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BLAST IT LIKE BACARO

Vinicius Bacaro has a touch of the David Beckham about him.

Free-kick winner
First of all there's the No7 shirt. Then there are the good looks, the carefully styled hair, the designer tattoo and the earring. Even the name has a familiar sound. But the most telling similarity is the ability to convert a free-kick in a high pressure situation.

Time running out
With ten minutes and ten seconds left on the clock in the UEFA European Futsal Championship final in Caserta tonight, Italy were awarded a free-kick in a dangerous central position. After a slight delay as the Ukraine defence gathered itself, an unflinching Bacaro strode forward and slammed the ball low into the net.

Always willing
Bacaro had been threatening to score for a long time. After two goals in the 5-1 second group game victory against the Czech Republic, the Lazio C/5 had been unlucky not to find the net, particularly in the 2-1 semi-final victory against Spain. Bacaro was always willing to let fly in this competition, often rattling up more shots than his team-mates combined.

Praise for others
Despite deciding the contest against an outstanding Ukraine team, Bacaro had words for others in the post-match analysis. "I wish to thank the coach and all those who supported me," he said, before adding: "This is a very special day for me."

Great team effort
On that goal, he said: "I can't explain what I felt. The feelings of joy are indescribable." Yet, the 24-year-old forward was keen to place the achievement of the team over the individual. "This has been a great team effort," he said. "We had a will to win as a team and that is what has taken us through. That is the strength of this squad."



AZZURRI ACES EARN HIGH PRAISE

Before the start of the 2003 UEFA European Futsal Championship, Italy coach Alessandro Nuccorini had hinted that his youthful team would concentrate more on gaining experience for a future, more realistic, title assault.

Seven changes
Identifying success at the 2005 finals as an achievable goal for a squad boasting seven changes from the 14 involved in Russia two years ago, the passionate 38-year-old was perhaps seeking to deflect some of the natural pressure on his team as hosts. Italy had reached the last four last time around, only to lose to tonight's foes on a penalty shoot-out.

Superb coaching
Indeed, before tonight's final, no host nation had triumphed in the competition. However, that statistic changed once Vinicius Bacaro and a tremendous team performance saw off a highly regarded Ukraine team that had been superbly coached by Gennady Lysenchuk. The 1-0 victory was a narrow one, but deserved all the same.

Praise for all
"All the team have been great tonight and their play has been fantastic," said Nuccorini. "I wish to congratulate my staff for the big contribution they made. We conceded just three goals in five games and that gives you the measure of this group of players."

Spirited side
Futsal is an emotional game, and Nuccorini, who was banned from the sidelines in the semi-final against Spain for his conduct on the bench, typified the spirit within his team. Italian intensity more than anything helped his team to triumph with five wins out of five, including defeats of three of the best teams in Europe: Russia, Spain and now Ukraine.

All-round effort
While Bacaro will take many of the headlines it is hard to ignore the collective effort of the Italians who made it difficult for the Ukrainians to play their normal fast-paced counterattacking game. From goalkeeper Gianfranco Angelini, through captain Salvatore Zaffiro to forwards Adriano Foglia and Eduardo Morgado, the Italians proved worthy winners.

Speechless shot-stopper
Angelini said: "I have no words to describe this win. We worked really, really hard." When pressed on his goalkeeping prowess, the burly shot-stopper joked to uefa.com: "I am very strong." He added: "We worked very hard in defence, because we knew in this kind of tournament that it would be very difficult."

More luck
For Lysenchuk, a second straight defeat in the final of this prestigious competition was naturally difficult to take. "Of course we tried to win," he said. "But we saw substantial quality from Italy and they maybe had a little bit more luck than us. We are not too upset as we lost against a very strong side."

Respect paid
The smiling coach, who has made many friends in this competition, finished his words with one phrase. "Forza Italia," he said. Not many in the vicinity disagreed.



INVINCIBLE ITALY CROWNED CHAMPIONS

Italy have won the 2003 UEFA European Futsal Championship thanks to a goal from Vinicius Bacaro.

Deserved win
The elegant left-footed player had threatened to score all night with a host of efforts from seemingly every angle. However, with just over ten minutes left the Lazio C/5 player came up with the goal Alessandro Nuccorini's youthful side's attacking play deserved.

Free-kick goal
The chance came about after the blond-haired Edgar Bertoni was fouled by Georgiy Melnikov 12 metres out in a central position. Andrea Vicentini stood over the ball for the free-kick but ran past at the last minute, leaving Bacaro to step up and shoot low to the goalkeeper's left.

Dance of delight
The goal was greeted with wild celebrations among the 6,000 fans gathered at Palamaggio in Caserta. Italian goalkeeper Gianfranco Angelini, as much of a hero as any of the outfield players, even joined Bacaro for a dance of delight in the centre circle. Ukraine, beaten finalists in the 2001 championship, had failed again at the last hurdle. Italy, meanwhile, had won all five of their games conceding just three goals in the process.

Electric atmosphere
The match was played in an electric atmosphere following a rousing rendition of both national anthems. Ukraine had seemed in confident mood at the beginning, and kept possession for nearly a minute from the kick-off culminating in an Igor Moskvychov shot. However, such opportunities were to prove few and far between.

Unique approach
Italy were soon in the game with Bacaro the first to try his luck, indicative of his shoot-on-sight policy throughout this eight-team tournament played in Caserta and Aversa, near Napoli. Ukraine were adopting a unique approach, with regular line changes of four players at at time, but it perhaps cost them momentum in the game.

Koridze denied
While Marcio Moratelli and Edgar Bertoni saw brilliant efforts tipped to safety by Vladyslav Kornyeyev, Ukraine were struggling to find any openings. Bacaro also had his moments but competition top scorer with seven goals, Serhiy Koridze seemed unable to get open at any time for the eastern Europeans.

Difficult conditions
However, Gennady Lysenchuk's men will have been delighted to reach the interval with the scores level. The Mexican wave and incessant drum beat that filled the arena during half-time suggested his team would face a difficult atmosphere in the second period. Whenever Ukraine got the ball, loud whistles filled the air, making it hard for passes to find their target and players to relax on the ball.

Captain marvel
As in the 2-1 semi-final defeat of former champions Spain, Italy captain Salvatore Zaffiro was in inspirational form. The Italians worked hard to deny the Ukrainians the space their counterattacking game relies on while the pressure of the situation saw them unusually concede possession.

Angelini the ace
Koridze, always a willing player, could have equalised seconds after Bacaro's goal but found Angelini in his way as he shaped to shoot from inside the penalty area. Koridze was getting more time in the action as time ticked away as was Melnikov as a fifth attacker for Kornyeyev. It led to a chance for Ukraine captain Olexandr Kosenko but again Angelini was in the way.

So close
With the goal empty and just 59 seconds to go, Carlos Montovanelli could have made sure but, to the agony of most of the crowd, his lofted shot went just wide. It did not matter though, with Bacaro's goal proving enough to allow Italy to follow in the footsteps of Russia in 1999 and Spain in 2001.