Mataram: Forward Al Fajri Zikri says Vamos FC are ready for their AFC Futsal Club Championship Thailand 2019 challenge.
Vamos made their debut in 2017 and reached the quarter-finals of the Continental club competition for the first time last year before bowing out to Iraq’s Nafit Al Wasat in a 7-4 thriller at GOR UNY in Yogyakarta.
Having learnt from their 2018 experience, confidence is running high in the team and 25-year-old Al Fajri, who made his national team debut in 2016, believes the Mataram-based club can improve on their quarter-final finish.
"Our target is to reach the final four in Thailand because last year we reached the quarter-finals. And for me there is no reason we can’t make the semi-finals as we almost defeated our opponents (Nafit Al Wasat) from Iraq,” said Al Fajri.
"The challenge isn't about not qualifying for the knockout rounds, but how to finish top of the group and move on from there.”
AFC Futsal Club Championship 2019 draw results. Most exciting group? ?
The tournament will be played in Thailand from August 7-17, 2019! #AFCFutsal2019 pic.twitter.com/Fz2r8bapi5
— AFC (@theafcdotcom) June 27, 2019
Vamos assistant coach Bongsu Hasibuan added that the team face a tough task in Group C as their opponents represent the best in their respective national leagues.
Vamos are in Group C along with Lebanon’s Bank of Beirut, newcomers Soro Company of Tajikistan and Myanmar’s Victoria University College.
">https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzaz7EVjOvu/" data-instgrm-version="12" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);">
View this post on Instagram
Vamos FC Mataram tergabung di Grup C AFC Futsal Club Championship 2019 bersama Bank of Beirut (Lebanon), Soro Company (Tajikistan), dan Victoria University College (Myanmar). Bisa dibilang Bank of Beirut dan Soro Company bakal jadi pesaing terberat dalam fase grup dikarnakan Vamos pun sama sekali belum pernah berjumpa dengan kedua tim tersebut. Asisten pelatih Vamos FC Mataram Bongsu Hasibuan menjelaskan bahwa semua tim dalam AFC Futsal Club merupakan tim yang berat. Karna meraka ini adalah perwakilan tim di liga negara masing-masing. . . . . . . . . . . . . #federasifutsalindonesia #federasifutsal #futsalindonesia #futsalmania #futsallovers #futsalday #futsaladdict #futsallovers #indonesia #ffiu20 #pecintafutsal #timnasu20 #pon2020 #ponpapua #timnasday #garuda #garudamuda #ffi #champion #proud #skor #topskor #ffi #vamos #mataram
Victoria University College made their debut in 2018 and were grouped alongside hosts Vamos, three-time champions Nagoya Oceans of Japan and China PR’s Dalian Yuan Dynasty. Despite showing promise, they exited the group stage without a win.
Following the Official Draw on June 27, head coach U Zaw Ye Maung said his team will do their best to go as far as they can when they make their second appearance in Thailand 2019.
“We will try our best to reach the next round for the first time. We will use our experience from the 2018 tournament and are preparing hard for this tournament. Our target is to reach the quarter-finals,’’ U Zaw Ye Maung told local media.
“We lost to Vamos 8-1 in 2018 but we will learn from our mistakes and weaknesses from that match. Bank of Beirut finished third place last year. They are very much stronger than us. But we don’t know much about Soro Company because they are taking part for the first time in the competition.”
Victoria University College will face Bank of Beirut in their opening match on August 8, while Vamos will take on Soro Company.
The AFC Futsal Club Championship Thailand 2019 will run from August 7-17.
Source: the-afc.com