Courtesy: UEFA.com


Russia seek swift progress at Turkey's expense

Russia begin their Group C campaign against Turkey on Friday knowing a win will eliminate their opponents and book a last-eight berth as they start their bid to reach a fourth final.

Thursday 2 February 2012

by Wayne Harrison & Dmitrijs Slotins from Split

Winners of the UEFA European Futsal Championship in 1999, Russia have arrived in Croatia knowing that victory against Turkey in their Group C opener will send them into the last eight with the luxury of a match to spare.

Sergei Skorovich's squad are the penultimate team to get their campaign under way − Serbia begin after them in Zagreb on Friday − and only flew into the country on Wednesday. Having watched much of the action from afar, Russia are stepping up their preparations for a Split date with Turkey, who acquitted themselves well in losing 3-1 to Italy in their finals debut.

"Turkey have a new and young team," Skorovich told UEFA.com. "They are taking their first steps, but that doesn't mean we can afford not to take them seriously. We've seen them in action and we know they are capable of creating a lot of problems for their opponents."

Italy will certainly vouch for that, having fallen behind inside two minutes to Ömer Kaner's charges on Wednesday. Russia, however, enter this tournament as one of the form sides − they finished runners-up at the prestigious Grand Prix in Brazil last autumn and have won seven of their last eight games.

"I have a lot of respect for all the teams," added Skorovich, who in December relinquished control of 2008 UEFA Futsal Cup winners MFK Sinara Ekaterinburg in order to focus solely on national team affairs. "We're on a good run of results at the moment and last year we even managed to beat Brazil [3-1 in a home friendly]. We're in high spirits and want to win medals, but no one can predict who is going to do so in the end."

For Turkey the equation is simple: defeat and they are out, leaving Russia to face Italy on Sunday to decide who tops the section. Kaner said: "We have nothing to lose, it's our first European Championship after all − it's very exciting for us."

The former Fenerbahçe SK striker made a concerted effort in his post-match press conference to stress that he did not order his team to just defend. Italy's concerted response after falling behind, he said, forced his side on to the back foot.

Kaner expects things to be different on Friday. "Maybe we won't have to defend as much, so my players can show their qualities in the second game," he added. "I hope it will be good for us."



Courtesy: UEFA.com


Do or die for Azerbaijan and Serbia

Serbia captain Bojan Pavicevic said that facing "Azerbaijan is like a final" as the teams meet in Zagreb on Friday with one likely to miss out on the knockout phase from Group D.

Thursday 2 February 2012

by Paul Saffer & Nuno Tavares from Zagreb

Azerbaijan finished fourth at UEFA Futsal EURO 2010 and Serbia reached the quarter-finals, but one will probably be headed for an early exit after Friday's Group D encounter in Zagreb.

While Serbia are starting their campaign, Azerbaijan lost 4-1 to Portugal on Wednesday and a second defeat would spell the end for a side who lit up the last final tournament on their debut. Serbia would certainly like to be through with a win before ending the group against Portugal, and coach Aca Kovacevic − without the absent Marko Peric − knows how vital the Azerbaijan game will be.

"This is our third straight Futsal EURO finals," Kovacevic said. "Our group is very hard, very tight and the game against Azerbaijan is the most important. If we win it will open the door to the quarter-finals."

Captain Bojan Pavicevic concurs. "Right now the game against Azerbaijan is like a final, it is the most important game for us and we have focused on it like a final," he said. "They are a good team, very strong, but we can win."

This is probably the toughest of the groups and that was proved by Azerbaijan's opening assignment, a high-tempo encounter where Portugal's superior finishing was decisive. Azerbaijan coach Alecio said: "I hope we can maintain the standard in our next match against Serbia so we can win and qualify for the next stage. I'm confident about that and if we are able to improve on certain aspects of our game we will succeed."

The top scorer in the main round of qualifying, Serjão, drew a blank on Wednesday, much to the disappointment of the Zagreb fans who, just like those in Hungary two years ago, have taken to the charismatic Azerbaijan pivot. "From what I saw in the last tournament Serbia have a very good team," he told UEFA.com.

"They are physically very strong but we have to worry about our own game. We will play to win so we can continue our campaign. Maybe we are not as strong as in 2010 but if that's the case then it has to do with the fact that our players are no longer playing for just one club [Serjão's former team, the Alecio-coached Araz Naxçivan].

"Some have moved away since the last tournament and that means we don't have the same connection as before, but I'm sure we will improve for our next game."



Courtesy: UEFA.com


Cary predicts tough run for Portugal

Portugal have started the finals in far better shape than when they finished runners-up two years ago but Pedro Cary believes their route from here on in will be much tougher.

Friday 3 February 2012

by Nuno Tavares from Zagreb

Portugal's 4-1 defeat of Azerbaijan in their UEFA Futsal EURO 2012 Group D debut on Wednesday showed how determined Jorge Braz's men are to go one better than when they lost the final two years ago to Spain.

They never looked back after scoring two early goals in the Arena Zagreb and could well be through to the quarter-finals before Sunday's game against Serbia should Aca Kovacevic's side not lose to Azerbaijan tonight. That would be in contrast to 2010, when Portugal only scraped through the group stage on goal difference after drawing with Belarus and losing to Spain, but defender Pedro Cary knows their potential route if they make the knockouts will be much trickier this time.

"This will be a very different European Championship for us because if we get through the group stage then we will meet tough opponents," Cary told UEFA.com. "We want to finish top of our group but we already know that we will probably have to face Russia or Italy in the quarter-finals, not to mention the fact that we will have Spain waiting for us in the semi-finals. It will be the opposite of 2010, when we faced a good but somewhat inexperienced Serbian team and then Azerbaijan, who had just arrived at the highest level."

Cary's side are unbeaten in their last 19 matches, a run which includes two draws against Spain and another pair against Italy, and seem up for the job following their convincing opening display. "On Thursday we had a meeting and we mentioned the fact we had never beaten Azerbaijan and we had never even won on our debut in a European Championship," the Sporting Clube de Portugal player said. "Those are positive points for us. Our responsibility in this tournament is huge but I do believe that will only benefit our growth as players."

Coach Braz said Portugal's organisation was the difference against Azerbaijan and Cary could not agree more, while also adding another crucial ingredient for their success. "We kept our concentration for the entire game and that is often the key to victory," the 27-year-old said. "We were organised and we want to stay on that path.

"We are one of the best teams in the world and it is our job to train and play the best we can so we can please those who like to see us play. We will try to do just that against Serbia on Sunday but I'm sure it will be a difficult match. They have a lot of individual quality, even more than Azerbaijan. It won't be easy to stop them but I'm sure we will succeed and hopefully with another good display."




Courtesy: UEFA.com


'Lethal' Ukraine worry Spain

Spain coach José Venancio López described Ukraine's opening display as "lethal" ahead of Saturday's encounter to decide which of the confirmed quarter-finalists will win Group B.

Friday 3 February 2012

by Paul Saffer & Gonzalo Aguado from Zagreb

Ukraine and Spain meet on Saturday in Zagreb with their progress from UEFA Futsal EURO 2012 Group B assured − but that does not mean nothing is at stake.

Spain opened with a 4-2 success against Slovenia, who were then defeated 6-3 by Ukraine, who lead the holders on goal difference. The section winners will remain in Zagreb for Monday's last-eight tie rather than switch to Split, as well as gaining the psychological edge should these sides be destined to meet again in the final a week hence.

Gennadiy Lysenchuk has lost all nine of his encounters with Spain as Ukraine coach, including the 2001 final to a golden goal, and while the five-time champions were below par in their first outing, he warned: "The Slovenia game was not the most important of the tournament for Spain's players or their coach. The Spain coach has prepared the team to get better and better from game to game. There are some young players now in the Spain squad but they are the strongest team in this tournament.

"I hope we will play Spain twice in this tournament: on Saturday and in the final. Of course we would like to win, and if we beat them twice we would be very happy," added Lysenchuk, clear which of the Group A teams he does not want in the quarter-finals. "We would like to play Romania or the Czech Republic, as Croatia will have big support. We played Croatia in Baku [in FIFA Futsal World Cup qualifying in December], it was a difficult game."

Having had the chance to watch Ukraine's impressive display in eliminating Slovenia, a result that took his own side and Ukraine through, Spain coach José Venancio López told UEFA.com: "Ukraine played magnificently, particularly in the first half. They defended very well and pressed high up and recovered a lot of possession in order to break out quickly in the transition. It was lethal."

Describing Ukraine as "the best" when it comes to transition play, Venancio López says Spain will still look to "take the initiative and put on a show", while confirming that Álvaro could return having been rested as a precaution on Tuesday.

"As the tournament progresses the players are becoming even more focused," he added. "Wednesday's training session confirmed to me that we are gradually getting better and better. For us, this is the important week of the championship. We expect to play four games in seven days and this is when you have to show your worth."



Courtesy: UEFA.com


World Cup exit focuses Croatia minds

Croatia's Mato Stankovic will ask his side to remember their recent FIFA World Cup exit when they face their Czech nemesis, who need a two-goal win to pip the hosts to the quarters.

Friday 3 February 2012

by Wayne Harrison from Split

Croatia coach Mato Stankovic has warned his side against complacency when they face the Czech Republic, their old nemesis, in a contest for the remaining qualification place from UEFA Futsal EURO 2012 Group A alongside Romania.

The odds are stacked in the hosts' favour following their 2-1 defeat of Romania on opening night and the latter's 3-1 victory against the Czechs on Thursday. That means the 2010 bronze-medallists must beat Croatia by two goals or more to progress at their expense for the third time in four Futsal EUROs and deflate the hopes of supporters who are again expected to pack the Spaladium Arena in Split.

Stankovic, however, knows from recent experience that winning the first fixture in a group does not guarantee success: in December his side started their FIFA Futsal World Cup main round campaign by overcoming Azerbaijan but were denied a play-off place by one goal in a three-way head-to-head tie-breaker despite prevailing 4-1 against the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in their last game.

Asked if it will be important to keep his players grounded following the euphoria of Tuesday, when a tournament-record crowd of 8,000 turned up, he said: "Of course, because during World Cup qualification we faced the same situation. We won our first match against Azerbaijan and we thought we'd progress, but then we lost to Ukraine and everything went wrong. That's a sign we must be careful going into our next game."

In the countries' last encounter, Croatia missed out on the 2010 finals with a 3-2 Czech win in Ostrava that came through two last-gasp goals either side of an Ivo Jukic red card. The Czechs also won decisive qualifiers against Croatia in 2007 – in Split – and 2003, and goalkeeper Jukic said: "We're looking forward to the Czech Republic. We have some 'issues' with them from matches in the last few years and we believe we can beat them."

Disconsolate in his post-match press conference on Thursday, Czech coach Tomas Neumann knows there is "a lot of work ahead" if he and his charges are not to make an early exit. "We have two days to prepare and we'll try to win by that [two-goal] margin," he said. Far from fearing that his players might be overawed by the weight of support in the arena, Neumann wants them to use it as a source of inspiration. "I like the big atmosphere − I hope the players do and it makes them play better."




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