Iran comes from behind to beat Iraq 4-2, reaching the 2026 Asian Futsal final

By overturning a 4-2 result against Iraq, Iran’s futsal team has secured the first ticket to the 2026 Asian Futsal Championship final.

On the afternoon of February 5th, the first Asian Futsal semi-final concluded with Iran claiming victory after a comeback win of 4-2 over Iraq. Despite falling behind twice, the reigning champions showed resilience to continue their quest to defend the title and make their 16th appearance in the final of the tournament.

The match was balanced from the start. Iraq quickly applied pressure with chances from Mustafa Ihsan and Harith Saad, while Iran responded with dangerous attacks, notably Mohammad Hossein Derakhshani’s header that hit the crossbar. In the 10th minute, Iraq scored first when Salim Kadhim intercepted the ball at midfield and finished with a precise shot past goalkeeper Bagher Mohammadi. However, just one minute later, Iran equalized with a close-range goal by Derakhshani, assisted by Saeid Ahmad Abbasi.

Iraq continued their attacking efficiency by regaining the lead in the 13th minute, with Salim Kadhim capitalizing on a rebound to complete his brace. Nevertheless, Iran managed to level the score at 2-2 before halftime thanks to a beautiful long-range shot from Behrooz Azimi, maintaining their unbeaten record after the first half in the tournament.

In the second half, Iran controlled the game better and kept up the pressure. At the 26th minute, Hossein Tayebi scored from close range following a corner kick, giving the Central Asian team their first lead. Iraq tried hard to equalize but could not break through Iran’s solid defense. In the final moments, Iran scored once more to seal a 4-2 victory and officially advance to the final.

In the final match scheduled for February 7th, Iran will face either Japan or host Indonesia, aiming to claim their 14th Asian Futsal title in history.