Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Doha: Japan remained on course of appearing in every FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup since the global game’s governing body began organising the tournament in 2005 with a 5-2 win over Bahrain in Thursday’s AFC Beach Soccer Championship 2015 quarter-finals.
Japan, who have contested 11 beach soccer world championship tournaments in total, found themselves a goal down after two minutes when Rashed Jamal gave Bahrain an early lead which lasted until one minute into the second period when Takaaki Oba restored parity.
Ozu Moreira ensured he scored in every match at the 2015 AFC Beach Soccer Championship thus far when the Japan skipper made it 2-1 to the 2013 runners-up before Hirofumi Oda and Shinji Makino scored in the 29th and 30th minutes respectively as Japan opened up a three-goal cushion.
Ayoob Naseeb Salem closed the gap in the 33rd minute but any hopes of an unlikely Bahrain comeback were snuffed out when Salman Khaled deflected a rebound into his own net to give Japan a 5-2 victory and set up a semi-final showdown with Iran in what is a repeat of the last continental championship’s final, which the Japanese lost on penalties after a thrilling climax to the 2013 tournament in Doha.
The winners, runners-up, and third place finishers at the 2015 AFC Beach Soccer Championship will represent Asia at the 2015 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, which is scheduled to be held in Espinho, Portugal from July 9 to 19.
Photo: beachsoccer.com