The FIFA Futsal World Cup began on Saturday, with two of Africa’s three representatives taking to the field in their opening matches.
Libya celebrated a historic victory over New Zealand, while Angola fell short in a high-scoring encounter against Afghanistan. Morocco, the African champions, are set to launch their campaign on Monday.
Libya 3-1 New Zealand
Libya made a strong start in their Group D opener with a 3-1 win over New Zealand on Sunday. The Libyans, who are making their fourth appearance in the Futsal World Cup, registered their first-ever victory in the competition. Mohamed Khamis opened the scoring for Libya in the 7th minute, setting the tone for the match. Mohamed Zreeg extended the lead in the 28th minute before Feras Abuksheam sealed the win with a goal in the 40th minute.
New Zealand’s Jordi Ditford managed to pull one back in the dying seconds, but Libya’s commanding performance had already secured them three crucial points. The win places Libya in a strong position as they prepare for their next fixture against Kazakhstan on Wednesday.
Afghanistan 6-4 Angola
Angola, the runners-up in the Futsal Africa Cup of Nations, were less fortunate, suffering a 6-4 defeat to Afghanistan in a thrilling encounter. The match saw goals galore, with Farzad Mahmoodi putting Afghanistan ahead in the 2nd minute. Angola responded quickly through an own goal by Javad Safari and strikes from Aderito, who netted twice, and Mohammad Moradi. However, Afghanistan’s relentless attack proved too much, with goals from Omid Qanbari, Hussain Mohammadi, Mahdi Norowzi, Akbar Kazemi, and Reza Hossein Poor securing victory for the Afghans.
Despite their resilience, Angola will now need to bounce back quickly as they face Ukraine, who were hammered 7-1 by Argentina, in their next match on Wednesday.
Morocco’s Debut Awaited
Meanwhile, Morocco, the reigning African champions, will begin their World Cup journey on Monday when they take on Tajikistan. The Moroccans are considered strong contenders and will look to replicate their continental success on the world stage.
With three African teams in the tournament, the FIFA Futsal World Cup promises to showcase the growing strength of futsal in Africa as Libya, Angola, and Morocco aim to make their mark on the global stage.
