Courtesy: The AFC.com


AFC Futsal Team of the Year: Japan

Thursday, 29 November 2012

Kuala Lumpur: Japan have won the AFC Futsal Team of the Year Award in recognition of their victory in the AFC Futsal Championship 2012.

The Japanese capped a fantastic campaign in the UAE with a 6-1 win over Thailand in the final to win the tournament for a second time after becoming the only team to win AFC Futsal Championship other than Iran when they triumphed in 2006.

Japan won all their 2012 group stage matches, which started with a 3-2 defeat of Lebanon before they recorded 6-1 wins over Tajikistan and Chinese Taipei.

The East Asians came through a hard-fought quarter-final clash against Kyrgyzstan, which was settled by a solitary goal from tournament MVP Rafael Henmi, before Japan comfortably defeated Australia 3-0 to set up the final with the Thais.

Following their dominant display in the final, Japan emerged from the tournament having scored 25 times at the expense of just five after the six matches they had played.

Collecting the award from AFC Executive Committee and FIFA Futsal Committee member Dr. Tran Quoc Tuan on behalf of the Asian futsal champions, Japan Football Association President Kuniya Daini said:

"Winning this award shows that futsal in Japan is moving in the right direction. We have developed a lot in futsal and it is an honour that the AFC is recognizing our efforts of promoting and developing the game in the country.

"There are lots of young kids who prefer to play futsal these days so I really hope that there will be a mutual supports futsal and football.

"Now Asian futsal is not only about Iran. They are still the team to beat but there are countries like Japan and Thailand who are also doing really well."




Courtesy: The AFC.com


AFC Futsal Player of the Year: Rafael Henmi

Thursday, 29 November 2012

Kuala Lumpur: An MVP-winning display at the AFC Futsal Championship coupled with his key role in helping Nagoya Oceans finish third at the AFC Futsal Club Championship has earned Japan star Rafael Henmi the AFC Futsal Player of the Year award ahead of last year's winner Mohammad Keshavarz and Thailand's Suphawat Thueanklang.

"I have been working hard for this moment. For any player, it's a dream come true and I am really excited to be here and win this trophy," said Henmi after receiving the prestigious accolade from AFC Executive Committee Member and Chairman of the AFC Futsal Committee Richard Lai.

Henmi helped Japan take top honours at the AFC Futsal Club Championship in the UAE, where the 20-year-old achieved a goal-a-game ratio in a series of standout performances.

He started the competition in emphatic fashion when he confidently dispatched a free-kick in the dying seconds of Japan's opening match to give the eventual champions a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Lebanon and followed up his match-winning strike with a goal against Tajikistan, a double against Chinese Taipei; the winner in the 1-0 quarter-final victory over Kyrgyzstan and the third in the semi-final defeat of Australia before maintaining his record of scoring in every game with Japan's fifth in the final as Japan outclassed Thailand 6-1 to win the AFC Futsal Championship for the second time.

A little over a month later Henmi was again in AFC futsal competition but this time it was for club side Nagoya Oceans, as the Japanese giants defended the AFC Futsal Club Championship title in Kuwait.

Having been part of the champions-winning side last year, silverware eluded him this time round as the Oceans had to settle for third place, with Henmi scoring twice in the 4-1 victory over Qatar's Al Rayyan to take his tally for the tournament to five.

"Whoever plays with joy, technique and discipline are the contenders for this award," Henmi continued.

"All of us who took futsal as profession or as game don't play for individual accolades back home but we play for the love of futsal. It's a great game to play and to be involved with.

"I am adamant that this award, which I am receiving now, can inspire other Japanese youth to play this futsal and do better and achieve our goal of being one of the top teams not only in Asia but in the world."






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