Courtesy: FIFA.com

Sudamericano Futsal Club Championship

Malwee/Jaraguà on course for double after Northern Zone win

(FIFA.com) 01 Nov 2005

It took a goal at the death by Brazil's Malwee/Jaraguà to see off compatriots Carlos Barbosa 5-4 in the Northern Zone final of the 4th CONMEBOL Sudamericano Futsal Club Championship held in Lima, Peru. The reigning South American champions will now defend their title against Southern Zone winners Universidad Autónoma de Asunción in a two-legged final in December, with both games to be held in Paraguay.

In addition to the two Brazilian clubs, the tournament, hosted at the University of Saint Martín de Porres Sports Centre, featured eight other sides: Millonarios and Impresos Calderón (Colombia); Oro Agua and Deportivo Manabí (Ecuador); Deportivo Kansas and La Sonora (Peru); and Servi-Sport and Universidad Central de Venezuela (Venezuela).
Organised by the South American Football Confederation, the Sudamericano Club Championship, futsal's equivalent to the Copa Libertadores, was first held in 2002 and has been dominated to date by Brazilian sides. Carlos Barbosa took the first two championships in 2002 and 2003 after deservedly seeing off Pumas of Venezuela and Nacional of Uruguay respectively. Last year, however, Malwee/Jaraguà stormed to the title after defeating Peru's Deportivo Kansas in the final.

It came as no surprise then, when the two Brazilian giants strolled through the group phase with 100% records and mightily impressive goal differences to reach the Northern Zone final in Peru.

Despite looking the more difficult of the two groups on paper, Carlos Barbosa confirmed their status as potential champions by cruising through Group A, seeing off Colombia's Impresores Calderón 6-4 in a close opening encounter before confirming their place in the final with a 6-2 demolition of Peruvian outfit Deportivo Kansas.

Over in Group B, the only serious threat to Malwee/Jaraguà's charge to the final came from Universidad Central of Venezuela, who almost pulled off the shock of the tournament in their group clash only for the Brazilians to draw on their experience in the closing stages and sneak a 4-3 win.

As expected, the final between the two pre-tournament favourites proved to be a tight affair, with Fio firing home a free-kick in the dying seconds to see Malwee/Jaraguà home. "This is a really important title. It means a lot to win the tournament away from home against a really tough side, so we'll be celebrating long and hard. The whole team is delighted, but we've got our sights set on the final and retaining the South American crown," said Fio after his dramatic winner. Valdin (2), Xoxo and Antonio completed the scoring for Fernando Ferreti's side, who also had keeper Bagé to thank for an outstanding display between the posts.

The mood was sombre over in the Carlos Barbosa dressing room, however. Carlinhos, one of the stars of the tournament and a scorer in the final, was unable to conceal his disappointment: "We're very down. They scored very late on and we didn't have the chance to equalise. I don't think it was foul either. We'll get our revenge one day, though." Carlos Barbosa's other scorers on the night were Messinho (2) and Dionisio.

Millonarios completed the podium after defeating Impresores Calderón 5-4 in an all-Colombian third-place play-off clash. With the national side claiming the runners-up spot at the recent Americas Futsal Grand Prix held in Brazil, Colombian futsal has seldom looked in better shape.


In the play off for third place, which was made up of two Colombian clubs, Millionarios defeated Impresores Calderon 5-4.
Federación Peruana de Fútbol
Sudamericano Futsal Club Championship
Southern Zone Winners: Universidad Autónoma de Asunción (see tournament summary)
Northern Zone Winners: Malwee/Jaraguà

Tournament summary
The tournament games were played at the University of San Martín de Porres Sports Center in Lima.

GROUP A
Deportivo Kansas (Peru)
Oro Agua (Ecuador)
Impresores Calderón (Colombia)
Servipor (Venezuela)
Carlos Barbosa (Brazil)

GROUP B
La Sonora (Peru)
Deportivo Manabi (Ecuador)
Millionarios (Colombia)
Universidad Central (Venezuela)
Malwee/Jaraguà (Brazil)

RESULTS

Day 1 - 24/10/2005
Universidad Central 0-6 Millonarios
Impresores Calderón 4-6 Carlos Barbosa
La Sonora 3-5 Deportivo Manabi
Deportivo Kansas 6-3 Oro Agua

Day 2 - 25/10/2005
Carlos Barbosa 11-4 Servipor
Millonarios 2-8 Malwee/Jaraguà
Deportivo Kansas 2-6 Impresores Calderón
La Sonora 4-11 Universidad Central

Day 3 - 26/10/2005
Malwee/Jaraguà 14-4 Deportivo Manabi
Carlos Barbosa 13-1 Oro Agua
Servipor 7-9 Impresores Calderón
La Sonora 2-6 Millonarios

Day 4 - 27/10/2005
Servipor 3-5 Oro Agua
Deportivo Manabi 3-5 Millonarios
Malwee/Jaraguà 4-3 Universidad Central
Deportivo Kansas 1-14 Carlos Barbosa

Day 5 - 28/10/2005
Oro Agua 3-8 Impresores Calderón
Universidad Central 9-5 Deportivo Manabi
Deportivo Kansas 6-7 Servipor
La Sonora 2-18 Malwee/Jaraguà

STANDINGS
Group A: 1st Carlos Barbosa: 12 pts (+34 goal difference), 2nd Impresores Calderón: 9 pts (+9), 3rd Servipor: 3 pts (-10), 4th Deportivo Kansas: 3 pts (-15), 5th Oro Agua: 3 pts (-18).

Group B: 1st Malwee/Jaraguà: 12 pts (+33), 2nd Millonarios: 9 pts (+6), 3rd Universidad Central: 6 pts (+4), 4th Deportivo Manabi: 3pts (-14), 5th La Sonora: 0 pts (-29).

FINAL PHASE - 29/10/2005

Third place play-off
Impresores Calderón 4-5 Millonarios

Final
Carlos Barbosa 4-5 Malwee/Jaraguà



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