Courtesy: UEFA.com

Futsal four aiming for final

Friday, 18 March 2005

Four of Europe's top club sides are vying for a place in the UEFA Futsal Cup final when the Group B mini-tournament takes place on Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday.

Charleroi through

With Action 21 Charleroi already through to the April final, mini-tournament hosts MFC Dinamo Moskva along with Spanish side El Pozo Murcia FS, FK Dorozhnik Minsk of Belarus and Ukraine's FC Shakhtar Donetsk will all fancy their chances of joining the Belgian side in the showpiece event.

Only two defeats

Dinamo have won the Russian double for the last two seasons and are in all-conquering form again in the current campaign. They have a 16-point lead on their nearest rivals with 30 games of the domestic campaign played. In fact, they have only been beaten twice, scoring 162 goals and conceding 69.

International class

The star man is Russian international Sergei Ivanov, fresh from his exploits with the national team in reaching the 2005 UEFA European Futsal Championship final, while he is joined in the Dinamo ranks by fellow internationals Sergei Malyshev and Konstantin Maevski. Ukrainian veteran Olexiy Kudlay is also a vital part of the team.

Boomerang out

Perhaps their biggest rivals for the place in the final are El Pozo, one of Spain's top clubs and the nation's only hope of keeping the trophy in the country after holders Boomerang Interviú FS were eliminated by Charleroi. A Spanish side has emerged triumphant in every edition of the Futsal Cup - Playas de Castellón FS won in 2002 and 2003 - and only El Pozo can keep that run going.

Brazilian key

Brazilian coach Duda has El Pozo blazing a trail at the top of the domestic league - with an eleven-point advantage over nearest rivals Castellón with six games to play. It means they are on course for only their second Spanish title, following their 1997/98 triumph. Brazilian ace Lenisio is a key man for them, having scored 40 goals this season after his haul of 57 in 2003/04. His younger brother Vinicius is also a threat, along with Spanish stalwarts like Fran Serrejón, Kike, Cobeta and Álvaro.

Young threat

Spain may be the reigning world and European champions but those internationals will be well aware that Shakhtar boast some of the best players around - especially young Ukraine starlet Serhiy Sytin and fellow international Fedir Pylypiv. Both were in fine form as Shakhtar warmed up for Moscow with a 6-1 win against FC Time Lviv in the domestic league to leave themselves nine points clear at the top.

Familiar names

Shakhtar also have a number of experienced players who were involved when they reached this stage of the 2001/01 competition such as Ramis Mansurov, Olexandr Kosenko and Georgiy Melnikov. Mansurov has been struggling with injury but should be fit to play while Igor Moskvychov is doubtful.

Going well

The outsiders in the group are Dorozhnik but the team are just happy to be included among the top eight Futsal clubs in Europe. They won their first Belarussian title in 1999 and have won every title since 2002, along with three domestic cups. Valeri Dasko's side are setting the pace again this season, with an eight-point advantage and an unbeaten run stretching to 40 games.

Dasko hopeful

The club, who have a large continent of Belarussian internationals, are not content to rest on their laurels despite their pride at reaching the last eight. "We still need to grow and grow," said Dorozhnik coach Dasko. Over the next few days in Moscow, his team will get the chance to do just that against some of the world's best.