Futsal/Indoor Soccer World News
February 6, 2002

News and information on Futsal/Indoor Soccer from around the world


EUROPE

FIFA'S VICTOR BECEIRO TO ATTEND IRELAND'S INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT
Victor Beceiro of FIFA's Futsal and Beach Soccer Technical
Department will be in attendance at Ireland's Invitational
Futsal Tournament at St. Columbia College in Dublin on
Feb. 9. One of the most recognized people in the world
of futsal, the native of Barcelona, Spain will travel to
Dublin in a personal capacity as Beceiro makes his bid to
help spread the game to the western part of Europe. The
invitational tournament will feature six teams divided
into two groups of three. Group A will be composed of
the Futsal National Teams' of Northern Ireland, Scotland
and Ireland's Selection "A," while Group B has Belgium
club Dynamic Houthalen, Birkenhead club Tranmere Victoria
and Ireland's Selection "B." For more information check
Futsal Ireland's website at www.futsalireland.com.

Ireland's International Futsal Tournament 2002

Group A
Ireland-A
Northern Ireland
Scotland

Group B
Ireland-B
Tranmere Victoria
Dynamic Houthalen

Feb. 9 (Local Time Kickoff)
Ireland-A vs. Scotland 1 p.m.
Ireland-B vs. Tranmere Victoria 1:40 p.m.
Ireland-A vs. Northern Ireland 2:20 p.m.
Ireland-B vs. Dynamic Houthalen 3 p.m.
Scotland vs. Northern Ireland 3:40 p.m.
Dynamic Houthalen vs. Tranmere Victoria 4:20 p.m.

Semi-final - Winners A v Runners-up B 5 p.m.
Semi-final - Winner B v Runner-up A 5:40 p.m.

Third-Place - Semifinals Losers 6:20 p.m.
Final - Semifinal Winners 7 p.m.

VALENCIA VIJUSA CAPTURES XIII COPA DE ESPAÑA
Valencia Vijusa captured the 2002 Copa de España with
a thrilling 6-5 victory over El Pozo Murcia in front
of 7,000 spectators at the Pabellón Fuente de San Luis
in Valencia, Spain on Feb. 3. The XIII edition of
single-elimination futsal club tournament began on
Jan. 30, with two first round matches as El Pozo Murcia
knocked off the 2001 Copa de España Champion Antena 3
Boomerang 3-2 in the opener, while Caja Segovia defeated
MRA Ingeteam Xota 2-1 in the nightcap. The opening
round concluded the next day (Jan. 31) with Playas de
Castellón topping Miró Martorell 6-5 in the first game
and then the host Valencia Vijusa posted a 6-5 overtime
win against Carnicer Fiat Torrejón in the second match.
The semifinals saw El Pozo Murcia defeat Caja Segovia
5-2 in game one on Feb. 1, then Valencia Vijusa scored
a 4-2 win over Playas de Castellón in the second match
the following day (Feb. 2). With just seconds remaining
and the score tied at 5-5 in the championship match,
forward Isco tallied the game-winner for Valencia Vijusa.

Copa de España 2002 - Valencia, Spain
First Round
Jan. 30
El Pozo Murcia 3, Antena 3 Boomerang 2
Caja Segovia 2, MRA Ingeteam Xota 1

Jan. 31
Valencia Vijusa 3, Carnicer Fiat Torrejón 2 (OT)
Playas de Castellón 6, Miró Martorell 5

Semifinals
Feb. 1
El Pozo Murcia 5, Caja Segovia 2

Feb. 2
Valencia Vijusa 4, Playas de Castellón 2

Final
Feb. 3
Valencia Vijusa 6, El Pozo Murcia 5

USA

SERVINO APPOINTED TO 2002 FIFA WORLD CUP DELEGATION
U.S. Futsal Referee Carlo Servino was appointed one of
30 members of 10 different CONCACAF countries to the
official FIFA delegation for the 2002 FIFA World Cup
Korea/Japan. The 40-year-old was named Coordinator to
the 2002 FIFA World Cup Referees Committee, which also
has Edgardo Codesal of Mexico as a member. A native of
Tiburon, Calif., Servino was one of two officials to
referee the finals between Spain and Brazil at the 2000
FIFA Futsal World Championship in Guatemala. For more
information on the 30-member CONCACAF official appointed
to the 2002 FIFA World Cup check the CONCACAF website at www.concacaf.com.

LOS ANGELES GALAXY ACQUIRE GUATEMALAN STRIKER
The Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer (MLS)
acquired on Feb. 5, Guatemalan striker Carlos Ruiz as a
2002 Discovery Player. No financial terms of the MLS
contract were announced. Known as "The Little Fish"
(Pescadito), Ruiz has 12 goals in 24 international
appearances for Guatemala Men's National Soccer Team.
Ruiz was also a member of the Futsal Team at the 2000
FIFA World Championship in Guatemala.

WAVE WIN SEVEN STRAIGHT AND COMMANDS TOP SPOT IN
2001-02 MISL STANDINGS
The Milwaukee Wave (20-5) won their seventh consecutive
game and commands the top spot in the 2001-02 Major
Indoor Soccer League (MISL) standings after a 16-11
victory over the host Baltimore Blast (12-12) on Feb.
1. Prior to the match-up, the Wave posted a 14-6 win
over the visiting Philadelphia Kixx (15-9) on Jan. 31.
The Blast rebounded from the Wave's defeat with a 13-11
home-victory over the Harrisburg Heat (7-17) on Feb. 2.
In other MISL matches, the Cleveland Crunch (7-18) earned
a two-game split at home as the visiting Heat dropped
an 11-4 decision to the Crunch on Feb. 1, but two days
later (Feb. 3) the Kansas City Comets (12-12) squeezed
out a 20-19 win. The Kixx rounded out the MISL games
with a 12-10 overtime win over the host Crunch on Feb.
5. For more information, check the MISL website at
www.misl.net.

MEMBERS OF U.S. PLAYER POOL IN MISL ACTION
Baltimore Blast - Forwards Giuliando Celenza (0 caps)
and Tarik Walker (0 caps) each scored twice, while
teammate Lee Tschantret (6 goals, 10 caps) added two
assists in Baltimore's 16-11 lost to Milwaukee on Feb.
1. Midfielder Denison Cabral (0 caps) notched two goals,
while Celenza and Walker each had a tally in the 13-11
victory over Harrisburg. Tschantret added a goal and
two assists, while goalkeeper Scott Hileman (0 caps)
made 11 saves in the win over Baltimore. Cleveland
Crunch - Goalkeeper Otto Orf (8 caps) had 11 saves in
Cleveland's 11-4 victory over Harrisburg on Feb. 1.
Two goals by forward Steve Butcher (0 caps), a tally
by midfielder Temoc Suarez (1 goal, 7 caps) and 17
saves by Orf wasn't enough as Cleveland dropped a
heartbreaking 20-19 decision to Kansas City on Feb. 3.
Butcher notched a hat-trick in the 12-10 overtime
defeat against Philadelphia on Feb. 5. Harrisburg
Heat - Goalkeeper Doug Petras made 15 saves in the
11-4 loss to Cleveland on Feb. 1. Petras added another
11 stops in the 13-11 loss against Baltimore on Feb. 2.
Kansas City Comets - Forward Nino DaSilva (0 caps)
notched two goals to lead Kansas City to a thrilling
20-19 victory against Cleveland on Feb. 3. Milwaukee
Wave - Forward Joe Reiniger had two goals and dished
out two assists to lead Milwaukee to a 14-6 win over
Philadelphia on Jan. 31. Forwards Todd Dusosky (1 goal,
5 caps) and Brian Loftin (5 goals, 12 caps) each added
a tally, while goalkeeper Victor Nogueira had 11 saves
in the win. Dusosky scored two goals, while Loftin and
forward Greg Howes (0 caps) each added another in the
16-11 victory over Baltimore on Feb. 1. Philadelphia
Kixx - Defender Pat Morris (0 caps) had two goals,
while midfielder Gary DePalma added another to pace
Philadelphia to a 12-10 overtime victory over Cleveland
on Feb. 5. Forward Don D'Ambra (0 caps) scored a goal
with three assists, while player/coach Omid Namazi
(0 caps) dished out three more assists in the win from
Philadelphia.

SIX FORMER FUTSAL PLAYERS ARE NAMED TO 2002 ALL-STAR
LEGENDS ROSTER
The MISL released the 2002 all-star rosters for the
MISL Legend's Game that is scheduled for Feb. 17 at
the Gund Arena in Cleveland, Ohio just prior to the
league's annual all-star game. The match-up will
feature the Cleveland Force Team taking on the MISL
Legends squad. Of the 39 veterans of the past MISL
era, six were members of the U.S. Futsal National Team.
For the entire 2002 MISL Legend's Game Rosters check
ww.misl.net.

(#) Former U.S. Futsal Players
MISL Legends (5)
Defenders:
Fernando Clavijo - Current Head Coach of the Major
League Soccer's New England Revolution … A member of
the silver medal USA team at the 1992 FIFA World
Championship in Hong Kong … Notched two goals in eight
international appearances.

Doc Lawson - A member of the bronze medal U.S. squad
at the 1989 FIFA World Championship in Holland … Played
eight international games and had one tally.

Keith Tozer - Doubles as the Head Coach of the MISL's
Milwaukee Wave and U.S. Futsal National Team … Captained
the first-ever American squad that competed at the 1986
FIFA Indoor Tournament in Budapest, Hungary … Had five
caps and three goals for the USA.

Forwards:
Zoran Savic - Currently at helm with the Kansas City
Comets of the MISL … Tied for seventh in the all-time
U.S. scoring list with seven goals … Made nine
international appearances for the Americans from
1986-87.

Kia Zolgharnain - Played in five games and scored two
goals for the USA at the 1995 Joao Havelange Mundialito
in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Cleveland Force (1)
Defender:
Walter Schlothauer - One of the members of the first
American squad in 1986 … Saw action in five games and
had one goal for the USA at the 1986 FIFA Indoor
Tournament in Hungary.

FORMER FUTSAL DEFENDER SCORES IN 2002 CONCACAF GOLD CUP FINAL
Defender Jeff Agoos scored on a 25-yard free kick from
the top of the penalty area for the second tally in the
U.S. Men's National Soccer Team's 2-0 blanking of Costa
Rica in the 2002 Football Confederation (CONCACAF) Gold
Cup Final in Pasadena, Calif. on Feb. 2. The victory
gave the Americans their first Gold Cup title since 1991.
Agoos, who was also named to the 2002 Gold Cup "Best XI,"
was a member of the silver medal winning U.S. Futsal
National Team at the 1992 FIFA World Championship in
Hong Kong.

BEACH SOCCER

SPAIN TO HOST 2002 EUROPEAN PRO BEACH CHAMPIONSHIP
The IV European Pro Beach Championship will be held
in Barcelona, Spain from Feb. 15-17. The 2002 event
will take place during Barcelona International Football
Fair "PLANET FUTBOL" in Montjuic Park and will feature
the Beach Soccer Teams of the host Spain along with
England, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Portugal
and Switzerland.




Information was researched and compiled by Steven Torres,
who is currently the Public Relations Coordinator/Futsal
Press Officer at the United States Soccer Federation.

Futsal is a sport that is a derivative of soccer and
played with five-man teams on a basketball style court,
with no walls and a low bouncing ball, unlike the
traditional sport of U.S. indoor soccer played with
six-man squads and walls. Great soccer superstars such
as Pele, Zico, Ronaldo and Diego Maradona grew up playing
the game and credit Futsal with developing their skills.
FUTSAL® is a registered trademark of the United States
Futsal Federation.