(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) KUWAIT, Sept 28 (KUNA) -- Saudi Arabia, Iran and Vietnam were triumphant in their respective AFC Asian Futsal Cup opening fixtures on Wednesday as the Kuwait-hosted event got into its second day.
Saudi Arabia managed a shock 2-1 victory over 2018 runners-up and three-time title holders, Japan, in their Group D encounter, with Nasser Al-Harthi and Mohsin Faqihi for the Gulf kingdom alongside Japan's Cribaldi Vinicius each getting on the scoresheet.
Meanwhile, defending champions and the tournament's most successful side, Iran, kicked off their continental campaign with a wide 5-0 victory over Indonesia in the Group C, two of which were slotted home by Saeid Ahmadabbasi.
Vietnam, in Group D, were also at the receiving end of a large marginal 5-1 win over South Korea, as the Southeast Asians topped their respective group.
The tournament continues tomorrow with four matches scheduled, as Group A leaders and hosts Kuwait lock horns with Thailand while Oman and Iraq will look to improve on their earlier defeats.
Subsequently, Group B's respective first and second-placed Central Asian sides, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, will look to attain dominance over the other and decide the group's fate as Turkmenistan and Bahrain hope to achieve their first points of the tournament.
Kuwait replaced Turkmenistan as hosts of the event, originally scheduled for 2020, which was pushed back to this year due to the COVID pandemic.
Current 2018 champions Iran have amassed the most silverware in the competition with 12 cups, while only Japan, who were runners-up that same year, trail with three Asian cups. (end)
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