Courtesy: The Star On Line


Lucky Spain set up clash with Brazil in futsal final

RIO DE JANEIRO: A controversial own-goal by Italy playmaker Adriano Foglia as extra time expired on Thursday gave Spain a 3-2 win and a spot in the Futsal World Cup final against hosts Brazil.

Foglia put the ball in his own net while trying to clear a ball in front of the goal as the clock went down to zero at the Maracanzinho Arena. Spanish players celebrated, but the Italians said time expired before the ball crossed the goal line.

Television images showed the clock was at zero, but the horn indicating the end of the game had not gone off.

The referees discussed for several minutes before deciding the goal would count, giving Spain a chance to win their third straight futsal world title tomorrow.

In regulation, Spain scored in the fourth minute and Foglia equalised for Italy in the 26th. Fernando put the Spaniards ahead in extra time in the 44th, but Italy equalised again with Grana’s goal less than two minutes from the end.

In the last play of the match, Foglia scored the own-goal after the ball hit the post and he couldn’t find the angle to send it wide.

Spain will play Brazil in a rematch of the 2000 World Cup final in Guatemala, when the Spaniards came out on top.

FIFA Player of the Year Falcao scored a first-half goal to help Brazil defeat Russia 4-2.

Brazil, the only team to win all their matches so far, had beaten the Russians 7-0 in the first round.





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