Courtesy: UEFA.com


Interviú first to Futsal Cup hat-trick

Saturday 26 December 2009

by Paul Saffer

Over the festive period uefa.com is looking back at UEFA tournaments played in 2009. Today it is the story of the 2008/09 UEFA Futsal Cup.

After two years of Russian domination, it was time for Spain to shine again in 2008/09 as Interviú Madrid returned to win a competition record third UEFA Futsal Cup.

New nations
Forty-four teams began on the road to the finals, including first-ever entrants from Denmark and Iceland, Albertslund IF and Vídir Gardi. Both fell at the first hurdle. The 12 sides still standing after the Preliminary and Main rounds knew four formidable top seeds awaited in the Elite round – Interviú, holders MFK Viz-Sinara Ekaterinburg, former champions MFK Dinamo Moskva and two-time semi-finalists Kairat Almaty.

Close-run ties
Indeed, the quartet were to top their groups but they were made to work for their success. Kairat only edged out 2005 winners Action 21 Charleroi on goal difference after a 4-4 draw in which they were always playing catch-up, while Schumacher struck four minutes from time as Interviú edged a 2-1 victory over SL Benfica.

Ekaterinburg edgy
With a 4,000 sell-out at the Palace of Sport in Ekaterinburg, the first semi-final paired Interviú with Kairat, and two early Schumacher goals put the Madrid side in control. Two more from Neto and a late Vinicius Bácaro effort secured a 5-0 win. It was still goalless 35 minutes into a pulsating tie between Russian rivals Ekaterinburg and Dinamo before an acrobatic Alexei Mokhov volley broke the deadlock for the hosts and Pavel Chistopolov then ensured their final place with a 2-0 success.

Hosts silenced
Kairat upset the odds slightly as Carlos Montovanelli's third-minute goal saw off Dinamo in the third-place play-off – a reverse of what had happened 12 months earlier – but the home fans were there for the main event. They had warmed themselves up by noisily backing Kairat in the evening curtain-raiser but by the midway point of the final Interviú had silenced them thanks to goals from Daniel, Jordi Torrás and a Schumacher penalty.

Interviú elation
Daniel's 26th-minute free-kick increased the lead and although Konstantin Agapov swiftly pulled one back, Juanra sealed a 5-1 victory for the side formerly known as Boomerang, Spain's fifth UEFA Futsal Cup triumph in eight years. Interviú will defend their title in April after winning through to the 2009/10 finals along with Azerbaijan's Araz Naxçivan, Benfica and Luparense Calcio A5.








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