Iran’s female ice hockey team surprised everyone, including themselves, when they reached the IIHF Women’s Asia and Oceania Championship finals. It took them less than three years to become competitive.
According to hockey betting news, it was the first time Iran women’s team played in the tournament. They had landslide victories against India, Kuwait, and Kyrgyzstan. Also, they won against UAE in the quarterfinals with a score of 14-0. Their closest match was against Singapore in the semifinals, 3-0.
However, Iran’s win streak ended in the finals against the host nation Thailand. According to Korean sportsbooks sources, the game was tied at 1-1 for most of the match. Unfortunately, Thailand pulled away in the game’s final minutes to earn the gold medal.
Inspirational Iran’s Female Ice Hockey Team
According to global gambling news and info sources, Iran deserved the silver medal at the IIHF Women’s Asia and Oceania Championship.
Azam Sanaei served as the assistant coach and captain of the team. Fatemeh Esmaeili, a teammate of Sanaei’s and the tournament’s leading scorer with 17 goals, explained to Iranian television the difference was the home crowd and the experience of the Thai team.
In-line skating is a popular sport in Iran, and Sanaei got her start in the sport when she was a young girl. At 14, she started playing in-line hockey, a sport not very widespread in her nation.
Team’s Humble Beginnings
In 2019, the Iran Mall opened in the country’s capital. Thus, it prompted the team’s switch from in-line hockey to ice hockey. Sanaei said the team practiced hard to become more competitive against powerhouse hockey countries.
However, due to the COVID pandemic, the team had to wait for their chance to play in other countries. Their first international tournament was in January when they played in the Islamic Countries tournament. They reached the finals of the tournament.
Bet on ice hockey games with VOBET, the best sportsbook in the world!
