AFC Futsal Championship 2018: East Zone Qualifiers preview
Bangkok: Seven East Asian teams will begin their campaign to qualify for the 2018 AFC Futsal Championship Finals on Saturday, with only three spots for the Finals up for grabs.
They will be separated into groups of four and three teams, where the top team in each group will receive automatic qualification, while the runners-up will go into a play-off match to decide the third place through to the Finals.
Chinese Taipei will host the Finals and have qualified automatically. However, since they are competing in the Qualifiers, a top three finish for them will mean the next best team will qualify.
Group A
Playing in the neutral venue of Bangkok Arena in Bangkok, Thailand, Group A will see Japan, Chinese Taipei, Macau and Mongolia contesting for the top spot.
Three-time AFC Futsal Championship winners, Japan, are definitely the favourites to qualify, being the only other team than Islamic Republic of Iran to have won the title.
Vietnam's Tran Van Vu opened the scoring for Vietnam against Japan in the 2016 AFC Futsal Championship quarter-finals.
In the 2016 edition, Japan were knocked out in the quarter-finals after a 4-4 draw with Vietnam meant penalties, which they lost 2-1.
The Samurai Five subsequently finished seventh but even with a squad that has experience in Japan’s F.League, they haven’t had much time to prepare.
Head coach Bruno Jose Garcia Formoso said: “We’ve had two training camps before this, and it was hard to find time to prepare because our players were playing in the futsal league.
“But our recent achievement of bronze in the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Ashgabat is definitely valuable experience for our younger players.”
Chinese Taipei have only missed one AFC Futsal Championship, in 2007 when they were eliminated by Lebanon and Philippines in the qualifiers. They finished second in Group A of last year’s qualifiers, just one point behind China PR.
Despite failing to advance from the group stage in every attempt, the qualifiers will serve as a testing ground for the team to get some quality experience.
“We are really happy to host the tournament next year,” said head coach Shih Pei Jen.
“We’ve had friendly matches recently as preparation for the tournament, but we will also be utilising these matches in the qualifiers to improve our weak points for the team to learn and grow.”
Macau will be aiming to return to the Finals after a 12-year absence from the tournament, but a lack of international exposure does not help their chances.
However, even participation leads to valuable international experience which assistant head coach Francisco Souse believes will help propel futsal interest and development in Macau.
“Futsal in Macau has developed in recent years, but not at a fast rate as compared to the ASEAN Zone,” said Souse. “If we qualify, it will definitely attract the younger crowd to futsal.”
The same could be said about Mongolia, who have not reached the Finals before.
Their only participation in the tournament was the 2016 qualifiers, where they recorded only one win against Hong Kong.
They didn’t qualify, but return this year with more experience and ready to make their mark.
Coach Erdene-Ochir Sandagdorj (pictured above) brings a wealth of experience after leading the U-20 team to the quarter-finals of the 2017 AFC U-20 Futsal Championship in May, marking a significant milestone for Mongolian football.
“This time it’s different playing against the senior teams of Asia’s best,” said Sandagdorj. “There is definitely a difference, but with our young team, I ask our fans and family back home to support us, and we hope we don't disappoint.”
Group B
China, Korea Republic and Hong Kong will battle it out in the three-team Group B.
China’s best attempt was in the 2008 edition, where they finished fourth and earned a spot in the 2008 FIFA Futsal World Cup in Brazil.
Despite qualifying for every Finals since, top qualifty opposition have kept them out from the knockout phases, but playing in the 2017 Asian Indoor Games has improved their confidence, said head coach Li Xin.
“In the past few months, we've had training camps and overseas trainings, and our players are passionate and confident with the experience they’ve accumulated over the years,” said Li Xin.
“We have had good and bad results recently, and we will try our best to improve our world ranking, and in the long term, qualify for the 2020 FIFA Futsal World Cup.”
China lost to eventual winners, Iran, in Matchday Two of the 2016 AFC Futsal Championship Group B tie, which cost them a spot in the quarter-finals
Korea Republic missed out on the 2016 AFC Futsal Championship when they finished third in the qualifiers, two points below Chinese Taipei.
With little international exposure in recent years and a tough group to beat, Lee Sang-jin’s side must aim to outdo the rest to return to the tournament.
“We want to show everyone Korean futsal. Korea Republic is known more for our football, but I know this tournament will help our players gain more exposure and the development of futsal will go a long way if we qualify," said Lee.
Hong Kong will have it difficult as they aim to make a comeback into the Finals.
They last qualified for the Finals in 2007, but Chan Fei Tat’s charges have promised their best.
“We will try to get the best result,” said Chan. “We had trainings in August and even competed in the 2017 Asian Indoor Games, to get our momentum and I believe we have the confidence to go further.”
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Photos: AFC
Source: the-afc.com
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