Report by our collaborator Li Jing

New Zealand Vikings futsal in the Christchurch organised a boys team at age ranging from 14-17 touring in Chengdu, China for 14 days in March. It was the first New Zealand Futsal Team ever visited China after many years, since both countries fought in soccer in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

During their stay here in Chengdu, they played all the four soccer key schools futsal teams and the Chengdu UESTC, which was on the National Futsal League, and some of the amature adult futsal teams. The New Zealanders were deeply involved in the development of futsal course intended to give to the ordinary students in the UESTC university. The futsal course was to attract hundreds of male and female students to learn to play futsal in the next semester.

Starting from March 9, the New zealand vikings futsal team played Chengdu UESTC with 2-7, Chengdu NO.18 school junior team with 6-6, and 0-2 lost to the senior team of No.18, 6-7 lost to Chengdu Liewu junior, and 5-3 won over Chengdu West China school. The new zealander visited the No.18 school and played on the campus and lost to the host team mixed with some players from the senior team. They also went to the Tanghu middle school to play the two reserve teams of the Chengdu Blades FC at age 11-14, used to be undergoing the training by French Meitz FC coach, on the mini soccer pitch, with the goals for small sided soccer, the Newzealanders won two of the games with 7-5 and 11-7. Also, they beat all the adult futsal teams specificly selected from the many teams to represent the truth level of futsal in Chengdu.

Chengdu is the first city in the whole nation to have the international exchange on Futsal. Since 2003, Chengdu had a brazilian coach here to guide the local futsal club team, at the same time, the Queensland Futsal in Australia sent a couple of teams to Chengdu to have the futsal friendly games. So far, about 40 boys and girls futsal players from both the countries have been to Chengdu and in April 2007, there will be about 60 aussie players coming to have games with the local futsal lovers.








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