The Japanese futsal team is aiming for their 5th championship title, after defeating Afghanistan with a score of 6-0 in the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, the Indonesian futsal team defeated the Vietnamese futsal team 3-2, to reach the semi-finals of the Asian futsal tournament for the first time after 11 participations.
The head coach of the Japanese futsal team, Kensuke Takahashi, and his Indonesian counterpart Hector Souto have known each other since they were players and coaches in Spain, and both will try to take advantage of their understanding of each other's playing style.
I am very happy to play against Indonesia because I have developed my career here with the Indonesian national team and now I will try my best to play against them as head coach of the Japanese national team. Their team is very strong and solid with good tactics, it will be very difficult to find any weaknesses. Their progress so far is something no other team has expected," Takahashi said.
The Japanese futsal team is still rated higher, thanks to a uniform squad, especially in attacking ability. Besides Shimizu and Shoto Yamanaka, each scoring 4 goals, Shunta Uchida and Kaito Yamada also each scored 2 goals at the tournament.
We played well, but there is still room to improve both in attack and defense. The most important thing is that we must focus on every small detail as well as the spirit aspect," the Japanese futsal team coach added.
On the side of the Indonesian futsal team, coach Hector Souto is determined to write a new chapter in history, after defeating the Vietnamese futsal team in the quarterfinals.
He said: "This will be a difficult match against one of the leading teams in Asia. We met Japan in the quarter-finals in 2022 and they are a very strong, dynamic team, using very Spanish playing style, and I hope one day we can play like them.
I know Takahashi well as a friend and colleague, and he has brought Indonesia many tactical elements that we have applied because Japan is far ahead of us”.
The Spanish coach is not only aiming for the semi-finals but also going further. He said: "We have to play at our best to have a chance to defeat them, but our goal is to play to the end until we become champions.
The Indonesia vs Japan futsal match will take place at 7:00 PM on February 5th.
In the remaining semi-final, the Iranian futsal team - the 13-time Asian champion will meet the Iraqi team. In the quarterfinals, the Iranian team defeated Uzbekistan with a score of 7-4, while Iraq defeated Thailand 4-2.
