Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Dubai: Thailand maintained their 100% record in the 2012 AFC Futsal Championship after coming from 2-0 down to defeat Lebanon 5-3 and set up a semi-final showdown with Iran.
With a place in the 2012 FIFA World Cup at stake Lebanon raced to a two-goal lead thanks to a Kassem Kawsan double but goals from Jetsada Chudech, Suphawut Thueanklang and Apiwat Chaemcharoen saw the Thais go into the break with a 3-2 lead.
Nattavut Madyalan gave the Thais a two-goal cushion ten minutes into the second period and after Jirawat Sornwichan extended the Thais advantage with the fifth goal in the 36th minute, Ali El Homsi netted a late consolation for Lebanon.
Lebanon got off to a flying start when they took the lead with just 32 seconds at the Al Wasl Stadium played when an angled shot from skipper Khaled Takaji was blocked by his Thailand counterpart Surapong Tompa only to ricochet off the legs of Kassem Kawsan and into the Thai goal.
The ASEAN champions thought they had drawn level two minutes later when Suphawut Thueanklang's powerful shot was deflected into the Lebanese net by Jirawat Sornwichan who was positioned on the goalpost.
However, the ball clearly struck the hand of the 23-year-old and referee Scott Kidson rightly ruled out Jirawat's effort.
Kawsan doubled Lebanon's lead in the fourth minute after Ali El Homsi did well to poke the ball into his path from inside the goal area but the advantage lasted less than a minute with Jetsada Chudech slamming an unstoppable drive between two Lebanon players and past keeper Rabie El Kakhi.
El Kakhi was beaten for the second time with eight minutes played when Suphawut fired home the equaliser after being teed-up by Kritsada Wongkaeo before Apiwat Chaemcharoen kept his balance superbly to score Thailand's third in the dying seconds of the first period.
Thailand extended their lead nine minutes after the restart when Takaji failed to intercept Surapong's long throw which was superbly controlled by Jetsada and the Raj Navy Futsal club player cut the ball past El Kakhi allowing Nattavut Madyalan to score into an unguarded net.
Lebanon's World Cup dream was fading fast and was all but over when Nattavut's defence splitting pass released Jirawat who slotted the ball past the advancing El Kakhi with four minutes left to play.
El Homsi reduced the deficit with two minutes remaining but it proved to be just a consolation for Lebanon as the Thais advanced to set up a final four meeting with the defending champions.