Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Doha: Goalkeeper Haitham Harib Showan saved the decisive spot-kick as Oman defeated Japan 3-2 on penalties to be crowned Asian champions as the curtain came down on the 2015 AFC Beach Soccer Championship on Saturday.
Oman football legend Hani Al Dhabat continued to write his name in the Gulf Sultanate’s football folklore when the Oman skipper opened the scoring just two minutes into the first period of the final at the Katara Beach in the Qatar capital.
Oman’s slender lead lasted until the 23rd minute when Al Dhabat’s Japanese counterpart Ozu Moreira, who would go on to be named MVP for the second successive tournament, levelled for the 2013 beaten finalists.
Moreira’s eighth of the tournament turned out to be the last goal of an evenly fought finale and with neither side able to make the breakthrough in overtime the match went into penalties.
Successful penalties from Al Dhabat and Mandhar Hilal Hamed Al Araimi were matched by Moreira and Shinji Makino and after Abdullah Masoud Salim had made it 3-2 to Oman, the pressure was on Takasuke Goto to keep Japan in the game.
However the prolific Goto, who had also scored eight times on route to the final including a penalty in Japan’s 5-3 win over Kuwait, saw his effort from nine metres saved as Japan had to once again settle for second best as Oman celebrated their AFC Beach Soccer Championship triumph.
Champions Oman, runners-up Japan and Iran, who swept aside Lebanon 8-3 in the third-place Play-off, will represent Asia at the 2015 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, scheduled to be held in Espinho, Portugal from July 9 to 19.
Photo: beachsoccer.com