Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Terengganu: Two-time champions United Arab Emirates opened their 2017 AFC Beach Soccer Championship campaign with a 6-0 thumping of Iraq in Group C’s opening game in Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia on Monday.
It did not take long for the Emiratis to score, Ali Karim breaking the deadlock in the second minute, before Haitham Mohamed beat three defenders to extend the UAE's lead on nine minutes.
With time running out in the first period, Kamal Ali made it 3-0 following a smart pass from the right by Hasham Al Muntaser.
Waleed Salem opened the scoring in the second period with he fired home from distance, and the lead was then further extended by another strike from Kamal Ali as the second period ended.
Ahmed Salem registered the third period’s only goal when he converted the yellow spot kick awarded to him after a foul and put a lid on the UAE’s free-scoring that claimed the side’s first win in the campaign.
The top three finishers at the AFC Beach Soccer Championship will represent Asia at the 2017 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, which is scheduled to be held in Nassau, Bahamas from April 27 to May 7.
Photo: AFC