5/26/2006
th-afc.com

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan: Kogure Kenichiro was in outstanding form as Japan outclassed Tajikistan 11-6 and stormed into the semifinals of the AFC Futsal Championship on Wednesday, setting the stage for yet another grand showdown against archrivals and seven-time champions Iran.

Japan have played – and lost – to Iran in the last four consecutive finals of the AFC Futsal Championship, starting in 2002 (Indonesia). The East Asian powerhouse, however, have been steadily improving and this is reflected in the shrinking margin of their defeats over the years. Last year, Iran did master Japan (2-0) for their record seventh title in a row but only after a titanic struggle.

And if the confident manner in which coach Sapo’s men have gone about dismantling opposition in the group stage – particularly the tricky Tajiks – is any indication, another close tussle can be expected on May 26 in the second semifinal.

Kenichiro gave yet more proof today that he is the man Team Melli would have to mark closely after grabbing six of the 11 goals scored by his team. It is not so much the number of goals but the stylish and opportunistic manner in which they have been scored which make the 27-year-old a star of the mini-version of the game.

Odil Irgashev (4) and Khurshed Makhmudov (9), both Tajik national football team players trying their hand at the indoor version of the game – and successfully at that – put their side two goals ahead in the first 10 minutes, making the most of Japan’s slow start at the Yunusabad Sports Complex.

A minute later Japan had restored parity through Takuya Suzumura (11) and Yusuke Komiyama (13) and the juggernaut started rolling with disastrous consequences for their rivals. Kenichiro (13, 15, 19, 26, 28, 39) was the main destroyer while Suzumura (35), Yoshifumi Maeda (18), Daisuke Ono (35) also made their presence felt with individual contributions. For the losers, Irgashev fired his brace on 16 minutes and Makhmudov scored a hat-trick (35, 37) but this was not enough to stop their purposeful rivals.

”We started slowly and also conceded two goals but after we scored we were back in the game,” said Japan coach Sapo. “We will work hard to improve for the semifinals.”

In the other group match, Hong Kong defeated Iraq 6-2, courtesy goals from Kwan Yee Lo (14), Quankun Liu (14, 36)), Kin Fung Cheung (24), Hang Wui Li (27) and Chi Kui Leung (38).