BANGKOK - Iran ominously booked their place in the semi-finals of the AFC Futsal Championships with a 9-1 thrashing of hapless Lebanon.

Source the-afc.com

BANGKOK - Iran ominously booked their place in the semi-finals of the AFC Futsal Championships with a 9-1 thrashing of hapless Lebanon.

Mohammed Taheri grabbed a brace in a one-sided contest as Hossein Shams' side made short work of a Lebanon side that were just happy to have made the quarter-finals

Mohammad Taheri got the ball rolling for Iran with a smart finish at the near post before Lebanon keeper Rabie El Kakhi pulled off an excellent save to deny Mohammad Hashemzadeh.

However, Hashemzadeh doubled his side's lead shortly afterwards when a fierce right-foot strike found the back of the net via the post.

It soon became three as Kazem Mohammadi broke clear down the left before drilling a finish underneath the diving El Kakhi

Vahid Shamsaee then got in on the act when he smashed the fourth goal into the roof of the net before he and Ali Asghar Hassanzadeh produced a neat interchange that saw the latter rattle the post.

Iran continued where they left off in the second-half as Hassanzadeh was on hand at the back post to convert Mohammad Keshavaraz's driven pass.

Taheri then grabbed his second when he collected skipper Mohammad Reza Heidarian's pass on the right and blasted it into the net before Hayssam Atwi hit the post for Lebanon with a deflected shot.

Majid Latifi made it 7-0 with a low drive before Mostafa Tayyebi scored when he cut in from the right wing, rounded El Kakhi and slotted home.

Abbas Fadlallah netted a consolation for Lebanon after Iran keeper Mostafa Nazari had spilled the ball but Iran had the final say as Majid Raesi crashed home their ninth goal.