Courtesy: The Independent on line


Champions ZC Excess hosting Group B next month

by Henry Brincat

Local champions ZC Excess will be hosting the preliminary round of the UEFA Futsal Cup at the Cottonera Sports Complex next month (16, 17 and 19 August).

The other teams taking part in this Group B tournament are the champions of Finland, Denmark and Albania.

The organisation of the event in Malta for the very first time, is an exciting challenge for the local Futsal Champions.

Mark Borg, tournament director, told reporters yesterday that the hosting of such a prestigIous tournament marks yet another important milestone in the club’s success this year after having won the local Futsal Championship, the Melita Award for Futsal Player of the Year (Florin Anton), the MFA Futsal Player of the Year (Florin Anton) and set up the first ever Futsal School in Malta.

ZC Excess Futsal is preparing hard both administratively as well as technically in order to ensure that the tournament is a success both for the club and for Malta.

The team is already training under the leadership of club president Edward Psaila and player/coach Florin Anton at the Cottonera Sports Complex, which for the first time will be the venue for an international futsal competition after a positive initiative taken by KMS (Kunsill Malti ghall-isports).

The club thanked KMS for their continuous support, as well the local organising committee for their indispensable work and national futsal team coach Vic Hermans, who continuously endeavours to promote futsal in Malta.

The latter said he was pleased to be working in Malta after his stints with the Netherlands and Ireland. He said the game is growing past and now 50 countries are involved in Europe. “This tournament will definitely be a promotion for the game and the country,” he added.

Edward Psaila, club president, said that winning the title last season was a dream come true as was the organisation of this tournament locally.

Asked about the prospects of the side in the tournament, he said the main aim was to cut a good figure.

He also presented Hermans with a token from the club in appreciation for what he was doing in the interest of futsal in Malta.

Parliamentary Secretary for Sport Clyde Puli said he is aware of the growing popularity of futsal in Malta. He also said that he was pleased to note that UEFA had given the go-ahead for the tournament to be staged at the Cottonera Sports Complex.

He added that the modifications made at that complex will be permanent as the venue will be hosting league matches as well as from next season.


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