Courtesy: UEFA.com

Dinamo ready to defend crown

Thursday 18 October 2007

by Eduard Nisenboim

from Moscow

UEFA Futsal Cup holders MFK Dinamo Moskva begin the defence of their trophy in probably the toughest of the Elite round groups – but it is a challenge that coaches Yuri Rudnev and Aleksandr Shibaev relish.

Unbeaten start
Just under six months on from their dramatic defeat of Boomerang Interviú in Murcia to ensure a first victory in their third consecutive final, Dinamo return to European action in Group B in Padova against Montenegro's KMF Municipium Casino Pljevlja, 2004 runners-up SL Benfica and hosts Luparense Calcio A5. Dinamo are still unbeaten 14 matches into the Russian season and sit three points clear of TTG-Java Yugorsk after picking up one win and one draw from each of their recent two-game series against high-flying MFK Tyumen and MFK CSKA Moskva. The 3-2 win against Tyumen, who had not previously dropped a point, followed a 1-1 draw and Rudnev said: "We got a perfect test before the UEFA Cup encounters."

Responsibility
Looking ahead to the race for the one available final four place, Shibaev added: "Dinamo are up against strong opponents, but that is good because it is better to play the strong ones than the weak ones. Everyone realises the responsibility and will not spare themselves. If we look at all the big games in Dinamo's history, we usually play very well. Luparense and Benfica were undisputedly the strongest teams in the Main round and the Italians also did not concede a single goal." Anatoli Badretdinov, a summer signing from MFK Spartak Shelkovo, played against Luparense and Benfica last season and added: "Both the Portuguese and Italian teams have many Brazilians and that leaves a mark on their style. They all are very good on the ball, especially Benfica. The Italians might be a bit faster though."

Benfica hope
Benfica are in their third UEFA Futsal Cup campaign, having lost the 2004 final to Interviú but fallen before the last four two years later. A run of three straight wins has kept them within three points of Portuguese leaders CF Os Belenenses and in the Main round they scored 27 goals in their three victories. Coach Adil Amarante said. “We were unlucky with the draw. We will have to face the reigning champions Dinamo Moskva, who have seven good Brazilians. Besides that Luparense are at home and they also have seven players born in Brazil. Nevertheless, we will go to Italy with one goal in mind - qualifying for the final four. Against opposition like that we have to concentrate 1,000 per cent. At this level every single detail can make a difference. We will be without André Lima, Bebé and Sidnei but we can’t complain about their absences.”

Luparense run
Luparense also won their Main round group, scoring 12 goals without reply, and have a perfect record from five Serie A1 fixtures, gaining a morale-boosting 6-5 derby success at previously unbeaten Marca Trevigiana C5 on Saturday. League top scorer Nando Grana said: "We are expecting a difficult group but we are in good form and we are ready for the challenge. Our fans can give us great support, we want to get through."

Realistic
Municipium have won all the way through from August's Preliminary round, a fine performance from the first team to represent Montenegro in this competition. Realistic about their chances, captain Zoran Zariæ said: "We want to show that we are not here by accident, but we can't say we will be better than Dinamo, Benfica and Luparense."


Additional reporting by Nuno Tavares, Paolo Menicucci & Aleksandar Radoviæ




Courtesy: UEFA.com

Kairat join futsal finalists

Thursday 18 October 2007

Kairat Almaty are the third team through to the UEFA Futsal Cup final four from 24-26 April as they pipped Czech hosts FK Era-Pack Chrudim to first place in Elite round Group C after a dramatic finale in which the Kazakhstan representatives overcame a pair of two-goal deficits before winning 5-4.

Chrudim delight
Chrudim, who until this season had never progressed through one round in European competition, led the group at kick-off today on goal difference ahead of Kairat meaning all they needed was a draw at the Zimní Stadión against the 2005/06 semi-finalists. Michal Mareš put Chrudim into a ninth-minute lead but Rafael swiftly equalised. Roman Mareš made it 2-1 to Chrudim and Radek Mikan extended the lead before the break. Jadder Dantas pulled one back but Roman Mareš restored the two-goal cushion. Dantas again struck, but it was only in the last four minutes that Rafael equalised and Cacau scored a dramatic winner. In the early game, KMF Topsport Antwerpen came back from 5-2 down with three goals in a minute to draw with Slov-Matic Fofo Bratislava, but the Slovakian side finished third on goal difference.

Dinamo cruise
Kairat join MFK Viz-Sinara Ekaterinburg and ElPozo Murcia FS in clinching their Elite round groups but one more space remains in the semi-finals. Holders MFK Dinamo Moskva will hope to fill it and began Group B in Italy today with an emphatic 10-1 win against Montenegro’s KMF Municipium Casino Pljevlja. Sirilo, Pavel Kobzar and Sergei Ivanov struck to put Dinamo in control at half-time. Kelson and Ivanov extended the lead before two quickfire Pelé strikes and Kelson then made it 8-0. Municipium pulled one back, but Kelson completed his hat-trick and Alexandre Rakhimov took the score into double figures. In the same group, hosts Luparense Calcio A5 led 2003/04 runners-up SL Benfica 2-0 at half-time through two goals from Carlos Montovanelli but the Portuguese team fought back for a draw thanks to an Arnaldo goal and Ricardinho's equaliser with three minutes left. On Friday the holders can qualify if they defeat Benfica and Luparense do not beat Municipium.

Murcia celebrate
Murcia were already confirmed as Group A winners in Poland and last season's bronze-medallists celebrated with a 3-2 success against hosts Clearex Chorzów to finish on a perfect record. The Spanish champions' coach Duda left out several key players but his team led on six minutes through Wilde, and although Andrzej Sz³apa equalised, Vinicius made it 2-1 at the break. Wilde extended the lead with his seventh goal of the mini-tournament to ensure Krzysztof Filipczak's late effort was only a consolation. Croatia's HMNK Gospiæ beat KMF Marbo Beograd to second place as they gained a 3-0 victory against the Serbian representatives with a 26th-minute own goal by Željko Borojeviæ and late strikes from Sergio and Patrik Drndiæ.




Courtesy: UEFA.com

Dinamo keep up goalscoring form

Friday 19 October 2007

MFK Dinamo Moskva ended the UEFA Futsal Cup hopes of SL Benfica tonight – but Elite round Group B hosts Luparense Calcio A5 can still deny the holders a place in the final four.

Dinamo oust Benfica
On Thursday night, Dinamo opened their campaign in Italy with a 10-1 defeat of KMF Municipium Casino Pljevlja while Benfica came back from two goals down to hold Luparense 2-2. However, today 2003/04 runners-up Benfica found themselves 3-0 down to Dinamo on 17 minutes thanks to goals from Cirilo, Kelson and Joan. Ricardinho pulled one back before the break and Amandus further reduced arrears early in the second half, but Pelé swiftly found the target for Dinamo and from the half-hour mark Tatu embarked on a six-minute hat-trick. Ricardinho and Arnaldo then struck for the Portuguese champions but in the final seconds Kelson took his mini-tournament goal tally to five and secured an 8-4 win that ends Benfica's hopes.

Luparense in contention
Had Luparense failed to gained victory in the late game against Montenegrin side Municipium, Dinamo would have completed the final four lineup alongside compatriots MFK Viz-Sinara Ekaterinburg, ElPozo Murcia FS and Kairat Almaty. But instead the Italian champions secured a 5-1 success, and if they defeat Dinamo in Sunday’s decisive match in Padova, it will be Luparense and not the reigning champions in the one-venue showpiece from 24-26 April.



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