AFC Beach Soccer Championship Qatar 2015
Friday 27 March 2015 Kick-off: 8:00 p.m. Match Duration: 12 min x 3 periods
Katara Beach, Doha, Qatar

Japan National Beach Soccer Team 5-4 (1st 0-2, 2nd 4-1, 3rd 1-1) Iran National Beach Soccer Team

Scores
8min　 Goal Against（Iran）
12min　Goal Against(PK)（Iran）
15min　ODA Hirofumi（Japan）
16min　YAMAUCHI Shusei（Japan）
17min　GOTO Takasuke（Japan）
20min　GOTO Takasuke（Japan）
20min　Goal Against（Iran）
32min　MOREIRA Ozu（Japan）
35min　Goal Against（Iran）

Line-ups
GK：TERUKINA Shingo
FP：ODA Hirofumi, MOREIRA Ozu, GOTO Takasuke, OBA Takaaki

Substitutes
GK：SUGITA Tetsuji
FP： TABATA Teruki, MAKINO Shinji, MATSUO Naoya, YAMAUCHI Shusei

Non-registered members
FP: AKAGUMA Takuya, HARAGUCHI Shotaro

Match Reports

Early in the match, both sides were considerably even. Japan created a scoring opportunity one after another but none successfully scored the opener including Moreira Ozu’s volley hitting the cross bar. Contrarily Japan conceded two goals late in the first period one after a freekick and the other by a penalty kick.

In the second period, Japan, trailing two goals down, succeeded in turning the match around dramatically by scoring four straight goals. The first came around in the 3rd minute after the start of the second period. Oda Hirofumi fired the feed by Goto Takasuke into the back of the net to start the scoring spurt. One minute later Yamauchi Shusei struck another goal with his left foot. Then after another minute it was Goto Takasuke with his impressive wall pass sequence with Tabata Teruki to put the scoring 3-2 in favour of Japan. Then Goto Takasuke scored his second goal of the day to widen the lead. Although one goal was scored for Iran directly from the kick-off after Japan’s fourth goal, Japan’s overwhelming surge finished the period with 4-1.

The third period kept Japan busy for defending the lead tenaciously. Led by the goalkeeper Terukina Shingo, every player on the pitch threw his body around to deny Iran’s come-back efforts. In the eighth minute of the period, Japan finally created their own chance with a free kick earned in front of their own goal. Moreira Ozu’s right-footed powerful strike directly found the upper left corner of the goal and Japan added the lead finally after a long tough stretch. Although Iran never gave up the match and scored back one goal later, Japan kept the guard up and finished the match with the 5-4 victory. With the win Japan clinched the spot in the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Portugal 2015 as well as advanced to the final match tomorrow against Oman. As Japan lost against Oman National Team in the final of the last tournament in 2013, they now have an opportunity to get their revenge.

AFC Beach Soccer Championship Qatar 2015 Final

Saturday 28 March 2015 Kick-off: 8:00 p.m. local time (29 March 2:00 a.m. Japan time)
Japan National Beach Soccer Team v Oman National Beach Soccer Team
Live Streaminghttp://www.beachsoccer.com/schedule

Comments

Marcelo Mendes  Head Coach
Before this semi-final today, I knew how difficult it would be against Iran and how big the pressure would be with the ticket to the World Cup at stake. But when I looked at our players’ faces before the match, I was convinced that we would be able to get this match. About today’s opponents Iran, we were very well prepared including closely analysing them in advance and communicating the detailed scouting report with our players. I am very proud of every one of our players for today’s result. Especially our performance in the second period was fantastic. I am very happy that we have got the World Cup spot, but we still have the final to play tomorrow. So we will get ready for it and make sure to win the title.

GOTO Takasuke (TOKYO LEQUIOS BS)
Prior to this match, we were seeing ourselves as challengers, so we were able to come out for the match without being too nervous. I have sacrificed other things in life to play beach soccer, so I wanted to put everything into this match. When I heard the last whistle in the end, I was full of appreciation rather than happiness. I have always been supported by so many people and today also many Japanese people living in this country supported us. I want to say thank you to every one of them. Getting the spot in the World Cup is not our ultimate goal. We will make sure to win the final match tomorrow, and individually I want to win the scoring title and take it back home.

MAKINO Shinji (LEON Fukuoka)
First of all, I am relieved that we reached our first goal which was getting the World Cup spot. It has been my fifth World Cup Asian Qualifiers, but I was expecting that it would be my hardest ever. So I would like to thank everyone who has supported us. Also we want to reach the other goal of ours, which is to be the champions in Asia. We want to go to the World Cup as Asian champions. In addition, this tournament has been a good opportunity for young players to experience how big the responsibility is when you have your national flag on your chest. We want to keep playing together with those young players as one team in the final tomorrow and also in the World Cup down the road.

Schedule