DUSHANBE, April 16, Asia-Plus - Although Tajik sportsmen yesterday ended their group campaign of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Futsal Championship with a loss 2-6 to hosts and defending champions Japan, they sealed a berth in the quarterfinal  

In the qualification for the quarter final, Tajikistan competed in Group Ay with Japan, Hong Kong and Philippines

In the other Group A match, Hong Kong recorded just their sixth win in the championship history beating Philippines 3-2.

Tajikistan must overcome the challenge of regional neighbors Uzbekistan in order to stay in the competition.   

Japan has hosted the ninth edition of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Futsal Championship, which rotated among the AFC’s four zones.  

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.