Courtesy: UEFA.com


The year in futsal

Sunday 28 December 2008

by Paul Saffer

While Brazil reasserted itself over Europe in international futsal this year, MFK Viz-Sinara Ekaterinburg's exploits showed that homegrown talent could still trump South American stars.

Moscow finals
Ekaterinburg have never won a Russian league title, but gained entry to the 2007/08 UEFA Futsal Cup runners-up behind holders MFK Dinamo Moskva and they earned a final four place along with the reigning champions plus ElPozo Murcia FS of Spain and Kairat Almaty. The second final four event, following from the inaugural one-venue showpiece in Murcia the year before, took place in April in Moscow at Dinamo's Krylatskoe Sport Palace base.

Ekaterinburg delight
Dinamo's run of three consecutive final appearances was ended in the last four by Murcia 4-2 on penalties. Ekaterinburg came from behind to win 4-1 against Kairat, who were to lose 5-0 to Dinamo for third place, and Viz-Sinara then pipped Murcia in a dramatic final in which the Russian club equalised three times in the second half to force a 4-4 draw and prevailed 3-2 on penalties in a tournament watched by growing numbers on Eurosport, many fans no doubt alerted to the sport by the excellent 2007 UEFA European Futsal Championship in Porto.

'Unbelievable feelings'
Ekaterinburg will host the 2008/09 final four next April against Dinamo, Kairat and two-time winners Interviú Madrid, the quartet winning through the Elite round in November, that stage now reaching the same professional level as the finals. The competition began in August with a record 45 entrants and next season Turkey and Norway should be sending their champions. UEFA are also beginning a review of the format but do not want to make too many changes to a growing competition.

World Cup
There were also new names when World Cup qualifying started in February, Estonia and Montenegro entering their first international tournaments. Holders Spain, Italy, Portugal, Ukraine, the Czech Republic and Russia claimed the expanded European allocation of six finals berths in Brazil. The Czech Republic and Portugal missed out on the second group stage, in which Ukraine fell. Russia faced Brazil in the semi-finals and having lost 7-0 to the hosts in the first group stage, were only pipped 4-2 this time.

Brazil deny Spain
Spain and Italy met in a rematch of the 2004 World Cup and 2007 European finals and there was an extraordinary conclusion as the Azzurri fell 3-2 to a last-second extra-time Adriano Foglia own goal. The only two previous World Cup winners met in the final, with 15 of the 24 players involved supplied by Spanish clubs Interviú and Murcia. A late Spain equaliser forced penalties but Brazil prevailed 4-3. Spain now concentrate on March qualifying for the expanded 2010 UEFA European Futsal Championship in which 12 teams will compete next January in Hungary.

U21 launch
In 2008 a new competition was born – the UEFA European Under-21 Futsal Tournament in St Petersburg. Spain, Italy, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Slovenia, Croatia and the Netherlands came through qualifying in April to join Russia in the December finals. It was the hosts that prevailed, beating the Azzurrini 5-4 after extra time in a thrilling decider that was 2-2 at the 40-minute mark.







Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com