DUSHANBE, April 12, Asia-Plus -- Tajikistan’s national team has won its first game in ongoing Asian Futsal Championship that opened in Japan yesterday. 

will be held in Japan from May 13 to May 19.

According to the Football Federation of Tajikistan (FFT), Osaka has hosted the ninth edition of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Futsal Championship, which rotated among the AFC’s four zones.  “16 teams are taking part in the championship,” said the source at a FFT, “Aside from the host, the other teams in the finals are Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Hong Kong, China, Turkmenistan, Australia, Thailand, Malaysia, Kuwait, Tajikistan, Philippines, Uzbekistan, etc.

In the qualification for the quarter final, Tajikistan, which participates in Group A, is competing with Japan, Hong Kong and Philippines, according to the source.

“Yesterday, our sportsmen defeated the Hong Kong team; the final score was 6-4,” the source said     

Futsal is an indoor version of football.  Futsal is played between two teams of five players, one of whom is the goalkeeper.  In addition each team may have a number of substitutes.  Unlike some other forms of indoor football, the field is delimited by lines, and not nets or boards that players can use to redirect the ball.  Futsal is played with a #3 or #4 ball, which is slightly heavier and smaller than the #5 ball used in football.