Courtesy: UEFA.com


Belarus vow to give Portugal a game

Friday 22 January 2010

Match preview by Nuno Tavares & Paul Saffer from Debrecen

By the time Portugal open their UEFA European Futsal Championship on Friday night against Belarus, three other sides will have ended their group campaigns, but Orlando Duarte's side know a win in their belated finals bow would take them through.

Belarus reverse
In the first Group D game on Wednesday, Belarus succumbed to a competition record 9-1 defeat by holders Spain, meaning another loss would end their debut finals campaign, and take both Portugal and the defending champions through to the quarter-finals whatever happens in their Iberian derby on Sunday. Portugal were hosts last time round in 2007 and reached the semi-finals, losing only on penalties to Spain, but their hopes in Hungary have been hit by injury to the key man from their run in Porto, Ricardinho.

Duarte puzzle
"We are not a bit worried about scoring many goals and winning by a big margin," Duarte said. "We just want to win. If that happens than we can think about fighting for first place with Spain. We have now watched seven Belarus games, including the two last month in Belgium. Having that in mind I can safely say that the team which lost 9-1 against Spain is not the same we saw play before the finals. They were miles away. They did face the reigning champions and maybe that was reflected in their performance. But I can tell you this: if they play against us like they did against Spain then I can't see us losing the game. "

Injuries
Belarus held Spain to 2-1 until the 27th minute, before the finals debutants succumbed to a typically high-tempo display from the holders. They were not helped by the loss for the finals of Vadim Lushkovski, Ilya Gurin, Eduard Bobrov and Vladimir Zhdanovich, and coach Valeri Dosko said: "We felt the lack of injured players, with international experience, and they would have helped us, especially in defence. However, I can say thanks to the lads for their game in the first half, our opponents just were better."

Task
Knowing only an upset win would keep their realistic hopes alive, Dosko added: "We will go above and beyond the call of duty to recover for the Portugal game. This will be very difficult because that team are also very strong. They will play attacking futsal, they saw our weaknesses, but we will make several changes and will try to give them a battle."




Courtesy: UEFA.com


Peric pledges guts for Serbian glory

Friday 22 January 2010

by Pavle Gognidze from Budapest

Striker Marko Peric promised Serbia would "attack and press for every metre of the pitch", knowing that a win against Slovenia would earn them a crack at the UEFA European Futsal Championship quarter-finals.

No mugs
The 25-year-old MFK Dina Moskva striker, the only Serbia player to compete outside the domestic league, watched Slovenia go down 5-1 to Russia in the Group C opener, but knows the amateurs are no mugs. "Slovenia are very disciplined and good in defence," he told uefa.com. "They almost don't cross the centre line when defending. The score in the Russia match was hard on them; they deserved to have conceded fewer goals."

'The match'
With a large contingent of Slovenian fans expected at Budapest's Papp László Arena, the game is being billed as a Balkan derby between the former Yugoslavian republics, but that is no concern for Peric. "It will be the same as any other game; there is no special rivalry between us," he insisted. "On the other hand, in terms of the tournament this is the match for us. If we win, we're in the quarter-finals. It is crucial to beat the Slovenians as Russia are a very good team and we will have a very tough match against them."

Last-four target
The former KMF Marbo Beograd player knows Russia well; aside from playing professionally for Dina, he played in the Serbia sides that lost 5-3 to Russia at the 2007 EURO and then 3-2 in 2008 FIFA Futsal World Cup qualifying. Both matches were close, while at the last EURO Peric was one of the players of the tournament in a side that also showed their class by drawing 1-1 with Spain and beating Ukraine 3-2, though that was not enough to reach the knockout phase. "We sprung a surprise in 2007," Peric explained. "We hope to do the same here by first beating Slovenia, and then let's see where that takes us. We'd like to win in the quarter-finals."

Close-knit unit
With Spain or Portugal their likely last-eight opponents should they qualify, that will be no easy task, but Periæ hoped his side had the poise and spirit to perform. "We always play the same brand of futsal; we will attack and press for every metre of the pitch. We always have great atmosphere on the team; this is our main weapon. We don't have leaders because we're strong as a team. Yes, I play in the Russian league but I don't consider myself a star. I think every player who takes the court is equally important; it's not me playing alone."





Courtesy: UEFA.com


'Derby' pressure on Slovenia and Serbia

Friday 22 January 2010

Match preview by Jim Wirth from Budapest

Bloodied but unbowed after a 5-1 defeat against Russia in their opening game, Slovenia are gearing up for what striker Igor Ursic agreed was "a derby" UEFA European Futsal Championship Group C fixture against neighbours Serbia.

Previous meeting
The teams have met only once in top-level competition, Slovenia triumphing 2-1 at home in a FIFA Futsal World Cup qualifier in 2003. But with Serbia knowing a win at the Papp László Arena in Budapest on Friday would take them through and eliminate Slovenia, the history books will go out of the window as the two former Yugoslavian nations meet.

'Like a derby'
"It's like a derby," Ursic told uefa.com. "For both teams it is a very important match. We have been preparing all the time just for the game against Serbia. The chances are 50-50. We have a good team and I think the difference between our two teams is not as big as it is with Russia. We will be very competitive and we're looking forward it."

Serbian witnesses
Serbia's players were in the crowd for the Group C opener, but Slovenia coach Andrej Dobrovnicik was not concerned what they would have made of his side, or the scoreline. "They know what we are about and they will be ready because they know that whoever wins will be in the quarter-finals. It will be different to playing Russia; much more even with many more chances for us to score."

Traveling support
Forward Igor Osredkar carried an injury into the tournament, and is unlikely to make the final cut for the Serbia game after feeling the strain on Wednesday, but a big Slovenian following could make up for his absence. The hundred or so Slovenia fans who attended the Russia match made their presence felt, and over 500 are expected on Friday.

'Maybe yes, maybe no'
Serbia, meanwhile, will be diving in at the deep end, with no room for error. Coach Aca Kovacevic, whose team impressed at the 2007 finals after an eight-year absence from this level, was unsure whether not playing first would benefit his side. "Maybe yes, maybe no," he said coolly, but added: "We have come here to show we are no longer a surprise package. We want to play futsal at the top level." Game on.



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