The final quarterfinal match provided goals and entertainment while setting the stage for the semis
Tahiti defeated Iran 5-4 in a closely-fought, back-and-forth quarter-final in Espinho to set up a meeting with Italy in the semi-finals at Portugal 2015.
Tahiti qualified for the last-eight as unbeaten leaders in Group D, including a win over current champions Russia, while Iran finished second to Brazil in Group C. The two sides had never played each other in an official competition.
There was very little separating both sides, as Tahiti’s passing game was countered by Iran’s incessant defensive efforts. Two similar periods saw Tahiti manage to score first, only for Iran to respond with crucial goals of their own.
The third period saw both teams play with more freedom and create space, although the sequence of goals remained the same. Tahiti scored twice but in each occasion Iran equalised one minute later. Finally, Heimanu Taiarui put the Oceanians ahead 5-4 with under five minutes left, which was enough to see Tahiti through.
Having finished fourth when they hosted the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup™ two years ago, Tahiti cemented their status as one of the top teams in the world as they reached another semi-final.
(Source: FIFA.com)
