In the semi-finals, the Indonesian futsal team broke the curse against the Japanese futsal team, to win 5-3 after two extra halves. This result marks the first time, the Indonesian futsal team has overcome Japan in the continental arena to reach the final.
In previous encounters at continental playgrounds in 2002, 2005 and 2022, the Indonesian futsal team has lost to Japan. The semi-final victory affirmed the great strength of the Southeast Asian team.
In the final, coach Hector Souto's team will face the Iranian futsal team - the strongest team in Asia with 13 previous championships. In the semi-finals, the Iranian team defeated the Iraq team with a score of 4-2.
This promises to be an exciting final. The Indonesian team has youth, confidence and home advantage. Meanwhile, the Iranian team is a very balanced team, experienced and possesses many excellent players in the squad.
The final match between Indonesia and Iran will be very balanced. Indonesia has a huge fan base and their playing style is also very excellent, so Indonesia has a great opportunity to compete with Iran, especially with the support they receive," Japanese futsal team coach Kensuke Takahashi said.
Kensuke believes that the atmosphere in Jakarta will be a key factor in the final. The 43-year-old coach believes that the presence of fans can make a difference in the match against Iran.
I really look forward to seeing Indonesia play well in the final," Mr. Kensuke Takahashi said.
Of course, I am very happy to be in Jakarta. I was lucky to coach the Indonesian national team. When I was in Indonesia, the players were very young, but now they are much more professional and stronger.
As the coach of the Japanese national team, my task is to compete with Indonesia. But I failed, so I take great responsibility as a coach," he concluded.
In case of defeating Iran, the Indonesian futsal team will become the first Southeast Asian team to win the Asian championship. Previously, the Thai team had reached the final three times but all won the runner-up title. And the best achievement of the Vietnamese futsal team is the semi-finals in 2016.
The final match of the Asian Futsal Championship between Indonesia vs Iran will take place at 7:00 PM on February 7.
