Slovenia twice run Iran close

Slovenia bolstered their status as dark horses at the UEFA European Futsal Championship by giving two tough games to Iran in Tehran this week.

Narrow win
The nine-time Asian champions, who were pipped to the 2008 FIFA Futsal World Cup semi-finals on goal difference by Italy, won both games 3-2 but on each occasion a Slovenia comeback left the result in doubt until the end. In the first match on Sunday, Iran went ahead on 18 minutes but Igor Osredkar immediately equalised. Iran restored their lead and with two minutes to go Jaka Sovdat put through an own goal but Osredkar struck again to reduce arrears as Marko Hrvatin and Danijel Pantič made Slovenia debuts.

Result repeated
A day later Iran were three up by the eight-minute mark but Sovdat pulled one back on the half-hour and Osredkar set up an exciting finish, with Miha Osojnik denied by the home goalkeeper in the dying seconds. Slovenia continue their European Championship preparations at home to FYR Macedonia on 27 and 28 December, and in the finals in Hungary from 20 January are matched with Russia and Serbia in Group C in Budapest.