Mes Sungun in Top Form, Wins Group Stage Matches

Mes Sungun topped Group D of the AFC Futsal Club Championship 2018 with a perfect record after beating Lebanon’s Bank of Beirut 3-1 on Monday.

Both teams had already qualified for the knockout stage after winning their previous games and faced off to determine the group winner, the AFC reported.

National players wasted no time in testing Beirut as Ali Asghar Hassanzadeh forced a save from Bank of Beirut goalkeeper Hussein Hamadani in the first minute.

The Iranians employed a high-pressing game with quick passes that opened up their opponents, but the Lebanese were organized and fought back with counters whenever they found space.

Ahmad Kheir El-Dine had an opportunity at goal four minutes in but his grounder was easy for Mes Sungun custodian Alireza Samimi.

El Dine was at the center of attack for Beirut three minutes later when he lost his marker at the top of the box but sent his shot into the stands.

It was not long before Mes Sungun found the net in the ninth minute through Morteza Ezzati, who stuck out his right boot to direct Abolqasem Orouji’s cross from the right past Hamadani.

Beirut, however, was undeterred and pressed harder but its efforts did not bear fruit as Mes Sungun stayed firm at the back.

The Iranian club then doubled the lead through Farhad Hakim, who burst down the left and fired his powerful strike into the roof of the net to give the Iranians a 2-0 lead at halftime.

 Pushing Hard

Beirut picked up the pace in the second period as it pushed for a goal, activating the power play which kept Iran pegged in its own half.

But the Lebanese found it hard to break down the opponent as Samimi was in top form.

Mes Sungun almost made it three when Ezzati hit the upright eight minutes in following a swift counter attack.

Ezzati then doubled his tally in the 30th minute following Hossein Tayebi’s cross from the left to give Mes Sungun a comfortable 3-0 advantage.

Mahdi Javid, however, pulled one back for Beirut in the 31st minute after Mouhammad Hammoud found him unmarked in the box to give Beirut a lifeline.

Beirut pushed further and was almost rewarded with the second following a counter but Javid could not convert from close range.

Mes Sungun will face the Group C runner-up while Beirut will take on defending champion Bluewave Chonburi of Thailand in the quarterfinals.