Courtesy: UEFA.com


Holders aim to keep futsal title at home

Monday 21 April 2008

by Dmitri Rogovitski from Moscow

MFK Dinamo Moskva finally lifted the UEFA Futsal Cup last season and are determined to retain it at their own Krylatskoe Sport Palace later this week.

Third time lucky
Dinamo lost the 2005 and 2006 finals to Action 21 Charleroi and Boomerang Interviú in the old two-legged format, but in last year's inaugural final four event in Murcia they defeated the Belgian side in the semis before a dramatic 2-1 defeat of Interviú to lift the trophy. The holders are staging this year's event, but to negotiate the Elite round they needed two goals in the last ten minutes to take the point required against Luparense Calcio A5 and Dinamo coach Yuri Rudnev is expecting a tough semi-final on Friday when they meet 2007 hosts and bronze-medallists ElPozo Murcia FS.

Equal contest
"It will be the peak of the whole season," Rudnev said. "Both me and the players are looking forward to the real battle. Only God knows who will win because it is a game between two equal rivals who are both leading their national leagues and have stable squads. So the chances for a win are even. It is a pity this is only a semi-final. ElPozo are a balanced team who place an accent on team play but also take into account the individual qualities of their players. Besides, they have a great coach [Duda]."

Runaway lead
Rudnev's side are unbeaten in all 40 of their Russian Super League games this season and after winning 5-3 and 6-3 against MFK Norilsky Nickel last weekend hold a double-digit lead in their bid for a sixth straight title. Even when they looked like they were heading for their first defeat of 2007/08, Cirilo produced an equaliser 16 seconds from time to hold fellow European contenders MFK Viz-Sinara Ekaterinburg in the first leg of the Russian Cup final last month. The coach knows, having been considered underdogs in previous competitions, they are now the team to beat.

Pelé absence
"Nobody would have reproached us if we lost against Boomerang last year," said the 53-year-old. "But we are regarded as favourites by many now. And the lads are eager to defend the title. Despite the impressive lead we have in the league table, the players are 100 per cent ready both physically and mentally. I am very glad of this." The only concern is the absence through injury of the experienced Pelé Junior. "Alas, he is sidelined for a long time and will not be able to help us," Rudnev rued. "But we still have eleven more combat units and they all are ready to fight for victory."







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