Kazuya Shimizu scored the opening goal for Thai Son Nam as the Vietnamese side beat Naft Al Wasat 6-4 in Group B of the AFC Futsal Club Championship on Sunday. Photo the-afc.com

The Vietnamese champions defeated Naft Al Wasat of Iraq 6-4 in their final Group B match at Bangkok Arena.

Having won their two earlier matches, Thai Son Nam only needed a draw to confirm their place in the knockout stage while Naft Al Wasat needed the full three points to keep their hopes alive.

Coach Pham Minh Giang, however, asked his players to attack from the beginning and the Vietnamese side opened the scoring just four minutes into the first half.

Kazuya Shimizu left Naft Al Wasat’s Tareq Zeyad Sulaiman behind before beating goalkeeper Omar Sabti Jumaah with Pham Duc Hoa providing the assist.

The Japanese player continued to give Naft Al Wasat trouble as he doubled the lead after another four minutes.

Hoa then secured his doubled in the 12th and 35th minutes, with a goal by Vu Duc Tung sandwiched in between. Goalkeeper Ho Van Y even got in on the action, netting a goal in the 37th minute.

The Iraqi side did not give up easily. Waleed Khalid Fahem Al-Mayali, Salim Faisal Abed Al-Husaynat, Angellott Alexander Garces and Arhad Tavakoli Roozbahani all scored to keep the game close, but they could not do enough to level the score.

In the group's other match, AGMK FC of Uzbekistan defeated Al Rayyan from Qatar 7-5 to join Thai Son Nam the quarter-finals.

As the top team in Group B, Thai Son Nam will play the second-placed team from Group A, which will be decided when Shenzhen Nanling Tielang FC of China face Star Fs Seoul of South Korea, and Port FC of Thailnd take on FC Erem of Kyrgyzstan.

VNS