AFC Futsal Asian Cup - Qualifiers - Group A: Australia 8-1 Mongolia; Kuwait 4-1 India

Ardiya: Australia kicked off their AFC Futsal Asian Cup™ Indonesia 2026 Qualifiers Group A campaign with an emphatic 8-1 win against Mongolia on Saturday.

Also achieving an opening day win were hosts Kuwait who came from behind to defeat India 4-1.

Australia 8-1 Mongolia

Australia took the game to Mongolia from the first whistle and it wasn’t long before they found the breakthrough via Grant Lynch in the ninth minute.

Australia doubled their advantage through Corey Sewell in the 14th minute before Mongolia conceded another with an own goal from Battulga Narmandakh.

After the break, Mongolia managed to pull a goal back through Purevdorj Erdenebat after two minutes but any hopes of a comeback were squashed by a late collapse that saw Australia scoring five unanswered goals in the final six minutes of play.

Michael Kouta (34th), Wade Giovenali (36th, 37th), Jordan Guerreiro (37th) and Scott Rogan (40th) all got on the scoresheet to seal the tie for Australia.

Kuwait 4-1 India
The match was played at a fast pace but it wasn’t until the eighth minute that the first clear chance was created from a solo run from the halfway line by Kuwait’s Abduelteif Alabasi who, however, skewed his shot wide.

India broke the deadlock a minute later from a quick counter attacking move that saw Lalsangkima threading the ball through for David Laltlangsanga to slide home at the back post.

Kuwait bounced back to draw level in the 10th minute, a well-worked corner routine saw Naser Alalban setting up Saleh Alfadhel for a powerful strike from range straight into the top corner.

The hosts went on to take the lead into the break thanks to Abdulaziz Alsarraj’s effort, the defender arriving at the far post to sweep home Alalban’s incisive low cross with two minutes left to play in the first half.

Both goalkeepers were called into action early in the second half, India’s Ozen Silva pushing away Salman Albaeijan’s shot before Fahad Alkhawari made himself big to deny Nikhil Rajendra.

Alkhawari’s save from Laltlangsanga in the 27th minute saw Kuwait turn defence into attack as Alabasi set Mohammad Alajmi up to sidefoot the ball home from just outside the semi-circle.

Alabasi put the game beyond India with a breakaway goal in the 37th minute as Kuwait saw off the challenge of the South Asians to start their campaign with a win.

Qualifiers - Group A: Australia 8-1 Mongolia; Kuwait 4-1 India

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