TEHRAN - Iran defeated Japan 4-3 to advance to the semifinals round of the 2022 Intercontinental Beach Soccer Cup as the group winners.

Team Melli had previously defeated Paraguay and the U.S. in Group B.

Mehdi Shirmohammadi, Mohammad Movahedpour and Hamid Behzadpour scored in regular time and Amirhossein Akbari scored the winner in the extra time. 

Iran will play the UAE on Saturday in the semis.

Russia are the most successful team, having won four tournaments.

Iran have won the title three times.