Courtesy: The AFC.com

Hat-trick of hat-tricks for Shin

Friday, 18 November 2011

Kuala Lumpur: Shin Jong-hoon scored his third hat-trick of the East Zone qualifiers as Korea Republic defeated Chinese Taipei 7-3 on Thursday to book their ticket to the 2012 AFC Futsal Championship.

Chinese Taipei, who finished second in Group B to set up the crucial clash with the Group A-winning Koreans, took a 16th minute lead at the Cheras Indoor Stadium through Lo Chih-en only for Jeong Eui-hyun to hit back instantly.

A minute later Shin, scorer of trebles in the Group Stage wins over Mongolia and Hong Kong, got the first of his hat-trick and added the second in the 16th minute to give the Koreans a 3-1 advantage at the break.

Kim Sun-ho netted number four in the 24th and after Shin completed his hat-trick five minutes later Jang Ming-yu got his name on the scoresheet with the Koreans' seventh and final goal with seven minutes left on the clock.

Chinese Taipei enjoyed a late fightback with goals from Weng Wei-pin (38th) and Huang Cheng-tsung (40th) to add some respectability to the final score-line but it there was never going to be enough time for Tsai Chia Feng's side, who will now take on Hong Kong on Friday for the third place from the East Zone in next year's tournament-proper. Korea Republic face fellow-qualifiers China, 8-1 conquerors of Hong Kong, to determine the winners of the East Zone qualification tournament.




Courtesy: The AFC.com


China too strong for Hong Kong

Friday, 18 November 2011

Kuala Lumpur: China cruised into the 2012 AFC Futsal Championship with an emphatic 8-1 win over Hong Kong in the East Zone qualifiers at the Cheras Indoor Stadium on Thursday.

China's victory over the Group A runners-up was achieved with four goals in each half as Wang Wei (3rd), Huang He (13th), Cong Lin (14th) and Liang Shuang (19th) all found the target to give the Chinese a comfortable advantage to take into the second period.

Deng Tao made it 5-0 three minutes after the break before Cong scored his second of the match two minutes later. Liang bagged his brace in the 28th minute before Zhang Xi completed China's scoring on the half-hour mark.

Yip Tsz Chun scored a last-minute consolation for Hong Kong, who will now take on Chinese Taipei on Friday for the third place from the East Zone in next year's tournament-proper. China face fellow-qualifiers Korea Republic, 7-3 conquerors of Chinese Taipei in Thursday, to determine the winners of the East Zone qualification tournament.




Courtesy: The AFC.com


Farinha anticipates tough Korea clash

Friday, 18 November 2011

Kuala Lumpur: China head coach Farinha is predicting his side is in for a tough encounter with fellow 2012 AFC Futsal Championship qualifiers Korea Republic on Friday when the two East Asians meet to determine the winners of the East Zone qualification tournament.

After topping Group B with wins over Macau (9-1) and Chinese Taipei (12-1) China comfortably defeated Hong Kong 8-1 on Thursday to seal their place at next year's finals and will face a Korean side that will present more of the kind of challenge they can expect in the UAE come May.

"It will be a very difficult game as Korea is a very strong team," Farinha (Guilherme Carvalho Franco da Silveira) told www.the-afc.com after Thursday's one-sided win.

"I think the game is going to be similar to the last game we played against the Koreans which finished 5-4 for us.

"I hope that we can win but as I said this is going to be a very tough game."




Courtesy: The AFC.com


We can beat China says hat-trick hero

Friday, 18 November 2011

Kuala Lumpur: Korea Republic star Shin Jong-hoon, who has struck a hat-trick in all three of the Koreans' matches at the East Zone qualifiers so far, is confident his side can maintain their winning momentum when they take on fellow 2012 AFC Futsal Championship qualifiers China on Friday.

Shin made it a hat-trick of hat-tricks as Korea Republic sealed their place at next year's finals in the UAE with a 7-3 win over Chinese Taipei, following his trebles in the Group Stage wins over Mongolia and Hong Kong.

And while the Koreans will face a sterner test of their credentials against China, semi-finalists at the last two AFC Futsal Championships, Shin believes they can emerge victorious from Friday's contest.

"We played China in 2009 in Beijing and they beat us 5-4 and I hear they have improved a lot since then," Shin told www.the-afc.com.

"But we have also improved and if we play our game to our potential then we have a chance to win."

Reflecting on the defeat of Chinese Taipei, Shin admitted that the tight schedule took its toll on the Koreans in the opening exchanges of Thursday's match at the Cheras Indoor Stadium but added that strong physical and mental fortitude is one of the characteristics of Lee Chng-hwan's side.

"We had played two matches in quick succession so the entire team was a little bit tired but we managed to get back on track in the middle of the first half.

"Every one of us had a strong mindset and were determined to defeat our opponents and we did it. Our stamina was better than theirs which was the key point in our victory."




Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com