Courtesy: UEFA.com

Rudnev backs Dinamo power

Wednesday, 25 April 2007

by Eduard Nisenboim

from Moscow

MFK Dinamo Moskva are hoping to be crowned European futsal champions on Saturday - but their status as the dominant force in Russia has been under threat in recent weeks.

Russian setback
As Dinamo travel to Spain for the UEFA Futsal Cup final four, where they meet Action 21 Charleroi on Thursday, they trail MFK VIZ-Sinara Ekaterinburg in the Russian league and also lost to the same team in the Russian Cup final. But Dinamo's attempt to stretch their reign as Russian champions into a fifth year is on hold for the time being. First they face Charleroi, who pipped them in the 2005 final, a year before the Muscovites reached the same stage only to lose to Boomerang Interviú.

Peaking
Since final-four qualification was reached last December, coach Yuri Rudnev said his men have had an eye on the European prize. "While playing in the Russian league and cup we have also been getting ourselves ready to reach a peak in late April," he said. "For us, every game is a part of the preparation for the UEFA Futsal Cup finals."

Brazilian infusion
Rudnev, who was in charge for the 2005 final before leaving the club, returned in February to lead a squad which contains seven Brazilian-born players alongside a Russian and Ukrainian core. "Now we have more foreign players, that has made us stronger both technically and tactically," he said. "Dinamo's class has become higher. We work to unite the squad so that players place team ambitions higher than personal ones. We are making progress here and our recent matches confirm my words."

Charleroi rematch
The 2005 final, played over two legs, was a classic, Dinamo losing 4-3 in Belgium but taking the second leg to extra time before a heart-sapping 10-9 aggregate defeat. But Rudnev is aware that Charleroi are not the force they were that season and he is confident for Thursday. "Two years ago Dinamo were in great physical and mental shape but we lost because luck was not on our side," he said. "Today we are stronger than Action 21 and having worked with the team for two months I can say we are ready to storm the summit."




Courtesy: UEFA.com

Sytin the standard for scorers

Wednesday, 25 April 2007

by Paul Saffer

from Murcia

Serhiy Sytin's FC Shakhtar Donetsk may be out of the UEFA Futsal Cup but the prolific Ukrainian has a fine chance of finishing as the season's top scorer.

Double figures
Sytin managed ten goals in his six competition appearances this season, but his double strike against MFK Dinamo Moskva was not enough to stop the Russia side pipping Shakhtar to the final four event from 26-28 April in Murcia. But not only is Sytin two ahead of FC Dorozhnik Minsky's Dzmitry Kadakou, Zoran Leveksi of KMF Alfa Parf Skopje and Futsal Club Gödöllö player János Madarász, but he has a five-goal cushion over any contender still involved in the tournament.

Final four
All four semi-finalists were seeded to the Elite round, and thus have only played three games in the competition rather than at least six like most of the other top scorers. Vinicius Bacaro from final four hosts ElPozo Murcia FS is the most prolific player from the leading quartet with five goals, one ahead of team-mate Joel, Action 21 Charleroi captain André Vanderlei (an injury doubt for this week), Marquinho of holders Boomerang Interviú and MFK Dinamo Moskva pair Kelson and Cirilo. All their clubs will play twice in the final four, so Sytin's individual crown is not yet secure.

2006/07 UEFA Futsal Cup top scorers
(Players in red still involved)
Player Club Goals
Serhiy Sytin FC Shakhtar Donetsk 10
Dzmitry Kadakou FC Dorozhnik Minsk 8
Zoran Leveski KMF Alfa Parf Skopje 8
János Madarász Futsal Club Gödöllö 8
Petr Kapkov Araz Naxçivan 7
Ramis Mansurov FC Shakhtar Donetsk 7
Krzysztof Marzec Clearex Chorzów 7
Elton Muçollari KF Tirana 7
Viktar Ivaniutsin FC Dorozhnik Minsk 6
Oskar Nielsen Skövde AIK 6
Ibrahim Saidi Roubaix Futsal 6
Vinicius Bacaro ElPozo Murcia FS 5
André Vanderlei Action 21 Charleroi 4
Joel ElPozo Murcia FS 4
Kelson MFK Dinamo Moskva 4
Marquinho Boomerang Interviú 4
Cirilo MFK Dinamo Moskva 4





Courtesy: UEFA.com

Lozano hails futsal final four

Wednesday, 25 April 2007

by Pablo Vázquez de Parga

from Madrid

Spain is an appropriate location for the UEFA Futsal Cup final four event that runs from Thursday until Saturday in Murcia - not only have clubs from the country won four of the five editions, but the national team are reigning world and European champions.

Spanish interest
Those successes were achieved under Javier Lozano, gearing up for the 2007 UEFA European Futsal Championship in Porto this November, with the draw just a few weeks away on 12 May. Spanish rivals Boomerang Interviú - the holders - and hosts ElPozo Murcia FS meet in Thursday's semi-finals, with much of Lozano's squad involved, and he is predicting a close contest in the revamped tournament.

Futsal festival
"Like in previous finals, it'll be very even," Lozano told uefa.com. "I think the new format is a wise move because what they've done is concentrate it all into a huge European futsal festival where not only the participants will meet, but also coaches, players, referees, etc. It's the grand finale to a great competition. The winner will be a better winner in the sense that there's no home and away anymore and the home ground or crowd support doesn't count as much."

Emotional final
Lozano is also happy that the final will be a one-off rather than a two-game affair. "In futsal, as in any other sport, risk is a factor that adds a certain value. Risk keeps up the tension. When are you happy with an event's outcome? When they've thrown you off your balance emotionally, you've felt scared, nervous, happy...when they've brushed you up the wrong way. When it's a single match you're constantly tense and when it's over, if you've won, the satisfaction is overwhelming. When you have a safety net, the risk is there but less intense, more mechanical and the excitement is lost."





Courtesy: UEFA.com

Futsal tactics guide

Wednesday, 25 April 2007

by Paul Saffer

Professional futsal is still a young game compared to its eleven-a-side parent; the tactics are evolving all the time.

Speed
Speed is a theme in futsal, as with such a small pitch, no one has long to dwell on the ball. Equally players have to move fast if they are to find space to receive passes, not least as the ball tends to stay on the ground. Futsal is widely played in Brazil by children before they concentrate on football, and the likes of Ronaldinho and Deco attribute much of their world-class technique to their grounding in the small-sided game. There is no opportunity to rest, so stamina is vital.

Fast moves
Goals generally come from swift moves, often involving lightning exchanges of passes, as the goal is small and a defence given time to regroup at the top level will usually be able to keep opponents at bay. The majority of goals at the very highest level are scored inside the area. Fouls can also be costly because of the danger of giving away a free-kick without the protection of a wall for offending more than five times in a half.

Tactics
Coaches are able to make as many substitutions as they like, with higher-tempo teams, like Russian sides, tending to swap players more, even all four outfielders at once. Teams may utilise a single tactical system, be it a pressing game or a more defensive, counterattacking strategy, but the astute use of player rotation can allow a coach several formations depending on the match. There is also the traditional ending to a tight game when a coach whose team is losing narrowly can take off his goalkeeper and use a fifth outfield player.

Formations
Formations are more fluid than in football, especially with the success in recent years of the '4-0' system which has grown in popularity due to its use by the exceptional Spanish national side. Also widely used is the 3-1, which relies on a 'pivot' forward to hold the ball after being cleared by the defence, 2-2 - where the players stay close together at all times - or the winger-utilising 1-2-1. It is a boon for teams to be able to switch to several different formations in varying match situations.

Defending
Over the last few years a zonal marking system has been superseded by man-to-man tactics, which was applauded by FIFA's technical experts in 2004 as a more dynamic ploy. Generally, though, as in most sports the most important factor is the individual technique and ability of players, and this is especially true in futsal, hence the popularity of Brazilians in the European leagues - all four finalists in this competition have at least someone from the dominant South American nation. Futsal is also being promoted in nations where it has not yet taken off, like England and France, as a useful tool for honing football skills.



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