Futsal/Indoor Soccer World News
July 3, 2002
News and information on Futsal/Indoor Soccer from around the world
AUSTRALIATHIRD NATIONAL SCHOOL FUTSAL CHAMPIONSHIP TO BE HELD IN OCTOBERAustralia's Third National School Futsal Championship will take place from Oct. 1-3, in Albury, New South Wales, about 600 kilometers south of Sydney. Futsal teams from New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory will compete in the following age level for Boy's and Girl's: Under 10, U-11, U-12, U-13, U-14, U-15, U-16, U-19.
EUROPEPORTUGAL WINS TRIANGULAR TOURNAMENT ON HOME SOILPortugal's Futsal National Team won a Three-Nations Cup on its home soil overcoming Holland and Slovakia in the triangular event held in Castro Marim from June 28-30. After Slovakia topped Holland 5:2 to open the competition on June 28, Portugal began play the following day (June 29) and posted a 5:2 victory over Slovakia, with tallies by midfielders Gonçalo, Pedro Costa, forwards Arnaldo, Joel and defender Ivan. Portugal closed out the event with a 4:0 blanking of Holland on June 30. Arnaldo, Pedro Costa, midfielders André Lima and Formiga all scored for Portugal.
UEFA GIVES FULL SUPPORT TO ADD FUTSAL TO OLYMPICSAt the European Futsal Committee Meetings held in Nyon, Switzerland on June 28, UEFA gave its full support to FIFA to have Futsal included in the Winter Olympics, of the 2006 Games in Turin, Italy. The UEFA committee also dealt with a number of issues related to the sport, which is also known as Five-A-Side. It noted a report published by the Italian Olympic Committee that nearly four million people in Italy regularly play Five-A-Side compared to a million actively playing soccer. The committee also declared its intention to create an international match calendar that would include both national team and club fixtures. Also, the committee investigates the possibility of staging a special course for referees in the near future and is hopeful that the end of 2002 will hold the first-ever Futsal Conference.
THIRD EUROPEAN FUTSAL CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFYING DRAW HELD IN SWITZERLANDThe qualifying groups for the Third European Futsal Championship was held at the UEFA's headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland on June 28. Twenty-eight UEFA National Associations were divided into seven groups of four for the qualifying round that will take place from July - October 2002. Each group winner will join the host Italy in 2003 UEFA Futsal Championship slated for February 16-22. The defending European champion Spain has been drawn into Group Three that features Yugoslavia, FYR Macedonia and Lithuania, while the 2001 UEFA runners-up Ukraine are in Group Seven along with Andorra, Slovakia and Cyprus.
2003 UEFA Futsal Championship - February 16-22 in Italy
Qualifying Groups - July-October 2002
(One nation from each group will host all respective group matches)
Group#1
Russia
Hungary
Israel
Latvia
Group #2
Poland
Belgium
Finland
Moldova
Group #3
Spain
Yugoslavia
FYR Macedonia
Lithuania
Group #4
Holland
Slovenia
Armenia
Greece
Group #5
Portugal
Belarus
Azerbaijan
Georgia
Group #6
Croatia
Czech Republic
Bosnia-Herzegovina
France
Group #7
Ukraine
Andorra
Slovakia
Cyprus
ANTENA 3 BOOMERANG BECOMES NEW SPANISH FUTSAL CHAMPIONAntena 3 Boomerang became the New Spanish Futsal Champion after defeating Miro Martorell 5:3 in the fourth game of the best-of-five final series at the Torrejon de Ardoz in Madrid, Spain on June 26. The crowd of 1,500 saw Antena 3 Boomerang win the final series and now advances to the 2002-03 UEFA Futsal Cup qualifying set for later this year.
CYPRUS DROPS TWIN-BILLS TO GREECE, HUNGARYCyprus' Futsal National Team dropped back-to-back twin-bill international friendlies to Hungary on June 5-6, and Greece on June 12-13. Cyprus traveled to Hungary for a two-game series and were outscored by the host 8-3, losing the first game 4:2 on June 5th in Keszthely, and then the second match the following day (June 6th) in Marcali 4:1. Cyprus returned home to Nicosia to meet Greece in a twin-bill but suffered back-to-back heartbreaking defeats as the squad lost 4:3 in the opener on June 12th, then dropped a 3:1 decision the next day (June 13th).
30 CLUBS TO BE DRAWN FOR 2ND UEFA FUTSAL CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFYINGThe draw for the second UEFA Futsal Cup will be held on July 15, at the UEFA's Headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland. A total of 29 National Associations have entered a futsal club in the qualifying phase for the 2002-03 European competition. Eight qualifying mini-tournaments will be played with each group winner advancing to the final tournament slated for early 2003 at a site to be determined. The mini-tournaments will be hosted by one of the participating teams and will take place in late 2002.
2002-03 UEFA Futsal Cup Participating Clubs
1. KS Flamurtari - Albania
2. UE Santa Coloma - Andorra
3. FC Hayk - Armenia
4. MFC Turan Air - Azerbaijan
5. Dorozhnik Minsk - Belarus
6. Action 21 Charleroi - Belgium
7. Zrinjski Karaka - Bosnia-Herzegovina
8. MNK Split - Croatia
9. AGBU Ararat - Cyprus
10. CC Jistebnik - Czech Republic
11. FT Kemi Tornio - Finland
12. KMF Skopje - FYR Macedonia
13. FC Iberia 2000 - Georgia
14. Athina '90 S.F.A. - Greece
15. CSO Montage Budapest FC - Hungary
16. Prato C/5 - Italy
17. Alibi Almaty - Kazakhstan
18. PFK Olimp - Latvia
19. FK Inkaras - Lithuania
20. Zarea Beltsy - Moldova
21. FCK De Hommel - Holland
22. Clearex Chorzow - Poland
23. AR Freixeiro - Portugal
24. Norilski Nickel - Russia
25. SK Program Dubnica - Slovakia
26. Svea Lesna Litija - Slovenia
27. Playas De Castellon - Spain (Defending Champions)
28. Antena 3 Boomerang - Spain
29. Shakhtyor Donetsk - Ukraine
30. KMF Nis - Yugoslavia
HUNGARY TO HOST EIGHTH WORLD UNIVERSITY FUTSAL CHAMPIONSHIPSThe eighth World University Futsal Championships will take place in Nyíregyháza, Hungary from August 25-31. Fourteen nations (Belarus, Brazil, Croatia, Cyprus, Finland, Israel, Italy Kazakhstan, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Ukraine and Yugoslavia) will join the host Hungary in the bi-annual competition with the fixture draw scheduled for mid-July. The First World University Futsal Championship took place in Brazil 1984, and after a six-year hiatus, the second tournament was held in Italy 1990. Since then the competition has been held every two years with the most recent one taking place in João Pessoa, Brazil in 2000.
NORTH, CENTRAL AMERICA, CARIBBEANFUTSAL PLAYERS LEAD OUTDOOR TEAMS TO 2002 OPEN CUP SECOND ROUND VICTORIESThe following U.S. Futsal National Team players help lead their respective outdoor soccer teams to a Second Round victory at the 2002 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Tournament on June 25-26: Steve Bernal (1 goal, 2 caps) - Saw action in 74 minutes in the 4:0 blanking by the A-League's Milwaukee Rampage over the D3 Pro League's New York Freedoms in Franklin, Wis. on June 26 ? Steve Klein (0 caps) - Scored a goal and dished out an assist in 90 minutes for the Charleston Battery (A-League) in the 3:0 shutout over the Greenville Lions (D3) in Greenville, S.C. on June 26 ? Leighton O'Brien (1 cap) - Played 65 minutes for the Seattle Sounders (A-League) and scored the first goal via penalty kick in the 2:1 victory over the Utah Blitzz (D3) in Salt Lake City on June 25 ? Temoc Suarez (1 goal, 7 caps) - Had an assist in 67 minutes with the A-League's Rochester Raging Rhinos in the 3:2
overtime win over the Des Moines Menace of the Premier Development League in Rochester, N.Y. on June 26 ? Johnny Torres (1 goal, 2 caps) - Notched a goal and an assist in 90 minutes of work for the Minnesota Thunder of the A-League in the 6:1 trouncing of D3's San Diego Gauchos in Blaine, Minn. on June 26. The Third Round of the 2002 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup will run from July 16-17, as the A-League squads take on eight Major League Soccer teams in the single-elimination outdoor soccer tournament.
CONCACAF ANNOUNCES TWO-YEAR TERMS FOR BEACH SOCCER,
FUTSAL COMMITTEESThe Football Confederation (CONCACAF) announced on June 18, its 23-committee appointments that will have a two-year term ending in June of 2004. Among the Competitions Group Committee, the CONCACAF will have three members for the respective committees of Beach Soccer and Futsal (Five-A-Side). The Bahamas Football Association President Anton Sealy chairs the CONCACAF Beach Soccer Committee and along side Sealy are Barbados Football Association President Ronald Jones and Luis Salazar Villegas of Costa Rica. The Guyana Football Association President Colin Klass is the Chairman of the CONCACAF Futsal Committee and U.S. Futsal Federation President Alexander Para and veteran committee member Rafael Ignacio Tinoco of Guatemala join him.
U.S. COACH SIGNS FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT WITH MILWAUKEE WAVEU.S. Futsal National Team Head Coach Keith Tozer signed a five-year contract to remain at the helm with the Milwaukee Wave of the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL). As well as his head coaching duties, Tozer will also continue as the Wave's Vice-President of Soccer Operations until the 2006-07 MISL season. The 45-year-old has a 503-340 overall ledger over 19 indoor seasons and has been at helm with the U.S. Futsal Team since 1998, compiling an 11-6-3 international record.
U.S. FUTSAL CROWN ELEVEN WINNERS AT 2002 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPSThe U.S. Futsal Federation hosted their 17th annual National hampionships from June 14-16, at the Durango High School in Las egas, Nev. and after three days of competition 11 squads were crowned 2002 champions in their respective age catergories.
Age Level, 2002 Champion, Head Coach
Under-12 Girls, Bratz F.C., Mario Mrakovic
U-14 Girls, Shooting Stars, Rick Zanchi
U-16 Girls, Kopion F.C., Tim Daniels
U-19 Women, Kopion F.C., Tim Daniels
Women's Open, Bears. F.C., Jennifer Medina
U-10 Boys, MSC United, Julio Arjona
U-12 Boys, MACSA F.C., Mario Gonzalez
U-14 Boys, Chivas, Jose Guzman
U-16 Boys, Guadalajara, Juan Cisneros
U-19 Men, Juventus, Roger Fernandez
Men's Open, San Diego Select, Carlos Basso
For more information, check the U.S. Futsal website at www.futsal.com.
SOUTH AMERICAVENEZUELA TO STAGE CONMEBOL'S "NORTHERN ZONE" CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPThe 2002 CONMEBOL (Confederation of South America) Futsal Club Championship for the "Northern Zone" will take place in Maracay, Venezuela from July 9-13. The Northern Zone tournament will feature respective futsal club champions of the following South American nations: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela. The Northern Zone winner will meet Carlos Barbosa of Brazil (Southern Zone Winner), at a later date, in a best-of-three series to crown the overall 2002 CONMEBOL Futsal Club Champion.
FUTSAL TO TAKE PLACE AT 2002 JUEGOS ODESUR IN BRAZILFutsal will be one of 34 events at the 2002 Juegos ODESUR (South American Olympic Games) in Brazil from Aug. 1-11. Organized by the ODESUR (Organización Deportiva Sudamericana), the futsal event at the 2002 games will have the Maracanãzinho Arena in Rio de Janeiro as the venue. So far, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay have confirmed their participation in the competition that will run from Aug. 5-11. Since 1978, the Juegos ODESUR have been held every four years and is opened to the following members of the Caribbean, Central and South America: Argentina, Aruba, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Netherlands Antilles, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela. For more information on the 2002 Juegos ODESUR in Brazil check
www.brasil2002.org.br
