Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
“This is one of the greatest moments of not only my professional career, but also my personal life. We kind of made history tonight. This is the first time we have beaten Brazil and it has happened at the World Cup. I’m sure I will never forget this moment.”
While a level of calm had befallen Ali Hassan Zadeh in the few hours since Iran sealed a scintillating penalty-shootout win over reigning FIFA Futsal World Cup holders Brazil, it was clear the emotional magnitude of it was still very much present.
Zadeh was a key protagonist a tale that twisted and turned through an electric evening of futsal, earning the Iranians a place in the quarter-finals in blockbuster style. The underdogs didn’t edge ahead in the encounter until the penultimate round of penalties, with Zadeh the scorer of the equaliser at 3-3 that dragged a fascinating game into extra time.
“Brazil are the most prestigious futsal team in the world. I think everybody before the game would have had them down to win on paper, while expecting us to go home,” he told FIFA.com once back at his Bucaramanga hotel.
“In the early stages of the game we were not at our best and we expected to perform better, but gradually we improved, gradually the pressure grew on Brazil, and we found our rhythm in the play.”
With just four minutes left on the clock, and nothing to lose, Islamic Republic of Iran opted to go all in and decided to substitute their goalkeeper – the exceptional Alireza Sammi – and throw five men forward. “They were leading 3-2 and it put a lot of pressure on us. Because of this we decided to play with a flying goalkeeper, and the goal I scored was something we had devised in training. It was a tactically thought-out move and the shot was something marvellous. It was crucial.”
https://www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/iran_rejoice_vs_bra_jpg_5.html
