Today would be the end. Today was the end. But if the script said Higuita would make the final FIFA Futsal World Cup™ appearance of his spectacular, sport-shifting career, the gloveless goalkeeper had other ideas. The 38-year-old’s comic-book heroics inspired Kazakhstan to the greatest result in their history – and one that ended Portugal’s enduring hegemony.
Kaka and his crew weren’t the only ones to register their match meridian. Morocco’s mind-blowing synchrony ripped their rivals to shreds in the first 20 and, though IR Iran battled back boldly, Soufian Charraoui, Soufiane El Mesrar and fellow magicians held on to reach the quarter-finals of the global finals.
Morocco will now battle Brazil in Bukhara, while Kazakhstan await the Argentina-Croatia victors in Tashkent.
IR Iran 3-4 Morocco
IR Irangoals: Mohammadhossein Derakhshani (4), Hossein Tayebi (21), Moslem Oladghobad (22)
Morocco goals: Khalid Bouzid (7), Alireza Rafieipour (11), Soufiane El Mesrar (17), Idriss Raiss El Fenni (20)
Player of the Match: Soufian Charraoui (Morocco)
It was promoted as a pulsating clash of spectacular styles. It even eclipsed its billing. From start to finish, Iran and Morocco put on an exhilarating spectacle. It was a match of two periods, but the magnificent Soufian Charraoui and fellow Africans bossed theirs narrowly more than the Asians did theirs. Morocco’s prize was a quarter-finals against Brazil. The spectators’ was a thriller they will remember for the rest of their lives.
Quotes
“We made a very good start, but we were out of control after that in the first half. The second half was completely different. We scored two goals in less than two minutes, but luck wasn’t on our side. It’s over. All the best to Morocco.”
Vahid Shamsaee, IR Iran coach
“We have a lot of injuries, we had to try different tactics today. But we spoke a lot with the coach before the game and we said, ‘If we lose, we go home. We can’t let that happen’. We know it was our best performance. We’re very happy to reach the next round.”
Soufian Charraoui, Morocco player
Stat
Morocco became the first African team to beat Iran in the FIFA Futsal World Cup.
Portugal 1-2 Kazakhstan
Portugal goal: Zicky (21)
Kazakhstan goals: Chingiz Yessenamanov (11), Dauren Tursagulov (40)
Player of the Match: Higuita (Kazakhstan)
Portugal are mentality monsters. They had been behind in major competitions on innumerable occasions over the last six years, but had battled back to stay alive on every occasion, winning all four possible titles in the process. When Zicky equalised in Andijan, it looked like the same would happen again. The implausible reflexes of 38-year-old Higuita and a last-gasp goal from Tursagulov nevertheless saw Kazakhstan pull off the miracle nobody else could.
Quotes
“It’s a horrible feeling. In sport, the one who creates more and has more volume doesn’t always win. Today is proof of that, but in the end what counts are goals and Kazakhstan were more competent than us. We can only congratulate them.”
Tiago Brito, Portugal winger
“I think given the team situation, with injuries and [Leo’s] suspension, today’s win is the most important in the history of Kazakh futsal. We have to keep going. We have to think about bigger things. Now we have to keep our heads, not get carried away by emotions, and have enough fuel to think about the quarter-finals.”
Kaka, Kazakhstan coach
Stat
Portugal suffered their first defeat in 25 games in major competitions. They had won all four major titles possible during the run.
