TEHRAN – Iran earned a hard-fought win over Spain in Group B of the 2024 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup on Thursday.

The match ended 5-5 after three periods and two teams shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw in fourth period.

Mohammad Mokhtari scored four goals and Reza Amiri and Moslem Mesigar scored a goal each.

Team Melli defeated Spain 3-1 in penalty shootouts.

Earlier in the day, Tahiti defeated Argentina 4-3 in the group.

The top two teams of each group advance to the quarterfinals.

Dubai become a beach soccer hub in recent years. Its marquee tournament, the Intercontinental Cup, has grown into one of the sport’s most prestigious, with UAE 2024 participants Iran and Brazil having won four and three titles apiece.

Sixteen nations take to the sand to decide who’ll be beach soccer’s new world champions.

The FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup is being staged in Dubai from Feb. 15 to 25.