Courtesy: UEFA.com

Kairat keep cup dream alive

Tuesday, 18 October 2005

FC Kairat Almaty have caused the surprise of the UEFA Futsal Cup first qualifying round by clinching top spot in Group 1.

Defeat last time
The Kazakhstani side won all three games of a mini-tournament played in Latvia, with the expected challenge from FC Dorozhnik Minsk failing to materalise. The Belarussian contenders had beaten Kairat Almaty 5-4 in last season’s competition and were the favourites again this time around.

In-form Butrin
However, Kairat were in commanding form in Riga. They began on Saturday with a 6-1 victory against host club FC Raba Riga. Etienne broke the deadlock in the eighth minute and he was to strike again four minutes later, after a second by Yuriy Butrin. Kairat scored another three times after the interval, through two goals from Vaguinho and a stunning solo effort from Cacau. Andrejs Aleksejevs scored a penalty consolation.

Deadlock broken
On the same day, Dorozhnik began their campaign with a 5-3 victory against Romanian side ACS Odorheiu Secuiesc, Vadzim Lushkouski scoring a first-half hat-trick. However, Dorozhnik were to come unstuck when they met Kairat the following day. After a cagey opening, Alexandr Terentyev broke the deadlock in the 14th minute as the Kazakh club marched on to a 4-1 victory.

Top spot confirmed
The decisive second came in the 23rd minute by Butrin and Sergio made it three six minutes later. Dzmitry Kadakov pulled one back from a corner with five minutes to play but there was still time for a solo second for Butrin. With Kairat on six points, Raba’s 4-3 defeat of Odorheiu, featuring another two goals for Aleksejevs, ensured the Kazakh club had clinched top spot with a game to spare.

Home cheer
In Tuesday’s night's final fixtures, Kairat turned on the style with an 8-2 victory against Odorheiu. Butrin scored two more goals to take his tally to five goals from the three matches. The group was rounded out by Raba adding to Dorozhnik's misery with a 3-1 victory. The home crowd had to wait until the 26th minute for captain Aleksandrs Glazovs to open the scoring from a free-kick before Antons Bakanins and Mihails Lisjakovs added further Raba goals. Viktar Ivaniutsin scored a consolation four seconds from time.

Challenge ahead
Kairat will progress to Group A of the second qualifying round, to be played early next year. There they will play three other teams including the might of SL Benfica and Boomerang Interviú, with the top two teams after that mini-tournament going on to the semi-finals later in the year.



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