FA UMBRO Futsal Cup 2007

Middlesbrough Futsal Club, sponsored by Campus Lifestyle, head off to Sheffield today [Thursday 5th July] for the FA UMBRO Futsal Cup finals. The FA Futsal Cup is a nationwide tournament with over 400 teams entering into 47 qualifying leagues. 16 teams have made it through to the final tournament, to be held at the prestigious English Institute of Sport, Sheffield. Boro competed in the Tees Valley Futsal League, yet qualified directly for the finals by virtue of winning the British University Futsal Cup, thus leapfrogging the qualifying playoffs. Boro will represent the North East for the first time in the finals after missing out last season in a thrilling playoff match against Salford Victoria.

A squad of 13 players has been named to represent Boro. There are two notable absentees from the team, with Xavi returning to Spain after a season in English Futsal and Docherty misses out through injury. The final squad for the tournament is Holmes, Herbert, Armes, Mortlock (c), Amos, Whigham, Hamblin, Burgess, Leyshon, Everson, Wootton, McGowan and Gaube, and manager Damon Shaw believes he has a team capable of bringing The FA Cup back to Teesside.

“We’ve got a good chance; we’re playing well at the moment having won 17 of our last 19 games in England. Every game this weekend is going to be tough but with a bit of luck and taking our chances, there’s no reason to believe we can’t go all the way.”

Boro will face three teams from the south in their group; two from London and the third, a new team from Chippenham, Chippenham Futsal Club. The two London teams will both prove to be tricky opponents with Vaughan’s FC consisting of several England internationals, and Baltic United being two times runners-up in the FA Futsal Cup.

Boro are six matches away from becoming English champions and reaching the UEFA Futsal Cup. A good showing will also aid Middlesbrough’s application to the FA National Futsal League, which starts next season.

www.BoroFutsal.co.uk will have all the results and reports from Sheffield so keep checking back to how Boro are fairing in the FA UMBRO Futsal Cup.

FA Futsal Cup Fixtures:

Vs. Vaughan’s FC – Friday 6th July, kick off 15:15.
Vs. Chippenham – Friday 6th July, kick off 20:15.
Vs. Baltic United – Saturday 7th July, kick off 11:45.
Quarter final – Saturday 7th July, kick off 18:45
Semi final – Sunday 8th July, kick off 09:00
FINAL – Sunday 8th July, kick off 16:00



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