Courtesy: FAI.ie


Ireland score encouraging win over England as Kazakhstan win qualifying group

An experienced Kazakhstan were the convincing winners in Group A of the qualifying tournament of the UEFA 2010 Futsal Championship with an impeccable record after matches against the Republic of Ireland, Cyprus and England in February 2009.

The qualifying tournament was held in the National Basketball Arena, Tallaght, Dublin, and was a spectacular success with large attendances and spectacular football in the first promotion of its kind in Ireland.

Ireland were competing for the first time at this level of Futsal, a sport that is relatively new in this country.

Ireland’s Senior team developed from the Under-21 Irish Futsal team which took part in the Under-21 UEFA Futsal Championship in Andorra in 2008 and made their Senior debut against Hungary in November 2008.

The tournament provided Irish supporters with a fascinating look at the level of skill and athleticism involved in this five-a-side indoor football. They were especially impressed with the standard of the victorious Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan were favourites to win prior to competition and Cyprus were ranked second to them. Ireland and England were viewed as being of equal merit.

Futsal has long been established in Kazakhstan and Cyprus and this experience was expected to stand to them. But Ireland and England went into the tournament with ambitions soaring high and both came out of it with a measure of gratification.

Ireland suffered in their opening match when they were beaten 0-2 by Cyprus whose team was powered by players with up to seven years of experience at this level.

The disappointment was blown away when Ireland played superbly in their second match to defeat England 2-0 but they were brought back to reality again when the talented Kazakhstan defeated Ireland 5-0 in their third match.

England emerged as the surprise team of the tournament. They lost their first two matches to Kazakhstan and Ireland but then surprised Cyprus in their third match to snatch second place.

Kazakhstan advanced to the next qualifying round as winners of Group A and England were left hoping that they might follow them providing they were rated best runners-up after results from the other qualifying sections were assessed.

The qualification process for the UEFA Futsal Championship involved 38 nations, with 16 competing in the preliminary round. The four group winners and two best runner-ups would join 22 other teams in the main qualifying stage.

Twelve teams will take part in the finals due to be held in Budapest, Hungary, in 2010.

The Republic of Ireland squad was led by manager Derek O’Neill and was comprised of the following players:

Republic of Ireland squad:
John Perkins (Sporting Fingal Futsal)
Keith Gallagher (Bluebell United)
Mark Langtry (Unattached)
Philip McDonagh (Drumcondra FC)
Ian Byrne (Sporting Fingal Futsal)
Gary McCabe (Bray Wanderers)
Dane Massey (Bray Wanderers)
Thomas Morgan (Sporting Fingal Futsal)
Lloyd Massey (Shamrock Rovers)
Alan Lynch (Unattached)
Craig Duggan (Cork City)
Brendan Dawson (Sporting Fingal Futsal)
Alan Barrett (WFTA)
Shane O Neill (Bray Wanderers)

UEFA 2010 Futsal Championship

Group A Results

19/02/’09
Republic of Ireland 0 – 2 Cyprus
England 2 - 5 Kazakhstan

20/02/’09
Republic of Ireland 2 – 0 England
Kazakhstan 3- 0 Cyprus

22.02/09
Republic of Ireland 0 – 5 Kazakhstan
England 4 – 2 Cyprus








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