TEHRAN: Iran futsal captain Mohammad Reza Heidarian's jersey will be retired for 10 years in honour of his meritorious contribution to Team Melli, announced the Iran Football Federation recently. 

Source the-afc.com
BANGKOK - Japan may not have walked off with the AFC Futsal Championship trophy but their style of play and conduct on court certainly won over many fans and saw them pick up the Fair Play Award.

Sergio Sapo's side overcame China 5-3 on Sunday to claim the bronze medal and finish their 2008 campaign on a high after the disappointment of failing to make the final following the heart-breaking loss to Iran in the last four.

But while other teams were losing their cool and picking up yellow cards and suspensions for dissent or reckless challenges, Japan collected just two bookings throughout the competition.

Indeed, after Daisuke Ono saw yellow in his side's opening game, the 8-2 victory over Chinese Taipei, the entire team did not pick up another booking until Sunday's encounter with China when Yusuke Inada was penalised for encroaching.

That record is particularly impressive given the nature of some of Japan's contests and the fact they were playing with a level of intensity geared to winning the entire competition.

Although the opening victory over Chinese Taipei was a sedate affair, the following triumph over Turkmenistan was a niggly affair before a somewhat bruising encounter with Australia.

Two goals down at half-time, Japan roared back in the second period, scoring four times in a game that saw their opponents pick up four bookings.

But it was in the semi-final with Iran that their temperament was really highlighted.

After falling behind thanks to a terrible defensive error just before the interval, Sapo's men gave their all in the second period rather than let their heads drop, fighting all the way to the end and pinning back their more illustrious opponents towards the end of the game.

And while other sides may have resorted to more underhand tactics such as simulation and intimidating the referee, or let their frustration get the better of them, Japan channelled their competitive spirit in the right way and it nearly paid off as they came within a whisker of finding an equaliser against the Asian powerhouses.

Even the third-placed game could have descended into a fractious affair given the intense rivalry between Japan and China but they showed their sportsmanship until the very end to come away with the bronze medal and, deservedly, the Fair Play Award.