MONITORING (SW) – In its opening game at the FIFA Futsal World Cup, the Afghan national futsal team secured a 6-4 victory over Angola, Southern country in Africa.
The first half of the match ended with a score of 5-2 in favor of the Afghan team. During this half, Akbar Kazemi scored twice, while Omid Qanbari, Hussain Mohammadi, and Mahdi Nawrozi each scored once for Afghanistan.
In the second half, Afghanistan conceded two goals but managed to score one.
With the Afghan national futsal team qualifying for the World Cup for the first time, residents of the capital, Kabul, are expressing their hope that the team’s excellent performance and enthusiasm in previous competitions will lead them to success in the final rounds of the World Cup.
Emran, a Kabul resident, said: “Before the World Cup, our team had already achieved impressive results, which has increased public optimism. We hope the team will win. We believe they can become the World Cup champions.”
Ali, another resident of Kabul, adds: “The Afghan players are very well-prepared mentally and physically. Based on their previous performances, we are hopeful they will win and continue to excel in the final rounds.”
Khaled, another Kabul resident, mentions that the team’s historic qualification for the World Cup despite inadequate facilities is a testament to their potential for success on the global stage.
He said: “The fact that the Afghan national futsal team has qualified for the World Cup for the first time fills us with hope that Afghanistan will succeed in the World Cup. They performed exceptionally well in previous matches and played with great enthusiasm. We hope they return victorious.”
Mustafa Hashemi, spokesperson for the Afghanistan Football Federation, reveals that the federation prepared the futsal team thoroughly for the World Cup through training camps in various countries.
He explains: “Our futsal players have received extensive preparation for these matches. We held training camps in Mashhad, Iran, for nearly three months and had two friendly matches against the Moroccan national futsal team, which were very beneficial. We also had practical and theoretical training sessions one week before the World Cup in Uzbekistan. The players are fully prepared mentally, emotionally, and physically.”
The 10th Futsal World Cup commenced on Saturday, September 14, in Uzbekistan, and is scheduled to continue until October 6. This edition of the World Cup features 24 teams from around the globe. In Group 3, alongside Afghanistan and Angola, teams from Argentina and Ukraine are also competing.
