Vietnam beat Japan at the quarter-finals of the AFC Futsal Championship to earn a ticket to 2016 FIFA Futsal World Cup for the first time.
The quarter-final between Vietnam and the Asian reigning champions Japan took place in Uzbekistan on February 17.
Players of Vietnam's Futsal team in the quarter-final with Japan
The teams drew 4-4 after 50 minutes, including extra time, so the match was decided by penalties. Vietnam won 2-1 in the shootout, earning the ticket to the 2016 Futsal World Cup which will be held in Colombia between September 10 and October 1 this year.
According to FIFA, the top five teams of the on-going AFC Futsal Championship will be Asian representatives for 2016 FIFA Futsal World Cup. The list to date includes Vietnam, Iran, Thailand and Uzbekistan, while the losers of the quarter-finals will join play-off matches to decide the last World Cup slot.
Players and even Spanish coach Bruno Garcia Formoso burst into tears of happiness as the victory was even beyond their expectations.
