Courtesy: UEFA.com


Maevski describes Dinamo's pain

Saturday 26 April 2008

by Eugene Ravdin & Paul Saffer from Moscow

MFK Dinamo Moskva's reign at UEFA Futsal Cup holders is over and Konstantin Maevski described the "empty" feeling.

Disappointment
Staging the final four event at their Krylatskoe Sport Palace, Dinamo fell to ElPozo Murcia FS in the semis on penalties after a 1-1 draw in which the home team were often on top. But that is little consolation for the 28-year-old Russian international, who sat out Friday's match but was hoping to reach his fourth consecutive final with Dinamo, having lost in 2005 and 2006 before last season's triumph. "I feel empty," Maevski told uefa.com. "There is no difference in how you lose, on penalties or in any other way. You lose and it is the other team that go to the final. If you lost, that means you did not reach the goal you strived for."

Shot-out loss
The Russian international's mood was certainly not lightened by the method of defeat, however. "The reason for our defeat is that we took penalties worse than the Spanish side did. Of course it is a lottery in some way but Dinamo were clearly worse than Murcia in this aspect. As for the draw, Dinamo had more chances in extra-time, you could see that. We had several chances but did not take them. Murcia exploited dead-ball situations and kick-ins near our goal and created many problems for us with that. Our defence had an outstanding performance, especially Edu who blocked two or three crazy shots."

Recovery process
As well as his club exploits, Maevski has also gone through semi-final pain and joy with Russia, beating Italy in the 2005 UEFA European Futsal Championship at that stage before a defeat by the same team last November in Porto. Russia recovered to beat Portugal for bronze and Maevski hopes Dinamo can do the same against Kairat Almaty on Sunday. "I know from my own experience, when you win a semi-final you forget that match at once and start thinking about the final, but a defeat sticks in the lads' heads for long time I think," he said. "We will have to get ourselves ready for the third-place play-off, but it is not the final of course."


Courtesy: UEFA.com


Duda praises deposed champions

Friday 25 April 2008

by Eugene Ravdin from Krylatskoe Sport Palace

After a thrilling UEFA Futsal Cup semi-final ElPozo Murcia FS, put under tremendous pressure by hosts and holders MFK Dinamo Moskva, prevailed 4-2 in a penalty shoot-out after a 1-1 draw. Murcia coach Duda admitted their opponents could well have had the game won before spot-kicks were needed, and his opposite number Yuri Rudnev said a failure to take their chances at key times proved costly.

Duda, Murcia coach
First of all, I want to congratulate all the players of both teams. They all made an effort to offer all of us a great show. I want to congratulate Dinamo because they have been great opponents. Dinamo had a very good game, they put a lot of pressure on us, they were technically very good. They have many players able to control the game, but maybe fewer finishers. It was a very even game. Dinamo were better than us in the first half of extra-time and they could have deserved something more in the second period. We were better on penalties, something that Juanjo and my players have got me used to, and we won the match there. I want to highlight the big efforts made by both Bacaro and Vinicius. Bacaro has only played eight minutes in the last three months and Vinicius was severely undermined by an injury last week and they have both managed to bring something to the team. But not only them, all of the players today have given everything.

Yuri Rudnev, Dinamo coach
I congratulate my colleague on his victory. We rarely meet each other but still we respect each other a lot. Tonight the two champions produced a great show. If we take the four halves of the game, then we had the advantage in three of them. The Spanish team's class is very high and they have brilliant team play. We managed to show our strengths and it was a spectacular game in the end. We had to be more successful in the counterattacks we had in the end of normal time and in extra-time when we had two-on-one and even three-on-one situations. If we had scored Murcia would have had to show their ability to play five against four [with a flying goalkeeper].




Courtesy: UEFA.com


Shoot-out hero Juanjo shares the credit

Saturday 26 April 2008

by David Baño & Paul Saffer from Moscow

It is the moment every goalkeeper dreams about – saving a penalty to decide a high-pressure shoot-out. That dream was lived by ElPozo Murcia FS custodian Juanjo in the UEFA Futsal Cup semi-finals last night, as having already stopped one MFK Dinamo Moskva effort, he blocked Cirilo's kick to take the Spanish side into Sunday's decider against MFK Viz-Sinara Ekaterinburg.

Concentration
The shoot-out ended the reign of hosts and holders Dinamo as European champions, and Juanjo revealed the joy of that moment, and the hard work under Murcia coach Duda that went into it. "When I stopped the last penalty, all the pressure of the game was released in an explosion of joy," Juanjo told uefa.com. "What is important in a penalty shoot-out is concentration, but also preparation throughout the season, hard training over the whole year. Duda has prepared the team for this. He has made us work very hard and now we see the results of this work."

Teamwork
Certainly, the 22-year-old Spanish international emphasised the role of whole team, despite being the only goalkeeper ever to win a UEFA Futsal Cup shoot-out, repeating the victory in last season's third-place match against Action 21 Charleroi, an occasion on which he was brought off the bench specifically for the spot-kicks. "My saves in penalty shoot-outs are not such a big deal, we practice and train to be ready for these situations," Juanjo said. "I want to praise the huge efforts all the team has made to be able to reach the final. They all deserve it. "

Tiring struggle
It was undeniably an sapping struggle at Dinamo's Krylatskoe Sport Palace, with more than a few moments when it seemed as if Murcia would suffer the same late heartbreak as this stage last year against Spanish rivals Boomerang Interviú on home territory. "The semi-final against Dinamo was an intense game for us," Juanjo said. "We knew it would be a very tough game, with loads of counterattacks from their side. Either team could have won it, but the luck was on our side in the penalties and it is our team in the final."




Courtesy: UEFA.com


'The result speaks for itself'

Friday 25 April 2008

by Eugene Ravdin from Krylatskoe Sport Palace

The result rather than the performance pleased MFK Viz-Sinara Ekaterinburg coach Sergei Skorovich as his team defeated Kairat Almaty 4-1 to reach the UEFA Futsal Cup final on their European debut, setting up a Sunday decider against ElPozo Murcia FS in Moscow. Kairat were deserved half-time leaders but conceded an equaliser early in the second half and then, with six minutes left, Almaty goalkeeper Marcinho brought down Pavel Chistopolov for a penalty converted by Vladimir Shayakhmetov, something from which coach Alesio admitted his side never recovered as Ekaterinburg scored two more late goals.

Alesio, Kairat coach
It was quite an evenly-matched game. We failed to keep up the focus we had in the first half. As a result we conceded goals from dead balls and after that we stopped playing. We knew we had high-class opponents against us and that we could not relax, but it still happened. The penalty was the turning point in the match. I did not have any feeling we would win this after the first half because that was only a half of the match. You cannot be sure in such things before the final whistle. Marcinho kept goal well and I cannot reproach him. However he should take the blame for the third goal as you cannot afford to play like this in these games. He should have cleared that ball into the stands. But I will not blame him as I never do that with any individual player. It was the whole team's error when we relaxed in the second half and lost concentration.

Sergei Skorovich, Ekaterinburg coach
The most important thing is that we managed to get the result. It was a difficult match for us. Not the most beautiful performance from our side. But the result speaks for itself so I am happy. It would be much more painful to play well and lose in the end. We managed to convert the few chances the other side allowed us. This is a historic moment and I congratulate the players and the fans. The first thing I did [in the dressing room during the break] was to restore players' mental condition. In the first half the team did not create well and, I would dare say, did not play at all. That is because almost half of our squad had never played in this sort of competition before so they needed some time to settle. In the second half we gave away the ball on purpose because we knew we are rather good on the break and we have some pacy players as we were very poor in positional play. We hoped spaces would appear in their defence. [Key player] Damir Khamadiev was injured [in the league match against MFK CSKA Moskva last weekend]. He has ruptured a thigh muscle and is out for a long time. We missed him a lot tonight.




Courtesy: UEFA.com


Beaten pair play for bronze

Saturday 26 April 2008

by Eugene Ravdin & Paul Saffer from Moscow

For the first time in four years, MFK Dinamo Moskva will be mere spectators at the UEFA Futsal Cup final but the deposed holders still have something to play for on Sunday when they take on Kairat Almaty for third place.

Defeats
Final four hosts Dinamo lost on penalties to ElPozo Murcia FS on Friday night after Kairat Almaty had let a half-time lead slip in a 4-1 defeat by another Russian side, MFK Viz-Sinara Ekaterinburg. Dinamo beat Kairat over two legs in the 2006 semi-finals, but although their run of last-four victories is at an end, coach Yuri Rudnev is upbeat, as they near another Russian title, and eye the chance of another UEFA Futsal Cup medal.

Rudnev pledge
"I am very happy with my team and their approach to the semi-final," Rudnev said. "They proved themselves as masters and great professionals. I would also want to thank our fans. We will go on to try playing a beautiful game and win everything we can."

Kairat aim
Kairat have already secured their return to next season's UEFA Futsal Cup by retaining their Kazakhstan title, their success in this competition unmatched by any of their compatriots in any European tournament. Coach Alesio said: "Our first task is to recuperate mentally. We came here to become champions and now we will fight for the third place because we want to finish as high as possible."




Courtesy: UEFA.com


New futsal kings to be crowned

Saturday 26 April 2008

by David Baño, Eugene Ravdin & Paul Saffer from Moscow

The UEFA Futsal Cup will either be going to Spain for the fifth time in its seven-season history, or staying in Russia. But either way a new name will be on the trophy as ElPozo Murcia FS face MFK Viz-Sinara Ekaterinburg in Sunday's final in Moscow.

Semi-final successes
Murcia eliminated hosts and holders MFK Dinamo Moskva on penalties on Friday to end their rivals' dream of a fourth consecutive final, while reaching the showpiece themselves at the third attempt. Earlier Ekaterinburg, making their European debut and playing their first ever UEFA Futsal Cup match away from their home, scored three goals in the last six minutes to beat Kairat Almaty 4-1.

Murcia concern
Spain have been the dominant force in the early years of this competition, Playas de Castellón FS and Boomerang Interviú both lifting the cup twice. But although Murcia have won the last two Spanish titles and are favourites for a third, a European title will not come easily believes the hero of the semi-final shoot-out, goalkeeper Juanjo.

'Very difficult'
"The final will also be a very difficult game," he told uefa.com. "We only have one-and-a-half days to rest. Our players are tired from all the games during this demanding season, so it is important that we rest well to be in peak condition for the final. The key to winning this game will be the defence. If we manage to defend well, then goals at the other end will follow."

Duda impressed
Vinicius Bacaro and Vinicius Elías both played a part on Friday despite recent injury problems. Murcia coach Duda's major concern is the unknown quantity of their opponents. "We know Dinamo better than Viz-Sinara," he said. "But I have seen some matches between both of them and I have to say I have been very impressed by Ekaterinburg. They control the ball very well, they are individually very good. They play at a very high level."

ElPozo experience
Ekaterinburg coach Sergei Skorovich, who has masterminded victories in all four of their competition ties to date, is without key man Damir Khamadiev due to a thigh injury, but after Friday's victory warned: "Now we have the belief we can defeat any team." However, he added: "Murcia are a very well-organised team with high-quality players who have the experience of playing at world and European championships at various levels. We will be able to see if our conterattacking game works well against them only after the final."

Warning
He also had a warning for Murcia. "We will not be the whipping boys as we will show them our ability to play on the break, our playing style," he said. "It is difficult to say who [of the two finalists] will play which kind of futsal. The Spanish side always tend to attack. However we saw how they gave the ball away to Dinamo."








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