Courtesy: The AFC.com


Kuwait edge Iraq on penalties

Friday, 16 December 2011

Kuwait City: AFC Futsal Championship 2012, West Zone qualifying hosts Kuwait defeated Iraq 3-2 on penalties to advance to next year's finals in the UAE alongside Qatar, who defeated Lebanon 5-2 after extra-time in Thursday's earlier match at the Al Qadsia Futsal Stadium.

Salem Al Mekaimi put Kuwait one up early in the second period and just as it was looking as though his 25th minute goal would be enough to book their ticket to the tournament proper Hashim Khalid equalised with a minute left to play, forcing extra-time.

With neither side able to add to the score line in extra-time, the match went to penalties and Kuwait were able to emerge victorious through successful conversions from Al Mekaimi, Abdulrahman Al Taweel, Abdulrahman Al Mosabehi and Hamad Hayat, while Karrar Mohsin and Mustafa Bachay missed the target for Iraq.

Iraq and Lebanon will meet on Friday to battle it out for the third and final spot in next year's AFC Futsal Championship while Kuwait and Qatar will be clash to determine the winners of the West Zone qualifying campaign.




Courtesy: The AFC.com


Rodrigo to the four as Qatar qualify

Friday, 16 December 2011

Kuwait City: Qatar booked their ticket to the 2012 AFC Futsal Championship on Thursday with Rodrigo scoring a blistering extra-time hat-trick to give his side a 5-2 victory over Lebanon in the semi-finals of the West Zone qualifiers.

Ahmad Raja's 16th minute strike gave Qatar a first-half lead before an Ali Tneich double (25th and 34th) turned to the tie in Lebanon's favour and looked to be putting the Group B runners-up through to next year's tournament proper before Rodrigo made it 2-2 with four minutes of regulation time remaining.

And the Brazil-born star went on to make an even greater impact in extra-time scoring a stunning three-minute hat-trick with goals in the 45th, 46th, and 47th minutes to take his individual tally for the tournament to 15 in four matches and, more importantly, send Qatar through to the AFC Futsal Championship finals, which take place in the UAE next May.




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