Tajikistan started their Group C campaign with a hard-fought 2-0 win over Korea Republic although they dropped points in a 2-2 draw against Kyrgyz Republic before sealing top spot with a memorable 1-1 stalemate with holders Japan that saw the East Asian powerhouse exit the competition.

 

Despite having survived a difficult group stage and eliminated the defending champions, head coach Pairav Vakhidov said Tajikistan will not take their southern neighbours lightly.

“We are proud of what we have achieved so far. We were in a strong group, and it was very difficult to play against Japan, so we are very happy to reach the quarter-finals,” he said.

 

“But now we are faced with another very difficult match with opponents in Afghanistan who we know very well. We have played each other before in Central Asian tournaments and they are a strong team. We know them and they know us too.

 

“Progressing as far as possible in the tournament and qualifying to the FIFA Futsal World Cup are the main aims for us and I hope we can succeed and go to the semi-finals. The result in the game will show who is the best team.”

Afghanistan, taking part in a memorable maiden campaign, lost to 3-1 to Islamic Republic of Iran on Group D’s opening day, then shared a 3-3 stalemate with Kuwait before sealing their place in the knockout stage with a historic 3-2 win over Bahrain on Matchday Three.

 

Head coach Majid Mortezaei believes that after already making history in their first-ever AFC Asian Futsal Cup, the pressure is off his players.

“We were in a difficult group, and it was a tough opener against Iran. The Bahrain and Kuwait teams also played well against us but, thankfully, we could get the result we needed to make the quarter-finals,” said Mortezaei.

 

“It’s clear to me that the AFC Futsal Asian Cup is now very different, games are much closer and evenly contested. Futsal has completely changed in Asia as the level has risen across the continent.

 

“Every stage at this tournament has been a new journey for Afghanistan since we qualified for the first time. We are happy to be among the eight best teams in Asia. This is the first time for us to make history and make this stage, and so my players will play without stress now and enjoy the experience.”

Tajikistan vs Afghanistan
Venue: Hua Mark Indoor Stadium (Bangkok)
Kick-off: 14:00 (UTC+7)