Afghanistan’s national futsal team delivered a tactical, disciplined, and dominant performance to defeat Peru 3–0, topping Group B of the Intercontinental Futsal Tournament in Brazil with 4 points and securing a spot in the semifinals. Head coach Dejan Dedović’s side controlled the match from the opening whistle with structured defensive coordination and clinical finishing.
Kabul 24: Starting with Mohammad Javad Safari, Reza Hosseinpour, Akbar Kazemi, Seyed Morteza Hosseini, and Seyed Hossein Mousavi, Afghanistan established early control. First-half goals from Akbar Kazemi, Seyed Morteza Hosseini, and Reza Hosseinpour built a comfortable 3–0 cushion. As Peru pushed higher to narrow the gap, Afghanistan capitalized on counter-attacking opportunities created by Peru’s aggressive stance.
In the second half, Peru deployed a power-play system (five-on-four) to mount pressure, but Afghanistan’s compact defense and key saves by goalkeeper Mohammad Javad Safari kept a clean sheet. With this victory, Afghanistan advanced as group winners alongside Japan, who qualified in second place with 2 points. Afghanistan will now face the runner-up of Group A (either Cape Verde or Indonesia) in the semifinals, while Brazil clinched the top spot in Group A.
Afghanistan’s convincing win over Peru underscores the team’s growing tactical maturity under Dejan Dedović on the international stage. Neutralizing Peru’s power-play tactic while maintaining composure under pressure highlights both tactical preparation and key individual performances, particularly from goalkeeper Javad Safari.
Advancing to the semifinals of a competitive intercontinental tournament serves as a crucial milestone in Afghanistan’s preparation for upcoming continental and global competitions.
