Futsal/Indoor Soccer World News
September 4, 2002

News and information on Futsal/Indoor Soccer from around the world

ASIA

BAHRAIN BIDS FOR 2004 FIFA FUTSAL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
The Bahrain Football Association declared its interest in hosting the 2004 FIFA Futsal World Championship in a meeting held at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland on Aug. 19. In the meeting Bahrain's Minister of Sports, Sheik Fawaz al Khalifa, informed FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter on this plan and assured the government's support for the event. The previous FIFA World Champions have been held in Holland 1989, Hong Kong 1992, Spain 1996 and Guatemala 2000.

IRAN LOOKING FOR FOURTH STRAIGHT ASIAN TITLE AT INDONESIA 2002
Iran will be looking to win their fourth consecutive Asian Futsal Championship as the 2002 edition will be held in Istora Senayan, Indonesia from Oct. 22-30. The three-time defending champions have been placed in Group B along side Chinese Taipei, Malaysia, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Group A is composed of the Korea Republic, Iraq, Tajikistan, Thailand and Vietnam, while Group C has China, Japan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan and the host Indonesia. The round-robin group stage will run from Oct. 22-26 with the top two teams from each group advancing to the quarterfinals, along with the two best third-place finishers on Oct. 28. The quarterfinal victors will meet in the semifinals set for Oct. 29. The semifinal winners will battle for the 2002 Asian Title on Oct. 30, while the semifinal losers will face each other in the third-place consolation game earlier in the day. For more information on the 2002 Asian Futsal
Championship, check www.asian-football.com.

2002 Asian Futsal Championship
October 22-30
Istora Senayan, Indonesia

Group A
Korea Republic
Iraq
Tajikistan
Thailand
Vietnam

Group B
Iran
Chinese Taipei
Malaysia
Turkmenistan
Uzbekistan

Group C
Indonesia
China
Japan
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan

EUROPE

PORTUGAL VISITS THE CZECH REPUBLIC
Portugal's Futsal National Team will visit the Czech Republic to face the host in a two-game international friendly series set for Oct. 14-15. The first match will take place in Chomutov on Oct. 14, while the second will have Prague as the venue the next day (Oct. 15).

ITALY TO HOST TWO MATCHES AGAINST POLAND
Italy's Futsal National Team will host two international friendly matches against Poland from Oct. 1-2, in Quartu S. Elena. Both teams have met eight times since 1994, with the Italians leading the head-to-head series, 6-1-1. In the last meeting, the host Poland battled to a 3:3 draw against Italy in Glogow on Dec. 19, 2001.

FRENCH COACH CALLS IN 23 PLAYERS FOR TRAINING CAMP
France's Futsal National Team Head Coach James Doyen has called in 23 players for a training camp in Clairefontaine, France from Sept. 10-13. The four-day camp is part of the preparations for the French's upcoming 2003 UEFA Futsal Championship Qualifying later this year. France has placed in UEFA's Group #6, along side Croatia, Czech Republic and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

France's Training Camp Roster (Club):
Goalkeepers - Jean-Piere Sabani (Issy Futsal Paris), Clément Galien (Lleida), Toihir Ali Hadji (Champs-sur-Marne), Guillaume Coffy (FC Mulhouse)
Players - Serge Achi (Champs-sur-Marne), Mokrane Attal (Champs-sur-Marne F.C.), Mohamed Bamoune (AS Communaux de Cambrai), Stéphane Basson (ASF Andrézieux), Salim Belgharbi (US Créteil), Abdelbrahim Ben Fares (ASC Triton Montpellier), Grégory Betti (FC US Tropezienne), Jérôme Calatraba (Cagnes-sur-Mer), Nordine Chergui (ASF Andrézieux), Stéphane Cossart (Saint-Saulve), Fernando Da Cruz (IC Croix), Mickaël Di Barbora (Saint-Saulve), Grégory Ducreux (FC Flers), Christophe Duponcheel (AS Trois Ponts Roubaix), Frédéric Duponcheel (AS Trois Ponts Roubaix), Grégory Ferreira (AS Communaux de Cambrai), Hichem Sard (Tours FC), Frédéric Triboulet (ASF Andrézieux), Aissa Yahia Bey (MJC Pablo Picasso).
Coach - James Doyen

HOLLAND TO TRAVEL TO HUNGARY FOR TWIN-BILL
Holland's Futsal National Team will travel to Hungary to take on the host in a twin-bill international friendly set for Sept. 9-10. Dunaujvaros will be the venue for the first, encounter on Sept. 9, while Budapest will be the site for the second match the next day (Sept. 10).

SPANISH COACH NAMES ROSTER FOR COPA LATINA IN BRAZIL
Spain's Futsal National Team Head Coach Javier Lozano named his 12-man roster that will compete at the Copa Latina in Fortaleza, Brazil from Sept. 6-8. The competition will feature Argentina, Uruguay and the host Brazil joining the UEFA and FIFA World Champions Spain as they put a 31-international game unbeaten streak on the line. Spain have not lost an international futsal match since Apr. 4, 2000, a 2:1 defeat to Italy.

Spain's Roster (Club):
Goalkeepers - Sergio López-Andujar (El Pozo), Guillermo Martín (Playas de Castellón)
Defenders - Kike Boned (El Pozo), Josema García Prades (Playas de Castellón), Alvaro Aparicio (Caja Segovia), Anderson de Almeida "Purao" (Miró Martorell) Midfielders - Jordi Sánchez (Miró Martorell), Daniel Ibañes (Caja Segovia), Javier Rodríguez (Playas de Castellón)
Forwards - Javier Sánchez (Playas de Castellón), Alberto Riquer (Caja Segovia), Alberto Cogorro (Atlético Boadilla).
Coach - Javier Lozano

RUSSIA TAKES TITLE AT WORLD UNIVERSITY FUTSAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Russia won their second World University Futsal Championship with a convincing 4:1 victory over Italy in the finals in Nyíregyháza, Hungary on Aug. 31. After finishing first in Group C with a 2-0 mark, Russia blanked Yugoslavia 4:0 in the Quarterfinals on Aug. 29, and then topped the host Hungary 2:0 in the Semifinals the next day (Aug. 30). This is the First World University Futsal Title for Russia since 1994, when they won it in Nicosia, Cyprus. The Ukraine took the third-place honor by defeating Hungary 5:3 on Aug. 31, while in earlier matches Yugoslavia edged Spain 2:1 to finish in fifth place and Portugal posted a 6:3 win over Israel for the eighth-place prize.

Eighth World University Futsal Championship
August 25-31, 2002, Nyíregyháza, Hungary
Final Results, Standings
* Advance to Quarterfinals
^ Advance to Consolation Round

Group A
Teams (GP, W-L-T, GF:GA, PTS)
Hungary (2, 1-0-1, 23:3, 4) *
Ukraine (2, 1-0-1, 22:5, 4) *
Turkey (2, 0-2-0, 2:39, 0) ^

Group B
Teams (GP, W-L-T, GF:GA, PTS)
Italy (2, 2-0-0, 14:6, 6) *
Yugoslavia (2, 1-1-0, 11:8, 3) *
Poland (2, 0-2-0, 5:16, 0) ^

Group C
Teams (GP, W-L-T, GF:GA, PTS)
Russia (2, 2-0-0, 25:3, 6) *
Spain (2, 1-1-0, 14:5, 3) *
Cyprus (2, 0-2-0, 3:33, 0) ^

Group D
Teams (GP, W-L-T, GF:GA, PTS)
Portugal (2, 2-0-0, 8:1, 6) *
Israel (2, 1-1-0, 9:3, 3) *
Kazakhstan (2, 0-2-0, 1:14, 0) ^

Aug. 25
Ukraine - Turkey 19:2
Spain - Cyprus, 12:1
Yugoslavia - Poland, 7:3
Israel - Kazakhstan, 8:1

Aug. 26
Hungary - Turkey, 20:0
Russia - Cyprus, 21:1
Italy - Poland, 9:2
Portugal - Kazakhstan, 6:0

Aug. 27
Portugal - Israel, 2:1
Italy - Yugoslavia, 5:4
Hungary - Ukraine, 3:3
Russia - Spain, 4:2

Aug. 29
Quarterfinals:
Hungary - Israel, 3:2
Italy - Spain, 2:0
Russia - Yugoslavia, 4:0
Ukraine - Portugal, 2:1
Consolation Round:
Kazakhstan - Turkey, 6:4
Poland - Cyprus, 11:2

Aug. 30
Semifinals:
Russia - Hungary, 2:0
Italy - Ukraine, 4:2
Consolation Round:
Yugoslavia - Israel, 5:1
Spain - Portugal, 2:1
Eleventh Place: Turkey - Cyprus, 8:3
Ninth Place: Poland Forfeit win over Kazakhstan

Aug. 31
Eighth Place: Portugal - Israel, 6:3
Fifth Place: Yugoslavia - Spain, 2:1
Third Place: Ukraine - Hungary, 5:3
Finals: Russia - Italy, 4:1

CZECH REPUBLIC, SLOVAKIA SPLIT HOME-AND-HOME SERIES
The Czech Republic's Futsal National Team split a home-and-home series with Slovakia on Aug. 15-16. After dropping the first game at home by a score of 3:2 in Dubnica on Aug. 15, Slovakia took the second match over the host Czechs 4:3 the following day (Aug. 16) in Brno.

UEFA ANNOUNCES FUTSAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR 2002-04 PERIOD
UEFA announced on Aug. 12, the Futsal Committee Members that will run from 2002-04. The committee, which is chaired by Petr Fousek of the Czech Republic, includes new member Javier Lozano, who is currently the Head Coach of Spain's Futsal National Team.

2002-04 UEFA Futsal Committee Members
Chairman - Petr Fousek (CZE)
Members - Semion N. Andreiev (RUS), Lambe Arnaudov (MKD), Boris Durlen (CRO), Tomas Gea (AND) Hans Boll (NED), Istvan Huszar (HUN), Javier Lozano (ESP), Pierre Schiepers (BEL), Antonio Silva Perreira (POR), Fabrizzio Tonelli (ITA)

NORTH, CENTRAL AMERICA

GUATEMALAN STRIKER LEADS GALAXY TO 2002 LAMAR HUNT U.S. OPEN CUP FINALS
Guatemalan forward Carlos Ruiz scored one of the four as the Los Angeles Galaxy of the Major League Soccer topped the visiting Dallas Burn 4:1 in the semifinals of the 2002 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in Fullerton, Calif. on Sept. 3. The win puts the defending champions in the Open Cup finals for a second consecutive year and have an opportunity to become the first team since the New York Pancyprian-Freedoms to win back-to-back titles 1982-83. Ruiz, who has 12 goals in 24 international appearances for Guatemala Men's National Soccer, scored in each of the three Open Cup matches for the Galaxy in 2002. A Futsal Team member at the 2000 FIFA World Championship in Guatemala, Ruiz scored for the Galaxy in the 4:0 Third Round road-win over the Minnesota Thunder of the A-League on July 17, and also notched the game-winner in the 1:0 overtime Quarterfinal victory against the host San Jose Earthquakes of the MLS on Aug. 7.

MEXICO TO COMPETE IN 2002 COPA GUATEMALA DE FUTSAL IN NOVEMBER
Mexico's Futsal National Team will once again compete at the Copa Guatemala de Futsal tentatively set for November of 2002 in Guatemala City. Last year, Mexico finished second at the four-team tournament after losing in the final to the host Guatemala 5:3. Prior to the defeat, Mexico posted back-to-back victories over El Salvador (7:3)
and Nicaragua (10:2).

INDOOR SOCCER LEGEND TATU TO RETIRE AFTER 2002-03 MISL SEASON
Dallas Sidekicks' legend, Antonio Carlos Pecorari "Tatu," has announced that the 2002-03 Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) season will be his last as a player. The Brazilian native will enter his 21st season as a professional indoor soccer player, and his 18th with the Sidekicks. When the Sidekicks open the 2002-03 season at home against the Philadelphia Kixx on Sept. 28, Tatu will become the only player to have played in all six modern indoor leagues: North American Soccer League (NASL), National Professional Soccer League (NPSL), original MISL, Continental Indoor Soccer League (CISL), World Indoor Soccer League (WISL), and the new MISL. During his tenure, Tatu led the Sidekicks to championships in the CISL, MISL and WISL. He has played in 600 games and has scored 837 goals, while dishing out
699 assists during his career.

CHAMPIONS VS. CHAMPIONS TO KICK OFF MISL CAMPAIGN
The 2002-03 MISL campaign will kick off on Sept. 28, with two match-ups that will feature champions vs. champions as the Milwaukee Wave (2001-02 MISL Regular Season Winners) visit the San Diego Sockers (2001 WISL Regular Season Winners), while the defending MISL Champions Philadelphia Kixx travel to meet the 2001 WISL Champions Dallas Sidekicks. Each of the eight MISL teams will play a 36-game 2002-03 schedule until Mar. 23, with the playoffs set for the week of Mar. 24. The MISL Playoffs will consist of six teams with the top three clubs from each conference advancing to the three-round post-season. In the quarterfinal round, the second-place club from each conference will host the third-place club from the same conference in a one-game playoff. Each regular season conference champion will earn a bye to the semifinal round and will host the winner of the quarterfinal contest. The two winners of the one-game semifinal round will then advance to the 2002-03 MISL Championship Series, where the team with the higher regular season winning percentage will host Game One and Game Three (if necessary). For more information on the MISL check www.misl.net.

2002-03 MISL Conference Alignment
Western
Dallas Sidekicks
Kansas City Comets
Milwaukee Wave
San Diego Sockers

Eastern
Baltimore Blast
Cleveland Force
Harrisburg Heat
Philadelphia Kixx

SAMBA KINGS WIN THREE-NATION U.S. FUTSAL INVITATIONAL IN MILWAUKEE
The three-time FIFA World Champions Brazil won the Three-Nation U.S. Futsal Invitational at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wis. after posting back-to-back victories over the USA (9:1) and Mexico (15:2) on Aug. 24, 25 respectively. Brazilian midfielder Manoel Tobias was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player, while teammate Junior finished as the competition's top scorer with six goals. The event, which was sponsored by the Wisconsin Sports Management, the Milwaukee Wave of the MISL and the U.S. Futsal Federation, saw the Samba Kings open the competition with a 9:1 victory over the Americans. Forwards Junior, Vinicius and midfielder Manoel Tobias led the offense scoring two goals each, while defenders Assad and Marinho each added a tally for Brazil. Defender Pat White scored the only goal for the Americans in the loss, while goalkeeper Scott Hileman posted 21 saves in his first international appearance for the USA. Four goals by Junior and three each from Manuel Tobias and Vinicius helped Brazil clinch the tournament title with a convincing 15:2 victory over Mexico the following day. Forward Hector Guzman and midfielder Victor Huerta each notched a goal in the loss for the Tri-Colores.

USA DOWNS MEXICO TO COMPLETE FUTSAL INVITATIONAL TOURNEY
After dropping a 9:1 decision to Brazil on Aug. 24, the U.S. Futsal National Team rebounded the next day (Aug. 25) with a hard-fought 7:4 victory over Mexico in the final match of the Three-Nation U.S. Futsal Invitational Tournament at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wis. Two goals each from defenders Pat Morris, Omid Namazi and midfielders Brian Loftin paced the Americans, while forwards Guillermo Castaneda Miranda, Hector Guzman, midfielder Victor Huerta and Leonardo Morales Figueroa all scored for the Tri-Colores in the loss. The game marked the fourth time that the USA and Mexico have met in an international futsal match, and once again saw another physical encounter between the CONCACAF rivals with a total of 18 team fouls (MEX-12, USA 6). With the win, the U.S. improved their lifetime series against Mexico to 3-0-1 in futsal competition.

Three-Nation U.S. Futsal Invitational in Milwaukee, Wis.
Aug. 24-25, 2002
Final Results, Standings
Teams (GP, W-L-T, GF:GA, PTS)
Brazil (2, 2-0-0, 24:3, 6)
U.S.A. (2, 1-1-0, 8:13, 3)
Mexico (2, 0-2-0, 6:22, 0)

Aug. 24
Brazil - U.S.A., 9:1

Aug. 25
Brazil - Mexico, 15:2
U.S.A. - Mexico, 7:4

SOUTH AMERICA

BRAZIL TO STAGE FOUR-NATION COPA LATINA IN FORTALEZA
Brazil's Futsal National Team will stage a Four-Nation Copa Latina in Fortaleza from Sept. 6-8. Argentina, Uruguay and the FIFA World Champion Spain will join the Samba Kings in the round-robin event. Brazil currently holds a 14-1-1 overall ledger in international play this year, with their only loss coming at the hands of Spain 4:3 in overtime on Mar. 31, in Torrejon de Ardoz, Spain. Brazilian Coach Fernando Ferretti has also named his roster for the Copa Latina.

Brazil's Roster (Club):
Goalkeepers - Lavoisier Freire Martins (ACBF/Carlos Barbosa),
Franklin Roosevelt Vieira (Jaraguá)
Defenders - Jefferson Rodrigues de Brito (Banespa), André Santos Siqueira (Banespa), Euler Coelho Marques (Jaraguá)
Midfielders - Manoel Tobias da Cruz Jr. (Jaraguá), Dovenir Domingues Neto (Minas Tênis), Paulo Sérgio Lira Góes (ACBF/Carlos Barbosa), Fernando Gomes Leitão (Minas Tênis), Pablo Almeida Ribeiro (ACBF/Carlos Barbosa)
Forwards - Vinícius Elias Teixeira (Ulbra), Francisco Aníbio da S. Costa (ACBF/Carlos Barbosa).
Coach - Fernando Ferretti

Copa Latina in Fortaleza, Brazil - Sept. 6-8, 2002
Schedule, Kickoff Times (Local)

Sept. 6
Spain - Argentina, 18:30
Brazil - Uruguay, 20:15

Sept. 7
Spain - Uruguay, 16:30
Brazil - Argentina, 18:15

Sept. 8
Uruguay - Argentina, 13:00
Brazil - Spain, 15:00

BRAZIL CAPTURES FIRST FUTSAL GOLD AT 2002 JUEGOS ODESUR
The host Brazil captured the first-ever gold medal in the futsal event at the 2002 Juegos ODESUR (South American Olympic Games) with 5:0 blanking of Argentina in the finals held at the Miécimo da Silva Sports Gymnasium, in Campo Grande, Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 11. The offense was led by forward Indio who scored twice, while midfielders Manuel Tobias, Pablo and forward Vinicius each added a tally in the win for Brazil. In an earlier match, Bolivia stunned Paraguay 4:2 to win the bronze medal in the competition. The event, organized by the ODESUR (Organización Deportiva Sudamericana), began on Aug. 6, with a six-team round-robin group. Brazil finished with an unblemished 5-0 mark, while Argentina took second with a 4-1 ledger. Paraguay captured the third spot with a 3-2 record, while Bolivia earned the fourth berth with a 1-3-1 ledger, after finishing ahead of Uruguay on the goal differential tiebreaker (-5 to -8). For more information on the 2002 Juegos ODESUR in Brazil check www.brasil2002.org.br. 2002 Juegos ODESUR, Futsal Competition

August 6-11, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Final Standings, Results
G-Plays in Gold Medal Game; B-Plays in Bronze Medal Game

Teams (GP, W-L-T, GF:GA, PTS)
Brazil-G (5, 5-0-0, 37:5, 15)
Argentina-G (5, 4-1-0, 14:7, 12)
Paraguay-B (5, 3-2-0, 21:23, 9)
Bolivia-B (5, 1-3-1, 16:21, 4)
Uruguay (5, 1-3-1, 15:23, 4)
Ecuador (5, 0-5-0, 14:38, 0)

Aug. 6
Argentina - Ecuador, 6:1
Paraguay - Uruguay, 5:1
Brazil - Bolivia, 6:1

Aug. 7
Bolivia - Ecuador, 5:2
Argentina - Uruguay, 3:1
Brazil - Paraguay, 11:1

Aug. 8
Uruguay - Ecuador, 6:4
Paraguay - Bolivia, 5:3
Brazil - Argentina, 2:0

Aug. 9
Uruguay - Bolivia, 6:6
Argentina - Paraguay, 3:2
Brazil - Ecuador, 13:2

Aug. 10
Argentina - Bolivia, 2:1
Brazil - Uruguay, 5:1
Paraguay - Ecuador, 8:5

Aug. 11
Bronze Medal: Bolivia - Paraguay, 4:2
Gold Medal: Brazil - Argentina, 5:0

Next issue will be sent on October 2, 2002

Futsal is a sport that is a derivative of soccer and played with five-man teams on a basketball style court, with no walls and a low bouncing ball, unlike the traditional sport of U.S. indoor soccer played with six-man squads and walls. Great soccer superstars such as Pele, Zico, and Ronaldo grew up playing the game and credit Futsal with developing their skills.