Futsal/Indoor Soccer World News
October 2, 2002

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

ASIA

BAHRAIN, BRUNEI DARUSSALAM REPLACE TAJIKISTAN, VIETNAM AT 2002 AFC FUTSAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Bahrain and Brunei Darussalam have been added to the upcoming 2002 Asian Futsal Championship (AFC) in Indonesia from Oct. 22-30, after the withdrawal of Vietnam and the FIFA suspension of Tajikistan. Tajikistan and Vietnam were originally placed in Group A alongside Thailand and Iraq but now Bahrain and Brunei Darussalam will be taking those spots for the event. For Bahrain, this is the first time the country is participating in the AFC competition, which was inaugurated in 1999. Bahrain’s participation is also seen as a step towards its own aspiration to organize the FIFA World Championship in 2004. 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
Bahrain
Brunei Darussalam
Korea Republic
Iraq
Thailand

Group B
Iran
Chinese Taipei
Malaysia
Turkmenistan
Uzbekistan

Group C
Indonesia
China
Japan
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan

IRAN LOOKING FOR FOURTH STRAIGHT ASIAN TITLE AT INDONESIA
Iran will be looking to win their fourth consecutive Asian Futsal Championship, as the 2002 edition will take place in Istora Senayan, Indonesia from Oct. 22-30. Prior to Indonesia, Iran will travel to England for the first time and take on Birkenhead club Tranmere Victoria in a two-game series on Oct. 8-9. The three-time defending champions have been placed in Group B at the Asian Championship along side Chinese Taipei, Malaysia, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. 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.

VICENTE DE LUISE TO TAKE CHARGE OF THAILAND
The Argentinean native Vicente De Luise has taken the head coach and technical director position for Thailand’s Futsal National Team as the squad prepares for the upcoming 2002 Asian Championship in Indonesia. De Luise, who was at helm with Argentina at the 1992 FIFA World Championship in Hong Kong, also coached Newell’s Olds Boys, River Plate of Argentina as well as Chile’s Futsal National Team and Colo-Colo.

EUROPE

CZECHS COACH NAMES ROSTER FOR PORTUGAL SHOWDOWN
The Czech Republic’s Futsal National Team Head Coach Michal Striz named a 13-man roster as the squad host a two-game international friendly series against Portugal from 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.
Czech Republic Roster (Club)
Goalkeepers – Petr Krayzel (Jistebnik), Jan Klima (Benago Praha); Defenders – Martin Dlouhy (Viktoria Zizkov), Jan Horacek (Viktoria Zizkov), David Levcik (Mikeska Ostrava), Daniel Rajnoch (Vysoke Myto), Tomas Sluka (Jistebnik); Forwards – Rostislav Broz (Jistebnik), Radim Krayzel (Jistebnik), Stanislav Bejda (TS Bakov), Vit Blazej (Jistebnik), Karel Kristen (Benago Praha), Oldrich Maly (Megas Frenstat)
Coach – Michal Striz

2002-03 UEFA FUTSAL CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFYING BEGINS
The 2002-03 UEFA Futsal Cup qualifying will run from Oct. 4-13 as each mini-tournament group winners advance to a final round where the eight qualified teams will be placed in two groups of four in March 2003. The winner of each final round group will face each other in a two-game home-and-home series to crown the 2002-03 UEFA Futsal Cup Champion. The first leg will be played between Apr. 14-20, 2003, while the second will be held from Apr. 28 – May 4.

2002-03 UEFA Futsal Cup Qualifying Groups (Venue)
Dubnica (Slovakia)

4/10/02 17:00 Action 21 – FK Inkaras
4/10/02 20:00 SK Program Dubnica – KS Flamurtari
5/10/02 17:00 Action 21 – SK Program Dubnica
5/10/02 20:00 FK Inkaras – KS Flamurtari
7/10/02 17:00 KS Flamurtari – Action 21
7/10/02 20:00 FK Inkaras – SK Program Dubnica

GROUP 2
Rovaniemi (Finland)

7/10/02 18.00 AGBU Ararat – Zarea Balti
7/10/02 20.00 FC Shakhtar Donetsk – PT Kemi Tornio
8/10/02 18.00 FC Shakhtar Donetsk – AGBU Ararat
8/10/02 20.00 PT Kemi Tornio – Zarea Balti
10/10/02 18.00 Zarea Balti – FC Shakhtar Donetsk
10/10/02 20.00 PT Kemi Tornio – AGBU Ararat

GROUP 3
Tbilisi (Georgia)

6/10/02 AR Freixieiro – Norilsky Nickel
6/10/02 FC Iberia 2000 – PFK Olimp
7/10/02 AR Freixieiro – FC Iberia 2000
7/10/02 Norilsky Nickel – PFK Olimp
9/10/02 PFK Olimp – AR Freixieiro
9/10/02 Norilsky Nickel – FC Iberia 2000

GROUP 4
Prato (Italy)

4/10/02 20.00 Prato C/5 – KMN Svea Lesna Litija
4/10/02 22.00 MFC Hayk Yerevan – KMF Skopje
5/10/02 20.00 Prato C/5 – MFC Hayk Yerevan
5/10/02 22.00 KMN Svea Lesna Litija – KMF Skopje
7/10/02 20.00 KMF Skopje – Prato C/5
7/10/02 22.00 KMN Svea Lesna Litija – MFC Hayk Yerevan

GROUP 5
Mostar (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

10/10/02 Antena 3 Boomerang – Clearex Chorzow
10/10/02 Zrinjski Karaka – Alibi Almaty
11/10/02 Antena 3 Boomerang – Zrinjski Karaka
11/10/02 Clearex Chorzow – Alibi Almaty
13/10/02 Alibi Almaty – Antena 3 Boomerang
13/10/02 Clearex Chorzow – Zrinjski Karaka

GROUP 6
Castellon (Spain)

4/10/02 18:45 Dorozhnik Fanipol – UE Santa Coloma
4/10/02 20:45 Playas De Castellon – CSO Montage
5/10/02 18:45 CSO Montage – UE Santa Coloma
5/10/02 20:45 Playas de Castellon – Dorozhnik Fanipol
7/10/02 18:45 CSO Montage – Dorozhnik Fanipol
7/10/02 20:45 UE Santa Coloma – Playas de Castellon

GROUP 7
Bilovec (Czech Republic)

5/10/02 18:30 MNK Split – FCK De Hommel
6/10/02 18:30 CC Jistebnik – MNK Split
7/10/02 18:30 FCK De Hommel – CC Jistebnik

GROUP 8
Nis (Yugoslavia)

7/10/02 MFK Turan Air Baku – KMF Nis
8/10/02 Athina ’90 SFA – MFK Turan Air Baku
9/10/02 KMF Nis – Athina ’90

BELGIUM TROUNCES FRANCE
Two tallies each by midfielders Karim Bachar and Tim Vergauwen led Belgium’s Futsal National Team to an 8:2 trouncing of France in the twin-bill opener at Hall des Sports in Tournai, Belgium on Oct. 1. Both teams will meet again on Oct. 2, in Ypres, Belgium.

BERTONI’S GOAL GIVES ITALY DRAW AGAINST POLAND
Forward Edgar Bertoni’s goal with two minutes remaining in the match gave Italy’s Futsal National Team a hard-fought 4:4 draw against Poland in Quartu S. Elena, Italy on Oct. 1. Italy improves its head-to-head record against Poland, since 1994, to 6-1-2 as both teams close out the two-game series on Oct. 2, in Quartu S. Elena.

BELARUS WINS SECOND WORLD FUTSAL CHAMPIONSHIP FOR VISUALLY IMPARIED
Belarus topped Russia 14:2 to win the Second World Futsal Championship for the Visually Impaired held in Italy on Sept. 28. In earlier matches, Spain took the third-place honors with a hard-fought 3:2 victory over Brazil, while France won the fifth-place game over the host Italy 4:1. The 2002 tournament, sponsored by the LND (National Amateurs League), FISD (Italian Federation "Sport Disabili"), CONES Regional Lombardy featured 12 teams (four more than the first edition in Brazil 1998) competing in four Italian cities (Milan, Bergamo, Varese, Vigevano) from Sept. 19-28.

MACEDONIA GOES WINLESS AGAINST BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA, THEN WINS 1 OF 2 AGAINST SLOVENIA
FYR Macedonia’s Futsal National Team played four international friendly matches in a span of six days winning one, losing twice and earning one draw. Macedonia traveled to Gracanica for two matches against the host Bosnia-Herzergovina from Sept. 19-20. After playing to a 4:4 draw in the first match on Sept. 19, Bosnia-Herzegovina took the second game the following day by topping Macedonia 4:2. Macedonia returned home to Skopje for a twin-bill against Slovenia from Sept. 23-24. After dropping a heartbreaking 3:2 decision the day before, Macedonia won the second encounter 3:1 on Sept. 24.

GREECE SPLITS TWIN-BILL WITH SLOVAKIA
Greece’s Futsal National Team split an international friendly twin-bill with the host Slovakia at SH Vistavisko Hall in Lucenec from Sept. 17-18. After dropping the first game 5:3 on Sept. 17, Greece took the second match after posting a 2:1 victory over Slovakia the next day. Greece returns home to host Belgium in a two-game international friendly series from Oct. 15-16 in Athens.

HUNGARY TAKES TWO FROM HOLLAND
Hungary’s Futsal National Team won both home games of an international friendly series against Holland on Sept. 9-10. After winning the first match 4:2 in Dunaujvaros on Sept. 9, Hungary completed the two-game sweep with a 4:2 victory over Holland in the second match played Budapest the following day.

NORTH, CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN

GUATEMALAN STRIKERS FACE-OFF IN 2002 OPEN CUP CHAMPIONSHIP
Former Guatemalan Futsal Strikers Carlos Ruiz of the Los Angeles Galaxy and Freddy Garcia of the Columbus Crew will face-off as their respective outdoor soccer teams meet for the 2002 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Championship on Oct. 24, in Columbus, Ohio. Ruiz, as been on a rampage in his first Major League Soccer (MLS) campaign with the Galaxy notching a league-leading 24 goals in 2002. Garcia was a late-season acquisition for the Crew during the 2002 MLS regular season and was a key player in the team’s playoff run (appearing in five games and notching two assists). Both Garcia and Ruiz played with Guatemala’s Men’s National Team during 2002 CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying and also competed with the Futsal Team at the 2000 FIFA World Championship held in Guatemala.

FUTSAL PART OF “DAY OF SPORTS” FOR GUYANA FOOTBALL FEDERATION CENTENARY CELEBRATION
The Guyana Football Federation will celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the sport’s introduction with several activities during the month of October. Highlighting the centenary celebration will be a dinner and awards ceremony, honoring significant contributors to the game over the last 100 years, followed by a “Day of Sports,” that will run from Oct. 12-13. That event will include: a day-long futsal tournament with youth, women, senior sides and football executives from around the country as well as a four-team international youth tournament including under-17 teams from Guyana, Barbados and Suriname as well as the Guyana U-23 squad.

DALLAS, MILWAUKEE OPEN 2002-03 MISL CAMPAIGN WITH VICTORIES
The 2002-03 Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) campaign kicked off on Sept. 28, as the Milwaukee Wave visited the San Diego Sockers, and the Dallas Sidekicks hosted the defending MISL champion Philadelphia Kixx. The Sidekicks, which captured the World Indoor Soccer League title last year, won the battle of the defending champions as player/coach Tatu notched his 76th career game winning goal with eight-tenths of a second remaining for a 14-13 victory over Kixx in front of 6,887 spectators at Dallas' Reunion Arena. In the other MISL match-up, the Wave handed the 10-time indoor soccer champion Sockers a rude welcome with a 13-4 defeat. A crowd 6,301 at the San Diego Sports Arena saw the return of veteran U.S. Futsal National Team goalkeeper Victor Nogueira, as he made 18 saves for the Wave in his first appearance in San Diego since playing on four championship teams with the Sockers from 1988-92. The eight-team league continues its 36-game MISL schedule this weekend. For more information check the MISL website at www.misl.net.

UNITED SOCCER LEAGUES NAMES U.S. MIDFIELDER 2002 A-LEAGUE MVP
The United Soccer Leagues named that midfielder Leighton O’Brien of the Seattle Sounders to 2002 A-League Most Valuable Player on Sept. 27. O’Brien, who made his debut with the U.S. Futsal National Team in early 2002, led the Sounders to a 23-4-1 overall ledger, while notching 13 goals and 11 assists this season. He will spent the A-League’s outdoor offseason with the Milwaukee Wave of the Major Indoor Soccer League during the 2002-03 campaign.

DESAMPARADOS EARNS THIRD CONSECUTIVE COSTA RICAN FUTSAL CHAMPIONSHIP
For the third consecutive year, Desamparados captured Costa Rica’s Campeonato Nacional Futsala de Primera División (First Division Futsal National Championship) with an 9:6 aggregate score win over Fuerza y Luz in the two-game final. After both teams battled to a 4:4 draw on Sept. 15, in the first game, Desamparados took the second match over Fuerza y Luz 5:2 on Sept. 22.
Costa Rica’s Campeonato Nacional Futsala de Primera División
Year Champion Runner-Up
1997 Universidad de Costa Rica Pérez Zeledón
1998 Pérez Zeledón Universidad de Costa Rica
1999 AD Universidad Nacional Autónoma Desamparados
2000 Desamparados Juventud Olímpica
2001 Desamparados Juventud Olímpica
2002 Desamparados Fuerza y Luz

SOUTH AMERICA

PARAGUAY TO HOST CONMEBOL’S FIRST COPA AMÉRICA DE FUTSAL
CONMEBOL (Confederation of South America) announced during their executive committee meeting on Sept. 16, that Asunción, Paraguay will be the venue for the first Copa América de Futsal that will run from Nov. 11-18, 2002. The 10-team South American tournament will be held every two years with 2002 edition being the respective qualifier for the 2004 FIFA Futsal World Championship.

VENEZUELA’S PUMAS DEL ÁVILA TO HOST BRAZILIAN SQUAD IN 2002 CONMEBOL’S FUTSAL CLUB FINALE
The 2002 CONMEBOL Futsal Club Winner of the “Northern Zone” Pumas del Ávila of Venezuela will host the “Southern Zone” Winner Carlos Barbosa of Brazil to crown the overall South American Champion for 2002 on Oct. 10-12. The best-of-three final series will take place at the Gimnasio Rómulo Ramírez in Varela, Venezuela with game one set for Oct. 10. The second match is slated for the following day and if necessary, the third and deciding game will take place on Oct. 12.
2002 CONMEBOL Futsal Club Championship – Oct. 10-12, Varela, Venezuela
Best-of-Three Series
Game #1 on Oct. 10
Pumas del Ávila – VEN vs. Carlos Barbosa – BRA
Game #2 on Oct. 11
Carlos Barbosa – BRA vs. Pumas del Ávila – VEN
Game #3 (If necessary) on Oct. 12
Pumas del Ávila – VEN vs. Carlos Barbosa – BRA

SAMBA KINGS CAPTURES FIRST UNDER-20 COPA SUL-AMERICANA DE FUTSAL
The First Under-20 Copa Sul-America de Futsal went to the host Brazil on Sept. 15, after topping Paraguay in the finals 6:3 at the Centro Poliesportivo Municipal Leonir Antônio Farina in Veranópolis. The Samba Kings opened the four-team tournament on Sept. 12, with a 15:1 victory over Paraguay, while Argentina drew 2:2 with Uruguay. The next day, Paraguay blanked Uruguay 5:0, while Brazil shutout Argentina 4:0. The round-robin competition concluded on Sept. 14, as Paraguay tied Argentina 2:2 and Brazil crushed Uruguay 7:0. The top two teams met in the finals on Sept. 15, as Brazil defeated Paraguay, while in an earlier match Argentina took the third-place honors by posting a 5:1 victory over Uruguay. Brazilian forward Igor was named the Most Valuable Player after notching a tournament-leading seven goals.
U-20 Copa Sul-America de Futsal in Veranópolis, Brazil – Sept. 12-15, 2002
Final Standings, Results
Teams GP W-L-T GF:GA PTS
Brazil 3 3-0-0 26:1 9
Paraguay 3 1-1-1 8:17 4
Argentina 3 0-1-2 4:8 2
Uruguay 3 0-2-1 2:14 1

Sept. 12 Sept. 13 Sept. 14
Uruguay – Argentina, 2:2 Paraguay – Uruguay, 5:0 Argentina – Paraguay, 2:2
Brazil – Paraguay, 15:1 Brazil – Argentina, 4:0 Brazil – Uruguay, 7:0

Sept. 15
Third-place: Argentina – Uruguay, 5:1
Finals: Brazil – Paraguay, 6:3

BRAZIL WINS FOUR-NATION COPA LATINA IN FORTALEZA
Brazil’s Futsal National Team won the Four-Nation Copa Latina held in Fortaleza, Brazil after posting a 2:1 victory over the FIFA World Champion Spain in the final match on Sept. 8. After the Samba Kings jumped out to an early 1:0 lead on a goal by forward Indio, midfielder Leitao gave Brazil a 2:0 edge over Spain in the 29th minute of the second half. Spanish midfielder Daniel Ibañes cut the lead to 2:1 with a goal in the 34th minute of play but the Brazil held on for their first victory over Spain since the 1999 Singapore Tiger 5’s Final (4:3) on Dec. 4. In an earlier match on Sept. 8, Argentina topped Uruguay 7:6 on penalty kicks after both teams played to a 2:2 draw after regulation. The Copa Latina kicked off on Sept. 6, as two goals by forward Javier Sánchez led Spain to a 4:1 victory over Argentina, while in the nightcap three tallies by Indio and two by midfielder Manuel Tobias paced Brazil to a convincing 9:0 blanking of Uruguay. The following day, Spain earned an 8:7 victory on penalty kicks over Uruguay after a 3:3 tie at the end of regulation, while three tallies by Indio led Brazil to an 8:0 shutout over Argentina.

Four-Nation Copa Latina in Fortaleza, Brazil – Sept. 6-8, 2002
Final Standings, Results
Teams GP W-L-T GF:GA PTS
Brazil 3 3-0-0 19:1 9
Spain 3 1-1-1 8:6 4
Argentina 3 0-2-1 3:14 1
Uruguay 3 0-2-1 5:14 1

Sept. 6 Sept. 7 Sept. 8
Spain – Argentina, 4:1 Spain – Uruguay, 3:3 (8:7 pks) Argentina – Uruguay, 2:2 (7:6 pks)
Brazil – Uruguay, 9:0 Brazil – Argentina, 8:0 Brazil – Spain, 2:1




Information was researched and compiled by Steven Torres, who is currently the P.R. Coordinator/Futsal Press Officer at the United States Soccer Federation.

Next issue will be sent on November 6, 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.