Courtesy: UEFA.com


Nikars take Main round chance

Tuesday 12 August 2008

FK Nikars Riga are through to the UEFA Futsal Cup Main round after a thrilling Preliminary round Group B decider against 1. Futsal Club Graz.

Nikars hold on
The Austrian team, staging the mini-tournament, trailed Nikars on goal difference at kick-off and needed victory to make progress in the competition. But Nikars were 6-3 up at the break, aided by an Olegs Matvejevs hat-trick, and withstood a second-half fightback to prevail 7-6 and book their place in next month's Main round Group 2 against Italy's Luparense C/5, Serbian side KMF Ekonomac Kragujevac and Polish hosts PA Nova Gliwice. FC Seefeld Zürich ended the pool in third place thanks to a 2-1 win against Andorra's FC Madriu.

Nautara celebrate
Group D also ended today, but another team from the Baltic states, Lithuania's Nautara Kaunas, had already clinched first place on Sunday. The pool hosts celebrated with a 6-4 win against KF Tirana, while CSC Dinamo Chisinau were runners-up after a 9-3 defeat of Denmark's debut entrants, Albertslund IF. Nautara are now in Main round Group 5 against Czech side FK Era-Pack Chrudim, Iberia 2003 Tbilisi and Israeli champions Hapoel Ironi Rishon Lezion.

Elita win
Three-team Group C will conclude on Wednesday, and having seen hosts FC Nadin Sofia edge to a 10-8 win against Ipswich Wolves yesterday, Macedonian champions KMF Elita Tetovo beat the English side 4-2. However, Nadin remain ahead on goals scored so Elita will need to defeat them on Wednesday to go through. Group F began on Tuesday and is led by Dutch champions Carillon Boys Beverwijk thanks to their 10-2 win against German hosts UFC Münster including four Samir Makhoukhi goals. Münster will be keen to restore pride when they meet Estonia's FC Betoon Tallinn tomorrow. That night Group A will be decided with French hosts Roubaix Futsal, FC Parnassos and Politechnik Yerevan all still in contention.





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