Futsal/Indoor Soccer World News

December 4, 2002

News and information on Futsal/Indoor Soccer from around the World

ASIA

KUALA LUMPUR FUTSAL TOURNAMENT REPLACES SINGAPORE TIGER 5'S

Ibrahim Saad, Vice-President of The Football Association of Malaysia announced on Nov. 6, that the Singapore Tiger 5's Tournament will not be organized in the future and it will be replaced by the Kuala Lumpur (KL) Futsal International Tournament in Malaysia next year (2003). The bi-annual event will once again be broadcast on ESPNstar in Asia and will take place in June. Similar to the Tiger 5's, the KL tournament is excepted to draw the top futsal national teams from around the world.

EUROPE

BELGIUM, FRANCE, GREECE, RUSSIA TO COMPETE IN FOUR NATIONS CUP IN JANUARY

The Futsal National Teams of Belgium, Greece and Russia will join the host France in a Four Nations Cup from Jan. 8-9, 2003. All the matches will take place at the Arènes de Nîmes Sport Centre Hall in Nîmes, France. This is the first home matches for France since Feb. 28, 2002, when they dropped a 6:1 decision to Russia in Lyon.

SPAIN WOMENS TEAM TO HOST BRAZIL IN TWIN-BILL

The Spanish Women's Futsal National Team will host Brazil in a two-game international friendly series from Dec. 8-9. The first encounter is set for Dec. 8, in Miguel Turra, Spain, while the second one is slated for the next day in Navalcamero.

SEVEN NATIONS ADVANCE TO 2003 EUROPEAN FUTSAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN ITALY

Seven nations won their respective qualifying groups and advance to the 2003 European (UEFA) Futsal Championship set for Feb. 16-22 in Italy. Russia took the Group 1 title after topping the host Hungary 6:2 on Nov. 8, in Szeged, while Group 2 went to Belgium who finished ahead of Poland after a 7:4 win in Helsinki, Finland on Nov. 23. Defending UEFA Champion Spain struggled but managed to squeeze out a 3:2 victory over the host Yugoslavia for the Group 3 crown in Zrenjanin, while visiting Slovenia stunned Holland 6:2 in Sittard, Netherlands on Nov. 8 in order to finish first in Group 4. Rounding out the UEFA qualifying were the home teams of Portugal and the Czech Republic claiming the Group 5 and Group 6 crowns, respectively, while the Ukraine earned the Group 7 title in Lucenec, Slovakia.

2003 European Futsal Championship Qualifying Groups Final Standings *Qualified

Group 1 Nov. 5-8, in Makò & Szeged, Hungary

(GP, W-L-T, GF:GA, PTS)

Russia (3, 3-0-0, 19:3, 9) *
Hungary (3, 2-1-0, 13:7, 6)
Israel (3, 0-2-1, 5:12, 1)
Latvia (3, 0-2-1, 3:18, 1)



Group 2 Nov. 20-23, in Helsinki, Finland

(GP, W-L-T, GF:GA, PTS)

Belgium (3, 3-0-0, 21:9, 9) *
Poland (3, 2-1-0, 17:8, 6)
Moldova ( 1-2-0, 6:16, 3)
Finland (3, 0-3-0, 3:14, 0)



Group 3 Nov. 5-8, in Zrenjanin, Yugoslavia

(GP, W-L-T, GF:GA, PTS)

Spain (3, 3-0-0, 15:5, 9) *
Yugoslavia (3, 2-1-0, 9:5, 6)
FYR Macedonia (3, 1-2-0, 3:12, 3)
Lithuania (3, 0-3-0, 3:9, 0)



Group 4 Nov. 5-8, in Sittard, Netherlands

(GP, W-L-T, GF:GA, PTS)

Slovenia (3, 3-0-0, 15:2, 9) *
Holland (3, 2-1-0, 11:12, 6)
Greece (3, 1-2-0, 10:14, 3)
Armenia (3, 0-3-0, 5:13, 0)

Group 5 Nov. 6-9, in Algarve, Portugal

(GP, W-L-T, GF:GA, PTS)

Portugal (3, 3-0-0, 20:3, 9) *
Belarus (3,1-1-1, 8:7, 4)
Azerbaijan (3, 1-2-0, 5:8, 3)
Georgia (3, 0-2-1, 3:17, 1)


Group 6 Nov. 5-8, in Ostrava, Czech Republic

(GP, W-L-T, GF:GA, PTS)

Czech Republic (3, 3-0-0, 15:4, 9) *
Croatia (3, 2-1-0, 8:7, 6)
Bosnia-Herzegovina (3, 0-2-1, 8:13, 1)
France (3, 0-2-1, 6:13, 1)


Group 7 Nov. 5-8, in Lucenec, Slovakia

(GP, W-L-T, GF:GA, PTS)

Ukraine (3, 3-0-0, 30:2, 9) *
Slovakia (3, 2-1-0, 15:8, 6)
Andorra (3, 1-2-0, 6:13, 3)
Cyprus (3, 0-3-0, 2:30, 0)

2003 UEFA FUTSAL CHAMPIONSHIP DRAW TO TAKE PLACE IN CASERTA, ITALY

The official draw for the 2003 UEFA Futsal Championship will take place at the Royal Palace in Caserta, Italy on Dec. 10, 2002. Seven qualified teams along with the host will be placed in two groups of four with the cities of Aversa and Caserta as the venues for the UEFA event from Feb. 16-22, 2003. The top two from each group will advance to the semifinals with the winners meeting for the 2003 UEFA Title on Feb. 22. For more information on the 2003 UEFA Futsal Championship check www.uefa.com.

BELGIUM, ITALY TO STAGE 2002-03 UEFA FUTSAL CUP SECOND ROUND GROUP MATCHES

Belgium and Italy will host the second round group matches for the UEFA Futsal Cup that will run from Mar. 17-23, 2003. Charleroi, Belgium will stage the Group A matches that will have Antena Boomerang (Spain), MNK Split (Croatia) and Norilsky Nickel (Russia) joining last year's UEFA Futsal Cup runners-up Action 21 Charleroi (Belgium). Prato, Italy will be the venue of Group B that is composed of FC Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine), KMF Nis (Yugoslavia), Prato C/5 (Italy) and the defending champion Playas de Castellón (Spain). Each group winner will advance to the two-game final, with the first one taking place between Apr. 14-20 and the second from Apr. 28- May 4.

2002-03 UEFA Futsal Cup Second Round Groups Mar. 17-23, 2003

Group A (Charleroi, Belgium)

Action 21 Charleroi (BEL)
Norilsky Nickel (RUS)
Antena Boomerang (ESP)
MNK Split (CRO)

Group B (Prato, Italy)

FC Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)
Prato C/5 (ITA)
Playas de Castellón (ESP)
KMF Nis (YUG)

NORTH, CENTRAL AMERICA

ONTARIO, QUEBEC TO BATTLE FOR 2002 CANADA FUTSAL CUP

Team Ontario will battle Team Québec for the 2002 Canada Futsal Cup from Dec. 21-22. Organized by Futsal Canada and the official sponsor Kelme, Ontario and Québec will face off in game one at Sportplus Complex in Laval on Dec. 21. Both squads will meet again the following day at the Centre Pierre-Charbonneau in Montréal.

COSTA RICA TRAVELS TO MEXICO FOR TWO-GAME SERIES

In preparations for CONCACAF qualification to the 2004 FIFA Futsal World Championship, Costa Rica's Futsal National Team will travel to Mexico City to face the host in a two-game international friendly series from Dec. 6-7. The Ticos led by head coach Carlos Quirós Alvarez, have not played an international futsal match since the 2001 Tiger 5's in Singapore, while Mexico is coming off back-to-back losses to Brazil (15:2) and the USA (7:4) at the U.S. Futsal Invitational this past August in Milwaukee, Wis. This will be the first match between the two teams, since Costa Rica's thrilling 3:2 semifinal victory over Mexico in the 2000 CONCACAF Championship. The Ticos went on to win the CONCACAF tournament and a berth in the 2000 FIFA World Championship in Guatemala.

CLEVELAND FORCE SELECT CANADIAN STRIKER AS TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

The Cleveland Force of the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) selected forward Hector Marinaro as their Technical Director on Nov. 15. Marinaro will assist Andy Schmetzer, who was named the interim coach for the Force last month. A native of Toronto, Canada, Marinaro, who is in his 15th season in a Cleveland uniform, is the all-time leading scorer in indoor soccer history with 2,723 total points. Marinaro is a 10-time All-MISL selection, six-time MISL Most Valuable Player and a 13-time MISL All-Star selection.

U.S. DEFENDER NAMED PLAYER/COACH OF THE BALTIMORE BLAST

U.S. defender Sean Bowers was named the Baltimore Blast's player/coach for the remainder of the 2002-03 MISL season on Nov. 11. The 34-year-old Bowers replaces Kevin Healey at helm as Healey will assume new responsibilites at Executive Vice President of Arena Ventures, but continue as the Blast's General Manager. Bowers, who has been with the U.S. Futsal National Team since 1996, is ranked third in the all-time appearance list with 23, while scoring five goals. The San Diego, Calif. native has been named "Defender of the Year" in the MISL (2001-02), the National Professional Soccer League (1993-94 & 1994-95) and the Continental Indoor Soccer League (1993), and played four years in Major League Soccer with the Kansas City Wizards.

OCEANIA

AUSTRALIA TO HOST 2003 OCEANIA FUTSAL CUP

The 2003 Oceania Futsal Cup, which will double as the qualifying tournament for the 2004 FIFA World Championship, will be held in Australia and tentatively set for September. Soccer Australia will confirm the venues and fixtures at a later date. With just one spot available for Oceania at the 2004 World Championship, Australia is looking to advance to their fifth consecutive tournament. Australia is one of five nations (Argentina, Brazil, Holland, Spain) to have played in all the previous FIFA Futsal World Championships (Holland 1989, Hong Kong 1992, Spain 1996, Guatemala 2000).

SOUTH AMERICA

BRAZIL TOPS ITALY TO CAPTURE 2002 PYRAMIDS CUP

Brazil's Futsal National Team added another championship to their crowded trophy case as they captured the 2002 Pyramids Cup in Cairo, Egypt after topping Italy in the finals 3:1 on Nov. 30. Two tallies by midfielder Manoel Tobias and one by forward Falcão paced the Samba Kings in the victory. In earlier games on Nov. 30, Argentina took the third-place match with an easy 4:1 win over the host Egypt, while Uruguay settled for fifth-place in the six-team tournament with a 2:0 blanking of Russia. Brazil advanced to the 2002 Pyramids Cup final after posting a 4:2 victory over Egypt in the semifinals on Nov. 29. The Samba Kings opened tournament play with back-to-back victories against Italy (3:2) on Nov. 27, and then Uruguay (6:2) the following day.

2002 Pyramids Cup in Cairo, Egypt - Nov. 26-30
Final Standings, Results

* Advance to Semifinals
^Advance to Fifth Place Match

Group A (GP, W-L-T, GF:GA, PTS)
Argentina (2, 2-0-0, 14:4, 6) *
Egypt (2, 0-1-1, 5:9, 1) *
Russia (2, 0-1-1, 3:9, 1) ^

Group B (GP, W-L-T, GF:GA, PTS)
Brazil (2, 2-0-0, 9:4, 6) *
Italy (2, 1-1-0, 5:4, 3) *
Uruguay (2, 0-2-0, 3:9, 0) ^

Nov. 26

Italy - Uruguay, 3:1
Argentina - Egypt, 7:3

Nov. 27

Brazil - Italy, 3:2
Argentina - Russia, 7:1

Nov. 28

Brazil - Uruguay, 6:2
Russia - Egypt, 2:2

Nov. 29

Semifinals:

Italy - Argentina, 1:1 (3:2 pk)
Brazil - Egypt, 4:2


Nov. 30
Fifth Place: Uruguay - Russia, 2:0
Third Place: Argentina - Egypt, 4:1
Final: Brazil - Italy, 3:1

PARAGUAYAN CLUB WINS 2002 CAMPEONATO PANAMERICANO DE FUTSAL IN URUGUAY

Rubio Ñu de Juan Pedro Caballero of Paraguay won their sixth consecutive Campeonato Panamericano de Futsal after topping the host FC Mercedes of Uruguay 7:1 in the 2002 finals on Nov. 17, in Ciudad de Mercedes, Uruguay. The 25th edition of the annual tournament organized by the Panamerican Futsal Confederation (PFC), featured eight teams from North and South America. Prior to the 2002 final, Club Sporting Neiva of Colombia captured third-place honors with a 6:1 victory over Pirañas de Guayana of Venezuela.

Information was researched and compiled by Steven Torres. Next issue will be sent on January 1, 2003

Futsal is a sport that is a derivative of soccer and played with five-man teams on a basketball style court, with no walls and a low bouncing ball, unlike the traditional sport of U.S. indoor soccer played with six-man squads and walls. Great soccer superstars such as Pele, Zico, and Ronaldo grew up playing the game and credit Futsal with developing their skills.