Courtesy: UEFA.com


Gercak heroics take Czechs through

Monday 25 January 2010

Match report by Paul Saffer from Fönix Arena

Second-string goalkeeper Libor Gercak was the hero as the Czech Republic beat Italy on penalties to reach the UEFA European Futsal Championship semi-finals after a tremendous struggle in Debrecen.

Shoot-out success
Italy led 2-1 at the break but two Czech goals seemed to have turned the game only for Saad Assis to equalise. In the shoot-out, Gercak − preferred to Tomas Meller for this game − saved Italy's first three penalties and his side, in only their second semi-final, now go on to face Spain or Russia here on Thursday.

Italy ahead
Although Czech captain Martín Dlouhý went close after eight seconds, Italy were on top initially. Luca Ippoliti and Assis both shot wide and Vinicius Duarte was denied by Gercak. Duarte was on the scoresheet in the sixth minute, though, robbing Zdenek Sláma inside the Czech box and smashing the ball in.

Fine goals
The Czech Republic came back from 4-0 down to defeat Hungary and again they responded well, Lukas Resetar making Alexandre Feller dive to stop a fine drive and not long afterwards David Fric found Marek Kopecky on the halfway line and he advanced to shoot in from 15 metres. The 2007 runners-up were now pegged back but when Italy did attack, Vinicius Bácaro, with little room in the box, struck the post. It seemed the half would finish level only for the best strike combination in the finals to team up again; Assis found Clayton Bapistella, who rolled the ball back to his advancing team-mate to produce a blistering finish for his fourth goal of the finals.

Czech comeback
It was a bright start to the second half and Jiri Novotny had to be alert to head an angled Assis chip off the line. Seconds later Slama cut in from the left and his shot to the far post gave Feller no chance. The Czech Republic then took the lead in bizarre fashion; Fric's shot hit the post but rebounded into the net off the shocked Duarte. Italy now pushed hard and Gercak pushed a Bácaro shot wide and the goalkeeper also brilliantly denied Assis and Baptistella.

Frantic finish
However, he was powerless to stop Assis turning and slotting the ball inside his near post to equalise. A frantic finish now followed and, just as in their defeat of Hungary, coach Tomas Neumann gambled on Fric as a flying goalkeeper and it nearly paid off when Kopecky hit the post. However, a penalty shoot-out it was and Gercak saved Italy's first three efforts from Assis, Bácaro and Patrick Nora before Resetár was denied by Feller but Fric converted the winner. Kopecky will be suspended for the semi-final.




Courtesy: UEFA.com


Farzaliyev blasts Azeris into orbit

Monday 25 January 2010

Match report by Jim Wirth from Papp László Arena

Azerbaijan beat Ukraine 4-2 on penalties following a 3-3 draw at the Papp László Arena to earn a UEFA European Futsal Championship semi-final tie on Thursday against Serbia and Portugal.

Farzaliyev decider
Scores level after 40 minutes, the game went straight into a penalty shoot-out, with veteran goalkeeper Andrey Tveryankin saving efforts from Maxym Pavlenko and Serhiy Cheporniuk. Rizvan Farzaliyev converted the fourth and decisive penalty kick for Alesio's side as the finals debutants made it to the last four.

Honours even
Ukraine were a goal up in just eight seconds, with Mykhaylo Romanov intercepting on the edge of the box and firing low past Tveryankin, but Serjão's presence helped Azerbaijan buy an equaliser, the chunky pivot turning through a crowd of players and passing for Farzaliyev to hit the ball first time past Vladyslav Lysenko.

Thiago strike
Gennadiy Lysenchuk's side offered Azerbaijan nothing like the possession they had enjoyed in their earlier games, and led again after eleven minutes, Denys Ovsyannikov teeing up Cheporniuk to head into an unguarded net, with Tveryankin grounded. Alesio's men responded, however, Thiago scoring straight from Alves's low corner.

All angles
At half-time it was 2-2, though the shots total – 32-16 in Azerbaijan's favour – told its own story; the Azeris eager to strike from all angles, while Ukraine toiled to carve out chances. Warnings unheeded, Biro Jade put Azerbaijan ahead five minutes after the break, driving home low after Thiago's free-kick found him in space.

Kondratyuk levels
Chances came Ukraine's way; Ovsyannikov should have scored when given the ball in the box, with the diving Tveryankin's outstretched hand preserving the Azeris' lead. However, not long after Serjão lobbed nonchalantly against the post, it was 3-3 as Oleksandr Kondratyuk blasted home a loose ball from a Tveryankin save.

Over the bar
With Azerbaijan's fine artists tiring, Ukraine's diligent craftsmen were increasingly on top, and as Alesio's men conceded their fifth foul with three minutes remaining, they were walking on eggshells. Thiago was duly penalised for a foul in the opposition area with 12 seconds to go, but Valeriy Legchanov hit the double penalty over the bar.





Courtesy: UEFA.com


Azzurri exit will not stop renewal

Tuesday 26 January 2010

by Francesco Corda & Paul Saffer from Debrecen

Italy's quarter-final shoot-out defeat by the Czech Republic on Monday night made a piece of unwanted history – for the first time, the Azzurri will not finish among the top four at the UEFA European Futsal Championship.

New-look side
In the group stage, the 2003 champions and runners-up last time around were in fine form, easing past Belgium 4-0 and Ukraine 4-2 with Clayton Baptistella and Saad Assis in devastating form – the pair are currently the top two scorers in the finals. But despite leading the Czechs twice in Debrecen, they ended up having to come from behind to draw 3-3 and then lost the shoot-out 3-1, missing their first three spot-kicks. However, the squad was much changed from the past. Roberto Menichelli, who took over as head coach last year, drafted in the young likes of Gabriel Lima, Cristian Rizzo Sergio Romano and Marco Ercolessi to a fresh-looking lineup, and he knew that the relative lack of experience was a risk.

Taking positives
"The outcome of the tournament in my opinion is positive, we had three games, winning twice and drawing once," the former assistant to Alessandro Nuccorini said. "This is a different kind of team compared to the past, but this is the journey we have to take. During this journey, it might be that Italy fall before the semi-finals, as indeed happened. We gave our all, we ran into difficulties – not everything turns out for the best. But we beat Ukraine, we gave young players their debuts and we set ourselves on the road to composing the team of the future. You need to look at the positive things we built: it's the result that punishes us, it is a bitter elimination."

Retirements?
Now the question is whether the more experienced players will be there again in 2012. Marcio Forte, 32, said: "This could be my last European Championship. I still have the desire, I want to remain in this team." Meanwhile Vinicius Bácaro, the injury-hit 31-year-old goalscoring hero of the 2003 final against Ukraine, mused: "At the moment I don't know what my future in the national team will be. When I said [in October] this would be my last international tournament it was just a thought, whether I take it forward will depend on many things. Maybe the coach will not want me any more, it's not only for me to decide."




Courtesy: UEFA.com


Azerbaijan hero thanks his lucky star

Tuesday 26 January 2010

Match review by Pavle Gognidze & Jim Wirth from Budapest

Having scored the winning penalty in Azerbaijan's shoot-out success against Ukraine, Rizvan Farzaliyev saluted his goalkeeper, saying Alecio's side had "Lady Luck and Andrey Tveryankin" on their side at the Papp László Arena.

Awful start
The match started disastrously for the UEFA European Futsal Championship Group A winners, as they conceded inside eight seconds, but they twice came from behind to go 3-2 up before Ukraine levelled again. With 12 seconds left, Ukraine also missed a double penalty, and Tveryankin then made two shoot-out saves, to allow Farzaliyev to strike the winner.

Goalkeeper's glory
"When they got the double penalty at the end, I thought: 'This is it: If they score, we go home'," the 30-year-old Farzaliyev told uefa.com. "It's great for us that they didn't and in the penalty shoot-out Lady Luck and Andrey Tveryankin were on our side. He is the best goalkeeper but everyone on our team was the best tonight."

Azeri first
The all-action Farzaliyev, of course, had a starring role of his own. "I scored the first goal and the winning penalty and the victory was ours," he said. "Azerbaijan already made history getting into the top 12 in Europe, but our story goes on. Azerbaijan have never had a result like this."

Lucky city
Coach Alecio was unusually animated in his post-match press conference, thanking the people of Budapest and Hungary for their hospitality and support for his multi-ethnic side, adding: "We're off to Debrecen tomorrow; I can only hope we can be as lucky there as we were in this wonderful city that was so good for us."

Title ambitions
Unconcerned about whether he gets to take on Serbia or Portugal in the last four on Thursday, he said "we just have to focus on beating whoever we get". However, the title is no longer pie in the sky. "We have been here to win from the start," he said. "We have been working hard and I would not like to go home on 29 January, but on 31 January having had the best possible result."

'Crying like kids'
Ukraine coach Gennadiy Lysenchuk said defeat had hit Ukraine hard. "A lot of the players are crying like kids in the dressing room and I understand why," he reported. "But this is a sport; somebody had to lose and today that was Ukraine. Tomorrow we will go back to Ukraine from this good country, Hungary. Life doesn't stop and we will train for the next championship."

Cracking the code
While he signed off with a cheery "see you at the next finals", the 62-year-old, who has led Ukraine's futsal side since its inception in 1994, clearly had some regrets, and felt Azerbaijan were eminently beatable. He warned the coach of the next team to face them: "Do not miss your chances and be very careful from set-pieces; that will be enough to win you the game."





Courtesy: UEFA.com


Czech spirit earns 'huge, huge victory'

Tuesday 26 January 2010

Match review by Paul Saffer & Francesco Corda from Debrecen

The Czech Republic are making a habit of dramatic wins in the UEFA European Futsal Championship, having qualified with two last-minute goals against Croatia then come back from 4-0 down to pip hosts Hungary 6-5 in the group stage. They did it again in Monday's quarter-final, twice coming from behind to beat Italy on penalties, prevailing in the shoot-out thanks to three Libor Gercak saves.

'Huge victory'
Coach Tomas Neumann was understandably thrilled to put out the runners-up from the 2007 finals and earn a plum last-four tie on Thursday. "It's a huge, huge victory for us," he said. "And it's a great chance as well. We enjoyed the game and we will also enjoy the semi-final. We know Russia or Spain will be favourites, but we will play and we will want to win."

Goalkeeping decision
Neumann sprung a surprise by bringing in Gercak rather than the regular choice up to now, Tomas Meller. "We don't have a No1 goalkeeper," the coach said. "We have two similar goalkeepers. In the two previous games, one of them got a chance and now we changed it." He also opted, unusually, to deploy a flying goalkeeper at 3-3. "There was a lot of pressure on us," Neumann explained. "We wanted to even things up to get the ball and hold it and create chances. And that's what we did."

No pressure
Just as in the comeback against Hungary, David Fric was the stand-in keeper. "I hoped we would do it," he said. "Against Hungary when we did it we scored six goals in 15 minutes, so why not?" Fric also converted the winning penalty, and suggested that his side's underdog status was an advantage. "Italy played as if they had to win, while we just relaxed and that's how we were able to turn the game," he added. "All team sports are about team spirit. We are not stars, we are a team. Fourteen players all the same, that is team spirit for me."

Italy exit
Italy were certainly favourites before the game after their comfortable wins in group stage, but instead they have failed to make the top four for the first time. "We lacked the shape and the belief that we had against Belgium and Ukraine," said Azzurri coach Roberto Menichelli. "Credit to our opponents: after their comeback against Hungary, they demonstrated their character again, to overcome the difficulties Italy created. It's a shame to go out on penalties, we didn't take them well. Therefore it is also right that the match ended this way."


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