Courtesy: UEFA.com

Spanish sides set the pace

Wednesday, 7 July 2004

By Paul Saffer

Maybe it is unsurprising, given their status as reigning world champion nation, that Spain has monopolised the three-year-old UEFA Futsal Cup.

Opening win

It is a side not competing for the first time in 2004/05 that won the opening two titles - Playas de Castellón FS. But it was their eventual victims in both those finals, Action 21 Charleroi of Belgium, who won the inaugural match in the competition on 8 October 2001, beating Czech champions Pramen Havlickuv Brod 7-3 of their way to clinching qualifying round Group 1. The first two goals of the tournament were scored by a Spaniard, Charleroi's Pedro Medina de Carvalho.

Lisbon tournament

The eight qualifying group winners - Charleroi, Castellón, AS Roma, MNK Split, Poland's Clearex Chorzów, Sporting Clube de Portugal, Bosnia-Herzegovina's MNK Kaskada Gracanica and CSÖ-Montage Budapest FC - progressed to a national team-style final tournament at Lisbon's Pavilhão Atlántico. With the top two from each pool of four progressing to the semi-finals. Split and Sporting pipped Roma and Gracanica in Group A. In Group B, Castellón and Charleroi overcame Budapest and Chorzów.

Castellón joy

Both semi-finals were clear-cut affairs. Castellón beat Sporting 4-0 while Charleroi defeated Split 7-3. Four days before the final, the Spanish title-holders had overcome their Belgian rivals 3-1 in a group game. In the decider, Castellón again prevailed, winning 5-1.

Numbers rise

With the competition now established, the number of entrants the following season rose from 27 to 30. Again there were eight qualifying groups, with Castellón, Charleroi and Split joined this time by new Spanish champions Boomerang Interviú FS, Russia's Norilsky Nickel, Italy's Prato C/5, Ukraine's Shakhtar Donetsk and KMF Niš of Serbia and Montenegro, However, now the two four-team groups were held in separate venues, and only the pool winners would advance to a two-legged final.

Final rematch

It seemed Boomerang had beaten hosts Charleroi to win Group A thanks to an 8-5 victory. But in their final group game against Nickel, Boomerang fielded an ineligible player - an 11-3 win therefore became a 3-0 loss and Charleroi progressed on goal difference. Castellón ensured a rematch of the first final, beating hosts Prato, Shakhtar and Niš to win Group B.

Successful defence

Castellón's 100 per cent winning record in the competition ended in the first leg of the final, as home side Charleroi held them 1-1. The second leg was a thriller, Castellón prevailing 5-3 to win 6-4 on aggregate after several twists and turns.

New faces

By last season, 33 teams were lining up, necessitating a preliminary round in which AS Odorheiu Secuiesc of Romania beat England's Tranmere Victoria FC 17-2 on aggregate. However, there were familiar faces emerging from the first qualifying round; Castellón, Charleroi - who beat FC Olimpic Tirana 44-3 in their opening game - Boomerang, Prato and Split joined by newcomers SL Benfica, Ukrainians FC InterKrAZ Kyiv and Dutch team ZVV West Stars.

All change

However, it was all change in the next stage. Castellón's hold on the title was ended by arch-rivals Boomerang, a 2-2 draw in the deciding game eliminating the champions by two points, although they remain unbeaten in any match in the tournament's history. Meanwhile, to the delight of the home crowd in Lisbon, Benfica beat Charleroi 5-4 to clinch their group.

Boomerang prevail

Boomerang now had the task of keeping the trophy in Spain. A 4-1 home leg win in Madrid got them off to the right start, and although Benfica triumphed 4-3 in Lisbon a week later, Boomerang remained 7-5 ahead overall, their winning team including Joan, who had also starred for Castellón in Lisbon in 2001/02.