Courtesy: UEFA.com

Morgado artistry in Italy exhibition

Sunday 18 November 2007

by Paul Saffer from Multiusos Gondomar Coração de Ouro

Italy equalled the record margin of victory in the UEFA European Futsal Championship finals as their class told against Romania.

Class above
Two days ago Italy were involved in the first 0-0 draw in this competition in eight years against hosts Portugal but this afternoon they struck after 82 seconds through Carlos Morgado, who went on to complete a hat-trick. Romania defeated the Czech Republic 8-4 on their finals debut on Friday but the 2003 winners were a class above and now need only a point against the Czech Republic in Santo Tirso on Wednesday to keep up their record of reaching every semi-final, while Romania take on Portugal in Gondomar.

Early goals
The first goal was not long in coming as Italy won a corner and Anderson Pellegrini's kick was turned in by Morgado. Romania were certainly finding life difficult, and Edgar Bertoni and Adriano Foglia both forced László Klein into saves. But the goalkeeper was wrong-footed in the sixth minute when Saad Assis's shot seemed to ricochet in off Robert Lupu.

Response
Romania responded and when Cosmin Gherman's strong free-kick was parried by Alexander Feller, Lupu was unlucky to turn the rebound off target. But there was another Italy goal soon after as Lupu's shot beat Klein and was cleared off the line by Gabriel Molomfalean only for Foglia to bury his follow-up. A time-out seemed to calm Romania's nerves, and in the 14th minute they pulled a goal back. Molomfalean's free-kick was touched back by Lupu perfectly for Gherman to finish off a well-worked move. But Foglia had the last word in the half with a neat turn and shot just as Italy seemed to be being subdued.

Record equalled
It only took 43 seconds after the interval for Italy to strike again, Morgado beating Molomfalean and giving Klein no chance with his shot. Two minutes later his hat-trick was complete with a neat chip over the crouching goalkeeper and Nando Grana, top scorer in the 2005 finals, claimed his first of this tournament following an Assis back-heel. With victory secured Italy coach Alessandro Nuccorini was able to give game time to Vinicius Bacaro, making a comeback from injury along with Sandro Zanetti, though his team did not find the goal to wipe Spain's 8-2 defeat of Poland in 2001 from the record books.




Courtesy: UEFA.com


Portugal comeback ends Czech bid

Sunday 18 November 2007

by Paul Saffer from Multiusos Gondomar Coração de Ouro

UEFA European Futsal Championship hosts Portugal fought back from 3-1 down to eliminate the Czech Republic and put themselves within a point of a first semi-final.

Marcelinho winner
Having drawn 0-0 with Italy in the opening Group A game, Portugal were hopeful against a team beaten 8-4 by Romania but found themselves behind early to Roman Mareš, who then made another and scored again following Ricardinho's equaliser. Gonçalo and Arnaldo levelled matters just before the break and goals by Marcelinho and Formiga moved Portugal level with Italy at the top of the pool.

Fans shocked
The stands were full and buzzing by kick-off but within 47 seconds the locals were shocked as Michel Mareš set up elder brother Roman to strike past João Benedito. Portugal soon began to dominate possession despite Formiga retreating to the dressing room to receive treatment to his leg and Ricardinho equalised in the seventh minute, turning in an Arnaldo pass.

Czechs ahead
Zé Maria had a shot blocked by Lukáš Rešetár and Ricardinho also threatened, but suddenly the Czechs were back ahead as Roman Mareš teed up David Frič to produce an unstoppable drive. And not long afterwards Roman Mareš produced a sublime chip over the Portugal goalkeeper to extend their advantage.

Scores level
Portugal now pushed desperately, urged on by their fans. Gonçalo was denied by a deflection but then scored as a ricochet off Jan Janovský deceived Tomáš Mellerand. And the Czech lead disappeared as the busy Joel Queirós – restored after missing the opener – had efforts blocked by Michel Mareš and Mellerand before his clever pass was volleyed in by Arnaldo 60 seconds from half-time.

Hosts in front
Joel kept up his flurry of activity after the break, Mellerand called into action on more than one occasion. Portugal took the lead, Marcelinho's 27th-minute free-kick zipping through the legs of the goalkeeper. Although there was still pressure from the Czech Republic, knowing a defeat would ensure they will finish bottom of Group A, Formiga returned to the pitch and settled matters with a neat finish. A draw with Romania here on Wednesday will ensure their progress while the Czech Republic play for pride against Italy in Santo Tirso.




Courtesy: UEFA.com

Azzurri made it 'look simple'

Sunday 18 November 2007

by David Baño from Porto

Italy, who drew 0-0 with hosts Portugal in their opener showed their very best form as they defeated Romania 7-1 to equal the UEFA European Futsal Championship finals record winning margin and put themselves within a point of the last four in Group A. Coach Alessandro Nuccorini praised his team's attitude and Romania's Zoltán Jakab, whose side previously beat the Czech Republic 8-4, admitted the Azzurri were a class above.

Alessandro Nuccorini, Italy coach
When we win, everything goes well. Today, we concentrated, were very motivated and played in a mature way. The approach was perfect. The game and the victory looked simple for us, but that only depends on the players' behaviour. It could have been totally different if we had not played that way. The difference today compared to the last game was mainly due to the difference in opposition. Portugal are one of the favourites for the tournament, so it was more difficult than today. In addition, on the first day you can make a mistake and come back. That was not the case today. We could not afford to fail.

Zoltán Jakab, Romania coach
Congratulations to Italy. They played very well, better than us and deserved to win today. This game proved there are three levels in the world of futsal. Italy are at the top level, we are at the second level, and other teams the third. We wanted to keep the score at 0-0 as long as we could, but we conceded some early goals and lost our concentration and motivation.



Courtesy: UEFA.com

Duarte given food for thought

Sunday 18 November 2007

by David Baño from Porto

Portugal may have moved closer to their first UEFA European Futsal Championship semi-final with victory against the Czech Republic but the hosts' coach Orlando Duarte was not happy with his team falling 3-1 down early on, comparing it unfavourably to their opening 0-0 draw with Italy. Still, they came back for a 5-3 win that ended the Czech campaign to the clear disappointment of coach Tomáš Neumann.

Orlando Duarte, Portugal coach
Our start gave us a lot to think about and we will have to correct several things. We did not play with our heads, we were driven by our emotions. Against Italy we managed to keep calm and focused all game, but not today. I was not expecting that bad start. We conceded a goal, we reacted badly and we started to run everywhere, and I did not like that. We have to play every two days, it's not easy to cope with so many games in so little time. Thankfully we managed to correct our mistakes in time and things were much better in the second half. Against Romania [who Portugal need only draw with on Wednesday] I hope we don't concede goals like that and I hope we will avoid the same mistakes.

Tomáš Neumann, Czech Republic coach
It was a bad game for us. When the score was 3-1, maybe we should have looked to contain the game more instead of carrying on attacking. Portugal were definitely better today. In the last period of the match we were very tired and they were superior to us. It's true, EURO has ended for us, we can't do any more.




Courtesy: UEFA.com


Nice one Cirilo, let's have another one

Monday 19 November 2007

by Pavel Gognidze & Nuno Tavares from Porto

Brazil is considered the cradle of futsal and it was also the birthplace of the man who is looking to gun down Ukraine tonight having inspired Russia's 5-3 victory against Serbia on Saturday.

'Excellent debut'
Cirilo is now a naturalised Russian having settled in the country to play for MFK Spartak Moskva and then UEFA Futsal Cup holders MFK Dinamo Moskva, and his hat-trick of sublime strikes earned him the Carlsberg Man of the Match award in the opening UEFA European Futsal Championship Group B defeat of Serbia. It was his competitive bow for his adopted nation and he was thrilled. "It was an excellent debut especially because we managed a win in as difficult a tournament as this one," Cirilo told uefa.com. "Our team wasn’t at their best at the start of the second half and Serbia equalised but we showed our strength in the end."

Russian invitation
The 27-year-old came into the Russia set-up this year with club-mate Pelé Junior, and Cirilo admits that much has altered since his days playing in South America. "Being part of the national team of Russia is very different, of course," Cirilo said. "They invited me and I accepted, and now I am very happy to be here at the European Championship." Coach Oleg Ivanov is also delighted to have him, saying: "I don't care that he is Brazilian. The most important thing is that he is the strongest in this position in Russia and is the top scorer in the league."

'Tough game'
Today's fixture matches two old rivals, meeting for the eleventh time in 12 years - with Russia leading 8-2 in wins despite a loss in the 2005 EURO finals. Cirillo, who knows a ninth victory could be enough to seal a spot in the last four at the expense of their neighbours, said: "Ukrainian futsal is very similar to that played by Russia. The passing, the counterattacks - it’s pretty much the same so it’s going to be a tough game for us."




Courtesy: UEFA.com


Peric proving a Serbian sensation

Monday 19 November 2007

by Paul Saffer from Porto

Serbia may have lost their opening UEFA European Futsal Championship fixture 5-3 against Russia, and be facing possible elimination with defeat by holders Spain this evening, but one of their players has already marked himself out as one of the game's best.

Good form
Marko Peric, at 23, is fast emerging as a world-class talent. Against 2005 runners-up Russia in Gondomar he was in fine form, notably with a long-range strike that pulled the score back to 3-2 and preceded a surprise equaliser. Although Russia went on to win, it was a creditable performance in Serbia's first finals appearance since the former Yugoslavia qualified in 1999.

'Fantastic' opponents
Now Peric, who says it is a "dream" to play in these finals, is looking forward to the encounter with Spain, and a reunion with some players he faced when KMF Marbo Beograd lost 5-1 to ElPozo Murcia FS in the UEFA Futsal Cup Elite round last month. "It's a very good feeling when you play against a Spanish team because you learn so much," he said. "Maybe we don't have such a good chance of winning but we will try to do our best. We respect the European and world champions Spain and I am very happy to play against the best teams in the world. All Spain's players are fantastic but in my opinion Kike is their best player, along with Daniel and Javier Rodríguez. But they are all very good and dangerous."

Kike praise
Kike in fact is quite an admirer of Peric, saying this week that he is becoming an "important player". Peric said: "It is a big honour for me when a player like Kike says good things." And the Serbia man could himself be getting even more experience of Spanish futsal soon. "I am sure that in December I will go to another club," Peric added. "I have three or four clubs interested, some from Spain, some from other countries. I am sure next year I will play abroad because our national league is not so strong and every player who wants to improve has to go somewhere else."




Courtesy: UEFA.com


Neighbours keep calm on derby day

Monday 19 November 2007

by Pavel Gognidze from Porto

Ukraine and Russia may be playing down their rivaly ahead of Monday's UEFA European Futsal Championship Group B encounter, but the stakes in the 'Slavic Derby' in Gondomar are especially high.

Contrasting fortunes
Russia, having kicked off the tournament with a 5-3 victory against Serbia, are attempting to make it nine wins from eleven meetings with their neighbours. If successful, they will book their progress provided holders Spain then avoid defeat by Serbia. However, Ukraine beat Russia in the last futsal finals in Ostrava and, following a 6-2 reverse against Spain, motivation is high. Coach Gennadiy Lysenchuk says they have their "backs against the wall".

Nerves settled
Runners-up in 2005, Russia are without Marat Azizov, serving the second match of a suspension, and they did not have things their own way against Serbia as a two-goal lead evaporated into a 3-3 scoreline. Yet Vladislav Shayakhmetov, who clinched victory with Russia's fifth goal on Saturday, says their confidence has been boosted. "That was the first match and there were some nerves," he told uefa.com. "A few of the players made their European Championship debuts but we settled down. It's always great to get a victory."

Not a derby?
But is there any extra edge given the identity of the opposition? "No, it's not really a derby," Shayakhmetov insisted. "We just have to go out there and win. I don't consider Ukraine special opponents. Opponents are opponents, no matter who they are."

Spain reverse
Meanwhile, Lysenchuk is trying to restore the morale of his side after they caused serious problems for Spain before eventually succumbing 6-2 on Saturday. "We played the world and European champions and it's no shame to lose to them. We had a moment at 2-2 when we could have scored a third goal and gone on to win. But our young players could not pull it off."

'Tough match'
Lysenchuk has led Ukraine through their difficult run of results against Russia, and admits this is not the team he would have wanted to face in this situation. "There is no doubt it will be a very tough match, especially against opponents as strong as Russia," he said. "But we have our backs against the wall. We need only victory, and we will do whatever it takes to get it. I think this is what will eventually happen. We will review Russia's match against Serbia to see what kind of mistakes they commit and what are their strengths. We will try not to concede soft goals. We need to score one goal more and to win."




Courtesy: UEFA.com


Venancio wary of 'talented' Serbia

Monday 19 November 2007

by Paul Saffer & David Baño from Porto

UEFA European Futsal Championship holders Spain proved they are again the team to beat in this competition with their opening 6-2 win against Ukraine – yet their coach José Venancio is wary of "talented" Serbia in their second Group B match on Monday in Porto.

Satisfaction
Spain did not have things all their own way against Ukraine as a two-goal lead disappeared and Javi Eseverri was sent off, but they still managed four unanswered goals thereafter. Victory against Serbia, who lost 5-3 to Russia on Saturday, could be enough for a semi-final place. "I'm very satisfied with my players so far," Venancio told uefa.com. "We played well against Ukraine. We managed to resolve difficult situations on two occasions – when we had a player sent off and when they came back to 2-2."

Serbian talent
He added: "This was the first step but there are still four more to go. Now we have to focus on Serbia, who could be the surprise package of this championship. They have a very talented team. They have improved both technically and tactically and they have Marko Perić, who is one of the best players in the tournament. It is difficult to defend against them as they are unpredictable. They are very good in one-on-one situations. It will be more complicated and we will have to defend well."

World's best
Serbia coach Aca Kovačević saw his team come from two goals behind against 2005 runners-up Russia to get to 3-3, only to then slip up in their first finals game in eight years. It will not be any easier against the side that beat Russia in the last final. "What can we say about Spain except they are one of the best teams in the world, the world champions," Kovačević said. "They play very well in defence, thanks to the work of former coach Javier Lozano, and they are continuing in the same way under the new coach."

Strength-in-depth
Kovačević's biggest concern is the strength-in-depth of his squad compared to their opponents, something he thinks was decisive on Saturday. "One of our problems was that we only had six or seven players who could play at the level of the Russians, and they could not play for the whole game, so when we changed things it gave Russia a chance," he said. "For that reason, Spain and Russia are better than the rest because they have 12 or 14 players of the same standard. We know it will be very hard but we will do our best – if we play better than against Russia, maybe we have a chance."




Courtesy: UEFA.com

'Great joy' for home hero Marcelinho

Monday 19 November 2007

by Nuno Tavares & Paul Saffer from Porto

Things were not going to plan. Although UEFA European Futsal Championship hosts Portugal had clawed back from 3-1 down to level against the Czech Republic, time was running out and they were not headed for their expected Group A victory in front of a packed crowd at the Multiusos Gondomar Coração de Ouro.

'Great joy'
But then up stepped Marcelinho, and one free-kick through the legs of Czech goalkeeper Tomáš Mellerand later the home team were ahead and on their way to a fan-pleasing 5-3 victory which took them into second place above Romania – against whom they need only draw to reach their first semi-final. So how was the feeling when his shot went in? "A great joy," Marcelinho told uefa.com. "When we shoot our aim is always to score but in this case my first objective was to pass the ball to Joel Queirós, who was in front of goal. The goalkeeper made a mistake and I was very happy to score."

Belief
It may have looked earlier as if Portugal's dreams were going sour, but not to the DKV Zaragoza player. "I didn't think that," Marcelinho said. "We kept our cool and went in search of a better result. Two goals are nothing in futsal. We knew that if we played our game we would prevail in the end."

Romania encounter
Although they need only one more point on Wednesday to go through, Marcelinho insists they will go all out to defeat Romania having begun with a 0-0 draw against Italy. "We will definitely play to win," the 29-year-old said. “I think the game against the Czech Republic has taught us that we can't look down on any team and that we have to be alert from the kick-off. We didn't concede against Italy but against the Czechs we let them score on three occasions so this game was like a warning for us."

Semi-final thoughts
Portugal trail Italy on goal difference after Matchday 2, but Marcelinho would not be concerned if they were to go through in second place. "I think it's only important for the morale of the team," he said. "To face Spain or Russia, who are European champions and [2005] runners-up, respectively, is pretty much the same thing."




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