Courtesy: UEFA.com


Marca beat Sporting on penalties for bronze

Marca came back from two goals down to lead and then took third place on penalties.

Marca Futsal 3-3 Sporting Clube de Portugal (Marca win 4-3 on pens)

Sunday 29 April 2012

by Paul Saffer from Pavelló Barris Nord

Marca Futsal ended their debut UEFA Futsal Cup campaign on a high after a penalty shoot-out win earned them third place against Sporting Clube de Portugal in Lleida.

Having been knocked out 5-1 by hosts FC Barcelona on Friday, Sporting were two up early on thanks to a pair of Leitão strikes. Papù soon pulled one back, though, and having levelled before the break, Adriano Foglia – who won this tournament last year with ASD Città di Montesilvano C/5 – scored again late on. Pedro Cary equalised for Sporting to take the game to spot kicks, yet it was Duarte who hit the winning penalty for Marca.

Sporting took the initiative in the fifth minute when Pedro Cary slipped the ball right for Leitão to lash in, and 11 seconds later the pair combined again in identical fashion to make it 2-0. Marca hit back when Wilhelm's effort was saved by Cristiano, replacing João Benedito in the Sporting goal, only for the ball to be charged down by Papù and deflected in.

Caio was denied by a smart stop from Marca keeper Gabriel Miraglia, and the Italian side were soon level thanks to a clever, flicked back-heel from Foglia. Cristiano did well to keep out Jonas Pinto as Marca pushed late in the half and, early in the second period, he excelled again to acrobatically stop a lob by Wilhelm from deep in his own half.

Last season's runners-up Sporting were mostly on the defensive, but Alex let fly from a corner move to test Miraglia and Djo also went close after a jinking run. Cristiano stopped a Chilavert header from point-blank range, yet with five minutes left he was powerless as Jeffe and Patrick Nora combined to set up Foglia for a confident finish.

With Alex on as flying goalkeeper, Nora hit the bar from inside the Marca half. Pedro Cary shot over from close range at the other end and then equalised to force penalties soon after, only for Marca to prevail 4-3.




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