Futsalroos qualify for finals

The Qantas Futsalroos have qualified for the 2012 AFC Futsal Championship after narrowly defeating Vietnam in the third-place playoff.

The Qantas Futsalroos have qualified for the 2012 AFC Futsal Championship after narrowly defeating Vietnam 4-3 in the third-place playoff of the 2012 AFC Futsal Championship ASEAN Zone qualifiers at the Krungthep Thonburi Indoor Stadium in Bangkok today.

After a scoreless first half, the Qantas Futsalroos broke the deadlock in the first minute of the second half through Ngaluafe Henry. Two minutes later Henry doubled his tally and his team-s lead. At the thirty minute mark, Toby Seeto scored the Qantas Futsalroos third goal and Greg Giovenali completed the Australian scoring five minutes later.

The Qantas Futsalroos, seemed to have the match in the bag, but in the 36th minute Giovenali received a successive yellow card and was sent off by the Kyrgyzstani referee Nurdin Bukuev. Vietnam took maximum advantage of the one man overlap and scored three late goals in the space of three minutes.

Vietnam pulled their first goal back in the 36th minute through Nguyen Trong Thien then Luu Quynh Toan chimed in with a brace in the 37th and 38th minutes. With a resurgent Vietnam gaining momentum, the Qantas Futsalroos held out to win an important play-off which ensured their passage to the 2012 AFC Futsal Championship which will be held in the UAE in May.

In the final, host nation Thailand defeated Indonesia 3-1, with both nations also qualifying for the 2012 AFC Futsal Championship.