Futsal Planet

Syria vs Cyprus

OFFICIAL MATCH REPORT

by James Stringer from Tripoli

Syria and Cyprus faced each other days after beating Malta and Palestine respectively, the latter via a penalty shoot out. Both teams started brightly and Cyprus welcomed back Manoli Manolis for this game. He had previously sat out the last game recovering from an injury but was on the bench as Syria took the lead. After a prolonged period of possession for Syria it was eventually Faouall Mostafa who found the net to give them the lead.

Syria started to press further forward and were unlucky not to add to their opener when Estanbolli Mohamad looked to connect at the far post but the ball just evaded him. Cyprus were also having chances, hitting the post before Papadopoulos Iakovos drew the keeper from his line and fired a shot straight across the goal. Loucas Siikis gives Estanbolli Mohamad a chance when he handles the ball in the box. He was shown a yellow card but Estanbolli Mohamad’s penalty was saved by Odisseos Odisseas. Cyprus equalized shortly after when Papadopoulos Iakovos received a long ball from Odisseos Odisseas and he skipped past his defender to place the ball into the far corner.

Al Najar Abd Albaset and Estanbolli Mohamad both have chances against Odisseos Odisseas but the keeper pulls off some amazing saves before the latter scored a powerful effort into the net from range to give Syria the lead again. Cyprus hit back straight away as Captain fantastic Chrysostomou Chrysostomos somehow gets an effort into the net from close range.

It has to be said that defence just wasn’t on either teams mind as goals flew in before half time. Estanbolli Mohamad fired in the first before Papadopoulos Iakovos leveled things instantly for Cyprus. It was then time for Captain fantastic for Syria to score as Faouall Mostafa banged one in and Manoli Manolis converted a penalty to level things up. It hit the bar and cbounced back out and after the referee’s thought about it for a while, they eventually gave it to make it all square at the break.

Cyprus started the second have brightly and when Papadopoulos Iakovos sprinted through with only the keeper to beat you just expected the net to bulge, but a great save from the keeper denied him. They were left to rue that chance as Al Masalmeh Ezat converted a lovely flowing move to restore Syria’s lead. Odisseos Odisseas had to be on form moments later as he pulled off some amazing saves as Syria broke 4 on 0. How it didn’t go in I just don’t know, it was some fantastic goal keeping by the Cypriot. He could do nothing about Syria’s next goal as they broke quickly and shot against Odisseos Odisseas only for it to come to Kaddour Yaser to fire it off the post and into the net.

The game started to get a bit reckless and fouls were flying in all over the place but there was also a ot of simulation and it was Kataya Mohammad who was the unlucky player to bear the brunt of some other players on the pitch.

Papadopoulos Iakovos should have done better with a chance later on as he missed a chance to pull a goal back and Captain fantastic missed a glorious chance at the back post. A goal was coming and it was left to Papadopoulos Iakovos who turned in after a cross to the far post left the keeper helpless. The keeper was at fault for their next goal as well as he fumbled a shot straight into Christodoulou Christos who had the simple task of hammering it home. He missed a penalty in the closing moemnts and Syria hammered it against the post before having to run back and clear a shot off the line. It really was end to end stuff and in the end it had to be sorted out with penalties.

Syria won the penalty shoot out with Estanbolli Mohamad our Most Valuable Player, he said “We are ecstatic about finishing 14th, it was a tough game but we held our nerve in the shoot out, I am so happy”

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