Courtesy: The FA.com


Hungary for points

By Ellie Blok in Gyongyosi

Saturday, 01 March 2008

Hungary 15-0 England
2008 FIFA Futsal World Cup Qualification Round
Group 4
Gyongyosi, Hungary

England’s week got decidedly worse here in Hungary on Friday night, as they were overwhelmingly crushed 15-0 by a clinical and expert Hungarian team.

Despite what was an impressive and resilient start, when Hungary were only allowed a one goal lead in the first 12 minutes, the basic technical errors which have plagued Graeme Dell's team since Christmas once more came to the fore.

The Three Lions had matched the professionals of Hungary for much of the first half, where many of them play in the developed and rapidly advancing professional league.

However, this was not enough to prevent Hungary moving quickly to a 6-0 half time lead, which was always going to be a testing hill for England to climb after the break.

Hungary, now favourites to win the group, proceeded to tear England apart with a second half lesson in clinical finishing. England had spells of good and recognisable Futsal movement, but their inability to retain ball possession for longer periods gifted the hosts a number of opportunities, as the avalanche on Dean Thornton’s goal got under way.

England will now face Macedonia on Sunday in their final game of their first Futsal World Cup experience, where technical inadequacies have been their downfall and where a lack of domestic time playing proper Futsal has been evident.

England Head Coach Graeme Dell told TheFA.com: “This result is a body blow for all of us and sadly doesn’t reflect the effort put in by everyone.

"Whilst you can’t excuse a result as a consequence of basic technical errors, we have to be realistic of expectations against the substantially developed nations.

“The real failing here will not be the results of this week, but not recognising the need to invest further in Futsal so that we can create club environments where we can develop England a generation of technically capable players.

"This is essential if we are to see improvement in the years ahead in both Football and Futsal.”





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