Courtesy: UEFA.com

Chorzów confident on home ground

Friday, 24 November 2006

by Maciej Iwanski & Paul Saffer

from Warsaw

With the Elite round of the UEFA Futsal Cup taking place from 4 December, uefa.com is having a closer look at each of the 16 sides involved. Today we end our preview of Group C by featuring hosts Clearex Chorzów, who take on two-time European champions Action 21 Charleroi, KMF Marbo Beograd and Azerbaijan's Araz Naxçivan.

Vociferous fans
By common consent, this mini-tournament is the most open of the four, with Charleroi's financial problems giving every contender hope of pipping the top seeds. And as they are staging the mini-tournament at their own Hala MORiS, with 1,500 vociferous fans behind them, Chorzów have every right to feel confident that they could yet reach April's final four.

Charleroi rivalry
Chairman Zdzislaw Wolny said: "This is probably our best ever chance of European success, despite the tough rivalry with Charleroi." Indeed, Charleroi are familiar foes, dating back to the inaugural UEFA Futsal Cup of 2001/02. Having defeated FC Spartak Moskva and ŠK Program Dubnica nad Váhom in Poland to qualify for the final tournament in Lisbon, Chorzów were drawn in Group B. They opened with a 9-0 defeat by Playas de Castellón FS, and at half-time in their next game against the Belgian champions were 3-0 down. But then Miroslaw Mozga and Tomasz Szeja pulled goals back, but despite five injuries Charleroi clung on and eventually lost to Castellón in the final.

Return to Europe
Once out Chorzów lost 6-1 to Csö-Montage Budapest FC, and the following year they departed in the first qualifying round having had the misfortune to draw another Spanish side, Boomerang Interviú. It was in this season, 2002/03, that a run of three consecutive Polish titles was ended by PA Nova Gliwice, and KS Baustal Kraków were to taste success for the next two years. But Chorzów stormed home by a 15-point margin last season, and 2005/06 also marked their return to the UEFA Futsal Cup after Baustal withdrew. Waiting for Chorzów in the first qualifying round were holders Charleroi, and both rivals defeated Iberia 2003 Tbilisi and FK Nautara Kaunas to set up a final-day showdown in front of a four-figure crowd at the Hala MORiS. Chorzów needed a win but despite equalising twice lost 3-2 to a last-gasp Alex goal.

Good start
But back in the European arena as national champions this time around, Chorzów were among the first to progress past the Main round by defeating KMF Alfa Parf Skopje 3-1 and FC Adana Yerevan 7-3. Sporting Clube de Portugal had also beaten those sides and overcame Chorzów 4-3 in front of another packed house at the Hala MORiS. But with top scorer Andrzej Sklapa, Krzystof Marzec and Krzystof Flipczak all among the goals, just as they are in the Polish league where their club again lead the way, Chorzów may make it third time lucky when they play Charleroi in another final-day meeting on 8 December.



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