Courtesy: UEFA.com


Ekaterinburg through to futsal final

Friday 25 April 2008

by Paul Saffer from Krylatskoe Sport Palace

MFK Viz-Sinara Ekaterinburg are through to Sunday's UEFA Futsal Cup final on their debut campaign after they came from behind to beat Kairat Almaty in Moscow.

Comeback
Opening the final four event at the Krylatskoe Sport Palace, Kairat dominated early on and took a deserved lead through Alexey Mokhov's own goal. But Ekaterinburg, who entered this competition as Russian runners-up behind UEFA Futsal Cup holders MFK Dinamo Moskva, equalised early in the second half thanks to Dmitri Prudnikov. Vladislav Shayakhmetov's penalty five minutes from time put them ahead prior to ll'Dar Makayev and Konstantin Agapov's stylish clinchers.

Early chance
Ekaterinburg were playing a European match away from their own Palace of Sports for the first time, and had Russian international Damir Khamadiev ruled out, but within seconds they had come agonisingly close. Prudnikov poked the ball on to the crossbar and Marcinho, standing in for suspended Kairat goalkeeper Gustavo, prevented a goal on the rebound.

Own goal
However, Kairat's quick-footed Brazilians Pica Pau and Cacau were soon dominating play. Pica Pau latched on to a long pass and headed on to the post, and Etienne forced Ekaterinburg goalkeeper Sergei Zuev into a save. Zuev was beaten in the tenth minute, and it was by his team-mate Mokhov who turned the ball into his own net as he tried to prevent Pica Pau setting-up Cacau after the pair broke from deep. Ekaterinburg were having little of the play, but Marcinho twice denied Prudnikov and Shayakhmetov just missed the target.

Equaliser
Kairat did not let up after the break, Emerson rattling the outside of the post, but gradually Ekaterinburg were putting together some useful moves and a free-kick move five minutes into the second half levelled the scores. Shayakhmetov played the ball on the edge of the box to Prudnikov, who finally got the better of Marcinho.

Late surge
The goalkeeper did keep out a strike from Shayakhmetov, but with just over five minutes left Marcinho brought down Pavel Chistopolov in the Kairat box. Shayakhmetov's penalty hit both Marcinho and the crossbar but still bounced in. The tie was all but settled when Shayakhmetov headed back a Marcinho clearance and Makayev, who had led the initial counterattack, calmly chipped in. As Kairat pushed desperately for a late goal, Agapov lobbed into an empty net.







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