, who will record a significant milestone as the first Tajikistan side to participate in the competition. Head Coach Afzali Hosein, who led IR Iran’s Foolad Mahan Sepahan to victory at the inaugural AFC Futsal Club Championship in 2010, was bullish on his troop's ability to create an upset in Vietnam.
“You know, futsal is not something that is written on paper and you cannot predict the result. Our goal against every team is victory. The first game against Nafit is very important, and we know we need to achieve a positive result,” said Hosein Afzali.
“We analysed the latest games of our rivals and examined their weaknesses and strengths. We are confident of reaching our objectives which is the quarter-finals.”
Harbouring similar aspirations are fellow Group B opponents FC Vamos. Similar to their Tajik opponents, the Indonesian club are also participating in their first-ever competition.
“We have been studying their games, and we are confident we can do our fans and Indonesian football proud. Nafit are the best team in the group and Al Rayyan will be a difficult first game but we have put together a good team and we are prepared for a good competition,” said FC Vamos’ Iranian Head Coach Reza Fallahzadeh.
Success will not come easy though, as FC Vamos prepare to endure a baptism of fire against Qatar heavyweights Al Rayyan. Leaving nothing to chance, Head Coach Carlos Cesar Gago said, “We will play our first game like it is our last, we take each game as it comes. In a competition like this, you cannot think about the game after, we are focused on getting a victory over Vamos and we will talk about the remaining matches after that. Every game here is like a final.”
GROUP B FIXTURES
21 July 2017, 16:30
Al Rayyan (QAT) v Vamos Mataram (IND)
21 July 2017, 19:00
Naft Al-Wasat (IRQ) v Disi Invest (TJK)
23 July 2017, 16:30
Disi Invest (TJK) v Al Rayyan (QAT)
23 July 2017, 19:00
Vamos Mataram (IND) v Naft Al-Wasat (IRQ)
25 July 2017, 16:30
Vamos Mataram (IND) v Disi Invest (TJK)
25 July 2017, 19:00
Naft Al-Wasat (IRQ) v Al Rayyan (QAT)
Photo: AFC
Source: the-afc.com