Courtesy: UEFA


Holders going for glory again

Monday, 4 October 2004

The UEFA Futsal Cup first qualifying round is in full swing and a packed week of action is in store.

Lots of games

While Groups 4 and 5 will be decided on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively having begun at the weekend, Groups 1, 2, 6, 7 and 8 all start between now and Friday. Indeed, only Group 3 will have to wait, with the first games in that section, hosted by FK Era Pack Chrudim of the Czech Republic, coming on 14 October. The eight group winners will all go through to next year's second qualifying round.

Holders involved

The defending European champions, Spain's Interviú Boomerang FS, finally get their title defence under way on Tuesday when they take part in the Group 1 mini-tournament, hosted by KMF Marbo Beograd. The Serbo-Montenegrin club are hoping to put on a good show in the mini-tournament, which also sees games on Wednesday and Friday. Club president Dragan Ivaskovic said: "This is a really important test for all of us, as organisers and from a sporting perspective."

High hopes

Ivaskovic added: "Boomerang are the absolute favourites. They have the best team, organisation and players. I think that they have the best chance of winning the trophy this year." However, the president believed his side could do well against Slovakian side 1. SC Incar Nitra and Andorran entrants FS Cap del Carrer, at least leaving themselves with a decisive match against Boomerang.

Good support

He added: "I believe that we will win the first two matches and will then play against Boomerang. Maybe, just maybe, we can win. This is our big hope and we will definitely give 100 per cent." More than 3,500 fans are expected to cheer on the Belgrade club, who boast several internationals and have started the new domestic season in good form.

Polish confidence

Elsewhere, Polish side KS Baustal Kraków are staging Group 6 on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and have some confidence of overcoming the challenge of FC Iberia 2003 of Georgia, Albanian contenders SK Tirana and the might of Russia's MFC Dinamo Moskva. Although the challenge will be tough, Baustal sports director Edward Sempoch said: "We are thinking about winning the tournament. We think the decisive game will be played between us and Dinamo."

International class

Finally, another intriguing section will be Group 2, which will be staged by KMF Skopje Tandem Go of F.Y.R. Macedonia and played out over Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Skopje are the top team in their country and boast nine full internationals along with Vasko Skenderovski, who is also coach of the national side. Skopje have won four league titles and three cups under his guidance.

'Equal chance'

"We are very optimistic, we expect this year to finish in first place," Skenderovski said of a section that also includes MFSC Kairat Almaty of Kazakhstan, Croatian entrants MNK Split and FC Dorozhnik Minsk of Belarus. "All four teams have an equal chance of winning the group but our advantage is that that we are playing on home ground."