Futsal Planet

Syria vs Greece

OFFICIAL MATCH REPORT

by James Stringer from Tripoli

Syria suffered heartbreak today as they looked to win their first ever game of Futsal or even register a point when they took on Greece today. They started emphatically well as Estanbolli Mohamad converted the first goal of the match leaving Achis Christos helpless. Greece replied almost instantly smashing an effort against the post but Syria held firm and began to pass the ball around, something that they missed doing against Libya in the opening game.

After the goal Greece came to life and Artinos Panagiotis greece had a shot that zipped past the right hand post. Greece again started testing the Syrian keeper but couldn’t find a way past him. A glorious sliding challenge from Al Daher Hasan stopped another greek attack as they started to impose themselves on the game. Delaportas Ionnis had a shot saved by the keeper and Gkritzalis P. Sptrdion E had a fantastic shot which drifted just wide of the right hand post.
Kaddour Yaser was on hand to shoot for Syria but a fantastic goal line clearance from Kouvaras Eleftherios kept the score in Syria’s favour. Greece were pressing more and more with Troulitakis Marios hitting the post from the left hand side and Artinos Panagiotis having a shot blocked by a Syrian defender.

Greece then missed a glorious chance to draw level through Kouvaras Eleftherios. He hit a shot straight at the Marouf Nassem but the keeper spilled it in front of Delaportas Ioannis who couldn’t connect. Estanbolli Mohamad then went on a counter attack, he manages to hit it past the onrushing Achis Christos but just wide of the goal. Syria began to grow with the game and Al Najar Abd Albaset was unlcky not to increase the lead when he had a shot saved by Achis Christos.

Syria may rue those missed chances as Greece got back into the game through Gkritzalis P. Spyrdion E. The Greek had a shot that was parried only as far as Kouvaras Eleftherios who slammed it into the back of the net 1-1. That goal spurred Greece on as Raptis Dimos Dimitrios’ cracking shot needed a cracking one handed save to divert it for a corner. Artinos Panagiotis fired it across the box but nobody was there to collect it. A nice move created a corner to Greece with Artinos Panagiotis feeding the ball to Troulitakis Marios who decided to volley it goalwards only for Marouf Nassem to make the save.

Greece were then awarded a 10m penalty, Manos Antonios stepped up and scored under the keeper to the right of the goal, harsh but it was one of those games littered with fouls and only a mater of time before penalties were on show. Within seconds Greece were awarded another 10m penalty, Manos Antonios stepped up confidently and put it wide of the left hand post.
Next it was Syria who got involved with the penalties and this time Syria Kataya Mohammad stepped up to the 10m spot, he hits it straight at the keeper and Greece clear their lines. Shortly after Estanbolli Mohamad scored after a lay off from Kataya Mohammad on the left. He skips around a greek player and slams the ball into an empty net.

Artinos Panagiotis fires wide of the target for Greece before Kaddour Yaser had a shot from distance which was well saved by the Greek keeper. Syria were then issued with their second 10m penalty of the game, Kaddour Yaser decided to take it and he hit’s it to the right of the keeper only to see the ball diverted onto the post with his right leg. Al Najar Abd Albaset fired wide of the left hand post for Syria as the half came to an end.

Syria came out for the second half exactly as they had come out for the first half and quickly had greece on the back foot as Kataya Mohammad fired wide after the restart. Greece responded with an effort from Delaportas Ioannis who knocked the ball over the bar.
Greece then had Raptis Dimos Dimitrios knock the ball wide with the goal at his mercy before Artinos Panagiotis scored a scorcher through a sea of player for Greece. Kouvaras Eleftherios had a shot deflected just wide by Syria and Manos Antonios fired high and wide once through on goal. Kouvaras Eleftherios then received a yellow card for persistent fouling.

Some good pressure from Syria saw Kaddour Yaser miss just left of goal, before Al Masalmeh Ezat scored a shot under the keeper from range. Achis Christos watched in agony as it trickled into the net, the place erupts, every Syrian player joins in the celebration, you can see what this means to them, 3-3

The game suddenly opened up with chances falling at both ends. Estanbolli Mohamad shot into the side netting for Syria before Manos Antonios takes a great shot and the save from Marouf Nassem matched it. Then a break down the left made it’s way to Delaportas Ioannis and he fired it into the bottom right hand side of the net to send despair through the Syrian team. In a frantic finish Syria smashed a shot off the post, Greece hit the bar and with seconds ticking down, Syria have a goalmouth scramble in the greek goal but as time ran out and the buzzer sounded, it was Greece who were dancing around in jubulation. No wins in 16 for Syria but they came very close here tonight.

MVP Estanbolli Mohamad said “We played well, we are all disappointed but we will now look forward to the next match”.

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