IFP: The reigning champion Iran defeated Japan 5-2 to claim gold medal in the 2018 AFC Women’s Futsal Championship on Saturday.
A hat-trick to Sara Shirbeigi and further goals to tournament MVP Fereshteh Karimi and veteran Fahimeh Zarei sealed an outstanding victory for Sharhzad Mozafar’s side, who also won the inaugural title in Malaysia three years ago.

Japan had the better of goalless first half but failed to capitalise, before Iran produced a blistering scoring burst that included three goals in two second-half minutes, to take the game away from Kenichiro Kogure’s side.

Masami Kato had two shots in the first six minutes, before Mika Eguchi forced Iranian goalkeeper Farzaneh Tavasoli into an excellent save six minutes later, and volleyed over the crossbar after tricking her way into space not long after

The player who had arguably done the most to get Japan to the final, four-time player of the match Anna Amishiro, hit the side netting in the 18th minute before Tavasoli made another fine save to deny Misato Komura a minute later. Despite spending extended periods under pressure, Iran looked as though they might take a half-time lead when Sara Shirbeigi ran right through the Japanese in the dying seconds, only for Eguchi’s last-ditch defending to snuff out the chance >>>