Al Dhafrah on the brink of maiden quarter-final berth

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Much was expected of this encounter between two teams who are featuring in their first-ever AFC Futsal Club Championship. Both sides had piqued the curiosity of their rivals after registering opening victories in Group A on Tuesday.

FC Erem, who stunned the competition when they defeated home favourites Thai Son Nam, were at their best once again, creating the first chance of the match when Maksadbek Alimov's driving effort came off Al Dhafrah’s right post inside the first four minutes.

The Kyrgyz Republic side came close again, this time through Emadoddin Mohammadivashvaei, but the Iranian import saw his free-kick saved bravely by Al Dhafrah custodian Hassan Ali Alhantoobi.

Both sides were evenly matched but lacked the cutting edge as neither was able to find the lethal touch in the final third. The United Arab Emirates side were happy to soak up the pressure as FC Erem continued to find the opener and were almost rewarded when Emil Kanetov found an unmarked Mohammadivashvaei, whose lightning run was let down by a wayward shot with only the keeper to beat.   

Al Dhafrah then came close four minutes before half-time, capitalising on the counter with some fine individual trickery by Rafael Henmi who did well to beat two players but mistimed his back heel at the crucial moment to keep the match scoreless.

With 36.6 seconds left in the first half, Al Dhafrah were awarded a penalty after Adilet Kultaev was adjudged to have brought down Henmi but Williams Oliveira Do Nascimento’s (Vassoura) tame shot was denied by Kirill Ermolov’s left knee.