Courtesy: UEFA.com


Super Schumi boosts Boomerang

Saturday, 29 April 2006

by Paul Saffer

from Pabellón Caja Madrid


Boomerang Interviú will take a three-goal lead to Russia for the second leg of the UEFA Futsal Cup final against MFK Dinamo Moskva thanks to a Schumacher hat-trick after a truly thrilling encounter in Madrid.

Vital goal
Dinamo twice equalised in the first 12 minutes before going 3-2 up, only for Boomerang to turn the game with two swift goals just before the break. Marquinho doubled their advantage midway through the second half but the game was almost up when Schumacher slid in for his third of the match, leaving the Spanish champions in command ahead of the return on Sunday week.

Brazilians fit
The home team had a full-strength side, and indeed seven survivors from the team, also under Jesús Candelas, that defeated SL Benfica to win this competition two years ago. Last season's runners-up Dinamo had Kelson - who was on the winning team with Action 21 Charleroi 12 months back - and Oleksiy Kudlay suspended, but included Brazilians Cirilo and Pelé, who had been injury doubts.

Gabriel Opener
That duo were a threat early on, making Rafa - replacing Luis Amado who had injured a finger - pull off three saves in the opening 60 seconds, when Dinamo goalkeeper Pavel Stepanov had also been forced to deny Marquino straight from the kick off. The lively pattern continued with the home side going close through Neto and Schumacher, and the Brazilian was the man that made the first goal five minutes in. He crossed from the right and Gabriel slid in to poke the ball past Stepanov.

Swift equaliser
In the last two finals, an opening salvo from Boomerang and Charleroi in their home first legs gave them ultimately decisive three-goal leads at half-time against SL Benfica and Dinamo respectively. Tonight, though, Dinamo equalised within three minutes. It was a smart move from a corner, that had been tried without success not too long before. Stanislav Larionov cut the flag-kick back deep to Pavel Kobzar, and his ball into the box was turned in by Cirilo.

Dinamo fightback
The excitement level remained high and Schumacher swiftly restored Boomerang's advantage with a classy solo effort. He danced on the ball in front of a defender, then pushed the ball past his hapless marker before slamming a shot into the net. Dinamo were not to be outdone, and two minutes later a one-touch move begun by a Stepanov save ended with Pelé tapping the ball into an empty goal. Dinamo were refreshing their team four at a time, as usual, and not long after one such switch Sergei Malyshev made it 3-2, getting a foot to Tatu's cross just before Rafa could smother.

Swift double
So would Dinamo go in ahead, or at least level? Somehow, no. Two goals in the space of 18 seconds swung the game again, Daniel turning in a Julio cross and then the marauding Schumacher heading in after his first effort was blocked. Half-time did not reduce the players' determination but the finishing was less sharp after the break. Joan rounded Rafa three minutes in, but shot wide. Andreu jinked through the Dinamo defence, but Cirilo make a last-gasp tackle.

Marquinho strike
Neto made a goalline clearance from Pelé soon after, and it was Boomerang that ended the second-half deadlock in the 31st minute as Daniel's centre was converted by Marquinho. Daniel then hit the post after a swift break from Schumacher and Joan, and Marquinho then struck the woodwork too. Boomerang ended the game the stronger, and Schumacher's final intervention gave them the same cushion as from the first leg two years ago - when they went on to lift the trophy.




Courtesy: UEFA.com


Changing game cheers Candelas

Saturday, 29 April 2006

by Paul Saffer

from Pabellón Caja Madrid

Boomerang Interviú will take a three-goal lead to MFK Dinamo Moskva next Sunday for the second leg of the UEFA Futsal Cup final, and Jesús Candelas - who also coached the Spanish champions to European success in 2004 - said a slight change of approach was crucial in the second period. A thrilling first half had ended 4-3 thanks to two quickfire home goals not long before the whistle. Marquinho doubled that advantage just after the half-hour, and Schumacher completed a deserved hat-trick seconds from the end. Candelas's opposite number Alexander Shibaev said his team could have been closer but missed their chances, though they will still give their all to avoid a second consecutive final defeat.

Jesús Candelas, Boomerang coach
The first half was very intense with a lot of chances. We lost the ball a lot and they took advantage of it very well. In the second half we changed the pace of the game and we defended deeper. I am very satisfied with this result. The key to the game was at the end of the first half when we scored two important goals. The tie is not resolved because they have demonstrated that they are a great team and it is necessary to respect them. In Moscow they will have to attack more and we will try to take advantage of it playing on the counter.

Alexander Shibaev, Dinamo coach
It was a game with two very close teams. It is a pity, we had many chances to score but we missed many of them. We had a very good first half and in the first part of the second half we had good movement and real chances. Boomerang are a very efficient team and it will be very difficult to get the result we need to win in Moscow. But we will try. Joan and Malychev have both missed a long time through injury, but everyone was working to win. But we have what we have.



Pre-match report

Courtesy: UEFA.com


Futsal forces come together

Friday, 28 April 2006

by Paul Saffer

from Madrid

Sometimes two teams seem destined for a final, the outstanding clubs in a competition from an early stage. That could be argued for Arsenal FC and FC Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League. It definitely is the case for Boomerang Interviú and MFK Dinamo Moskva, who compete in the first leg of the UEFA Futsal Cup final on Saturday evening in Madrid.

Goalscoring feats
Spanish champions Boomerang, who won this trophy in 2004 but last season were eliminated by their successors Action 21 Charleroi on goal difference, have been in rampant form this time around. They won both their first qualifying round matches without conceding once, and started the next stage with an 11-0 victory against Cristal Noir MB Morlanwelz, eventually totalling 20 goals in three games. Then in the semi-finals they produced an 11-4 aggregate triumph against FC Shakhtar Donetsk.

Dinamo challenge
Dinamo, beaten finalists a year ago in an epic against Charleroi, had the best first qualifying round record as they racked up 26 goals. In the next stage they gained revenge on Charleroi with a 5-3 victory as they topped their pool, and Kairat Almaty were dispatched 8-3 overall. Boomerang's Brazilian international Neto, one of the few players in their squad to join since the 2004 victory, believes his team can rise to the challenge, as they did earlier this month to retain the Intercontinental Futsal Cup in his home nation.

Boomerang experience
"This final is between the two top teams in Europe and the competition where we've played at our best and Boomerang transform for finals: we play well because in a way the team is used to playing finals," he said. "Dinamo are a very good team and they change players a lot during a match, they rotate in fours and have excellent Brazilian and Russian players, so we need to avoid conceding any goals at home."

Duo banned
The visitors hope to field four of Neto's compatriots, Pelé, Joan, Cirilo and Henrique, the latter of who was one of Charleroi's heroes last year. However, the man he moved to Dinamo with, Kelson, is suspended on Saturday along with Ukrainian striker Oleksiy Kudlay. On top of that, Pelé and Cirilo are doubts after suffering injuries last weekend in their league wins against MFK Spartak Shelkovo that left them on the verge of another title. Defender Enrike is definitely out. Coach Aleksandr Shibaev said: "The team has prepared well, yet we do not have our optimal squad. The hope is that the Brazilians will recover, otherwise we're in a very difficult situation."

Draw 'OK'
Last season Dinamo lost the first leg of the final 4-3 in Charleroi, and Shibaev knows anything better than that would be a fine result ahead of the return a week on Sunday. "Boomerang are the favourites, but that's good for Dinamo," he said. "Our chances are just under 50 per cent, because the Spaniards are still more experienced. Yet as humdrum as it sounds, everything will be decided in the match itself. If we don't lose in Spain, any score will be OK for us. I am not even thinking about defeat."

Memories banished
Many of the Dinamo team are veterans of last season's heartbreaking 10-9 aggregate loss in extra time against Charleroi, including Konstantin Maevskiy, who along with Pelé and Boomerang duo Daniel and Joan (not to be confused with the Dinamo player of the same name) are one booking from a second-leg ban. Looking back to a year ago, Maevskiy said: "Those games are a thing of the past, only the result remains. As for the upcoming final, we will start from scratch."




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