The first game, which took place on Tuesday at the Yunusabad Stadium where the Uzbeks finished runners-up to Japan in the 2006 AFC Futsal Champinship final, was a closely-fought affair with Iran winning 1-0 courtesy of Mohammed Reza Zahmatkesh’s strike.

The second game at the same venue two days later, ended with a more telling victory for Iran as goals from Morteza Azimai, Masoud Daneshvar, and Muhammed Taheri saw the eight-time Asian champions run out 3-0 winners.

The 2008 AFC Futsal Championship is taking place in Bangkok, Thailand from May 11 to 18, where Iran will be looking to consolidate their supremacy in the indoor game and make it nine out of ten tournament triumphs, while the Uzbeks are in the hunt for their first title after finishing runners up to the Iranians in 2001 and to the Japanese in 2006.