Courtesy: The Sofia Echo


Euro futsal excitement

Fri 23 Nov 2007

by Teodor Tsekov

Europe is watching as the UEFA Futsal Championship enters its decisive phase. The eight finalists have now been reduced to four teams as they compete for a brand-new trophy in Portugal. The line-up for the semi-finals on November 23 was completed with the favourites, and reigning champions, Spain marching on towards a fourth Euro title in six competitions. The third place play-off and the final are scheduled to take place on November 25, with live television coverage on Eurosport.

The biggest surprise so far was a 1:1 result between Serbia and Spain in Group B. Predrag Rajic struck with only 36 seconds left to cancel Andreu’s first-half strike and earn a dramatic draw against the title-holders. Serbia also gave Russia a tremendous game despite being defeated 5:3. Spain needed at least a point against Russia in their last game to ensure progress and they did it in style, winning the 2005 final rematch 4:1 to take the first place in Group B. That game showed Spain’s dominance of world futsal is likely to continue for another few years yet.

A glorious moment came in the Russia-Ukraine game. With his team trailing 1:3, Ukrainian Vasyl Sukhomlinov joined the attack only for his opposite number Sergei Zuev to pick up the ball and shoot for the entire length of the pitch and into the net. “I have scored before but only in our domestic league, this is my first international goal. To be honest, initially I couldn’t believe it had gone in,” the hero Zuev said.

While Serbia made a good impression in Group B, the Romanians deserved applause in Group A. Ranked outsiders before the tournament, they showed that coach Zoltan Jakab had done a great job in just four years, taking the side from futsal novices to proper contenders.

Since FIFA introduced Futsal as a new discipline in 1988, it has rapidly gained popularity in Europe and the number of Futsal-playing countries increased considerably during the 1990s. UEFA staged its first European Futsal tournament in Cordoba, Spain, in January 1996. It was won by the hosts in some style and, after three European teams had reached the semi-finals of the World Cup staged later that year, UEFA’s Executive Committee decided, in April 1997, to introduce a full-scale UEFA European Futsal Championship. It was first held in Granada, Spain in 1999 with Russia becoming the first winners in a dramatic final (decided by a penalty shoot-out) against the hosts. Spain won in 2001 in Moscow and hosts Italy in 2003 with Ukraine both times the losing finalist. Spain, FIFA Futsal World Cup winners in 2004, reclaimed the European crown in 2005 with victory over old rivals Russia in the final in the Czech Republic.



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