TEHRAN – Iran defeated Uzbekistan 9-8 in a thrilling match at the Vilnius Arena in Lithuania on Friday to book a place at the 2021 FIFA Futsal World Cup quarter-finals.

Aliasghar Hassanzadeh opened the scoring for the Iranian team just one minute into the match.

Mahdi Javid made it 2-0 in the fifth minute but Khusniddin Nishonov pulled a goal back four minutes later. Saeid Ahmad Abbasi scored Iran’s third goal in the 16th minute but Uzbekistan’s Anaskhon Rakhmatov and Ikhtiyor Ropiev scored two goals to equalize the match. With two minutes remaining, Farhad Tavakoli scored Iran’s fourth goal.  

In the second half, Iran scored five goals and also conceded five goals.

Ahmad Abbasi and Javid scored twice for Iranin 22nd and 25th minutes, respectively.

Anaskhon Rakhmatov reduced Uzbekistan’s deficit in the 28th minute, but Iran’s reply was immediate through Hassanzadeh, before Moslem Oladghobad scored two minutes later to make it 8-4.

Uzbekistan, however, refused to back down and closed the gap with Ilhomjon Hamroev and Nishonov beating Iran goalkeeper Alireza Samimi in the 31st and 33rd minutes.

The goals galore, however, was not yet over as Abbasi completed his hat-trick in the 37th minute but Uzbekistan fought back with Anaskhon and Hamroev giving their side hope only for the clock to run out on them.

Iran will play Kazakhstan on Monday in the quarterfinals.