Courtesy: Airtricity League


Blue Magic 2 EID Futsal 3

Saturday, 09 April 2011

EID FUTSAL came back from 2-0 down to claim the FAI Futsal Cup in a thrilling final at Gormanston College.

Blue Magic got off to a flyer when Moldovan star Sergei Musteata found the EID net with a powerful strike after just two minutes following good work by Bartosz Paskiewicz.

Mariusz Jablonski was denied a second goal by a dramatic save by EID keeper Eduardo Maria in the fifth minute as the game began at a remarkably high tempo.

After weathering a storm of EID pressure, Blue Magic then extended their lead in the ninth minute when Irish international Lloyd Massey tapped home following great work by Jackson Alexandre.

Goalkeeper Rafal Wirkus made a number of important stops to keep Blue Magic in control as the half wore on with Hygo Cesar, Rodrigo De Melo and Badr Bouznig.

Irish international Ross Zambra was unlucky not to pull one back for EID when he fired narrowly wide with a long distance strike in the 13th minute.

Wirkus made a stunning save to deny Cesar in the 15th minute when he bravely threw himself at the Braszilian’s feet when a goal seemed certain.

Blue Magic had a golden chance to make it 3-0 three minutes before the break when they launched a lightening counter attack but Artur Opeldus poked narrowly with just the keeper to beat.

Wirkus, who was player of the tournament in 2010, made two more top class saves to deny Bouznig and then Rafael Soto before the break.

Leading scorer Bartosz Paskiewicz might have put further daylight between the sides with ten seconds left on the clock in the first half but he shot into the side-netting.

Two minutes into the second half Wirkus showed his quality again when he denied Helio Neto in one-v-one situation.

EID got themselves back in the game in the 23rd minute when Zambra found the net with a crisp drive after a tapped free-kick by De Melo.

Jablonski was unfortunate not to respond immediately for Blue Magic when he burst through on goal only to see keeper Eduardo Maria dive bravely at his feet to save.

Diego Oliveira should have levelled matters in the 25th minute when he was sent through by De Melo but he somehow screwed his shot wide with just Wirkus to beat.

Wirkus deniued Oliveira twice more and De Melo too as the EID onslaught on the Blue Magic goal continued.

Blue Magic had another chance to restore their advantage in the 28th minute when Opeldus forced a save from Maria with a free-kick then Massey’s follow-up from the rebound struck a defender and the keeper had to react sharply to keep it out.

Cesar forced another save from WIrkus in the 31st minute but he was powerless to prevent Bouznig snatching the equaliser with a poked effort 30 seconds later after a quick counter from EID.

De Melo then put his side in front in the 34th minute after catching the Blue Magic defence on the break and producing a clever dinked finish to beat Wirkus.

BLUE MAGIC: 20 Rafal Wirkus; 14 Artur Opeldus, 19 Bartosz Paskiewicz, 3 Marcin Fornal, 17 Mariusz Jablonski, 21 Mark Behan, 4 Jackson Alexandre, 11 Wojciech Korzan, 13 Sergei Musteata, 8 Alexandru Gutu, 18 Adam Kowaluk, 2 Lloyd Massey.

EID Futsal: 1 Marcelo Silva; 2 Diego Oliveira, 3 Rafael Soto, 5 Hiago Frietas, 6 Rodrigo De Melo, 8 Helio Neto, 9 Hygo Cesar, 10 Leandro Maia, 11 Isiais Lima, 12 Ross Zambra, 14 Badr Bouznig, 16 Eduardo Maria.












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