Courtesy: UEFA.com


Chrudim have Dinamo in their sights

Thursday, 6 October 2005

by Ladislav Josef

MFK Dinamo Moskva are aiming to go one better in the 2005/06 UEFA Futsal Cup, and lift the trophy they came so close to claiming last season - but Czech champions FK Era-Pack Chrudim are hoping to end the Russian side's campaign at an earlier stage.

Four contenders
First qualifying round Group 2 is being played in Pardubice's CEZ Arena, the home of the Czech ice hockey champions. Chudrim have hired the venue and paid €30,000 to lay a new taraflex carpet, which will be set down on Sunday, for the encounters involving themselves, Dinamo, Andorra's FS Cap del Carrer, and Bulgaria's SC Piccadilly Varna.

Vladyka's comeback
Chrudim are determined to give Dinamo a run for their money in the race for the one second qualifying round slot on over, and they even recruited their former player and joint-top scorer of the Czech Republic football league, ex-Futsal international Petr Vladyka. The striker, who has scored four goals for mid-table FC Vysocina Jihlava this season, has been permitted to make a brief return to the smaller-sided game as the Czech First Division is on international break.

Duo join Dinamo
But then Dinamo, one of the best-resourced sides in club Futsal, have been doing recruitment of their own. Having lost 10-9 on aggregate to Action 21 Charleroi in an emotional final last April, they promptly recruited two of the men who scored for the Belgian side in extra time in the Moscow decider, Brazilians Kelson and Henrique, who link up with a number of compatriots including Joan, Sirilo and Pelé.

New coach
However, coach Yuri Rudnev has left for Russian rivals Norilsky Nickel, and taken last season's Futsal Cup leading scorer Sergei Ivanov with him. Assistant Alexandr Shibaev has stepped up to replace Rudnev, while Ukrainian goalkeeper Olexiy Popov has also been recruited by Dinamo.

Thursday deciders
First up for Dinamo on Monday are Varna, making their tournament debut, and that match will be followed by Chudrim's meeting with Cap del Carrer, who on their first appearance last season lost three games in a tough group including then holders Boomerang Interviú FS. The second set of fixtures is on Tuesday, with the deciders two days later, including Chudrim against Dinamo.

One-in-ten chance
Home coach Ota Stejskal knows his team will be outsiders for that game, by which time they hope to already have six points, but says victory can be achieved. "We are not able to defeat them regularly, but we could do it one time out of ten," he said. "Why not this time in Pardubice? In any case it will be great boost for Czech Futsal."



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