The Iranian women’s futsal team made history Sunday by winning the Asian Championship Cup, even though their captain was not with the team because her husband refused to allow her to leave the country.
To win the championship, played in Malaysia, Iran defeated Japan 1-0 in the final. Earlier Iran beat Thailand 1-0 in the semifinals.
Futsal is indoor soccer.
In the final, Fereshteh Karimi kicked the goal at the 18-minute mark. This was her sixth goal in the tournament.
Iranian goalkeeper Farzaneh Tavasoli maintained an impenetrable barrier against all Japanese attacks.
This is the first time Iranian women have won a futsal championship. Two years ago, the Iranian women’s futsal team lost to Japan in extra time, achieving second place. Farzaneh Tavasoli was the Iranian team’s goalkeeper in those games as well.
Eight Asian teams played in the tournament.
In one of the more dramatic games of the championship, Iran defeated Uzbekistan by the score of 9-1.
The Iranian team has been captained by Niloufar Ardalan, 30, known as Lady Goal in Iran. But her husband, Mehdi Toutounchi, refused to sign the papers that would allow her to travel abroad with the team, saying she should be in Iran to attend their son’s first day at school.
An angry Ardalan went to social media and publicized her husband’s decision. Although largely ignored in the licensed media, the husband’s action drew considerable attention in the electronic media. The husband responded by saying it was a private matter. Since then, the matter has faded from the public eye.
