All the following reports are courtesy: UEFA.com


Spanish stride to opening success

Monday 8 December 2008

Match report by Paul Saffer from Yubileyny Sports Palace

Spain triumphed in the opening match of the first UEFA European Under-21 Futsal Tournament finals as goals from Jorge Barroso, Pola and Ernesto Casañ earned a comfortable win against Kazakhstan.

Pressure tells
Playing in their first UEFA national-team final tournament at any level, Kazakhstan always found life tough against Europe's predominant force. Barroso and Pola made the pressure tell with goals midway through the first half and after Ernesto had converted a double penalty, Pola added his second to round of the scoring as Spain began with Group B points.

Dominance
Having struck 25 goals without reply in qualification, it was no surprise that Spain began the game in confident style with Barroso rattling the crossbar after five minutes. Kazakhstan's Mikhail Pershin forced Óscar Iglesias to save at the other end but while Kazakhstan were proving a potent counterattacking force, Víctor López hit the frame of the goal as Spain reasserted control.

Goals
In the 12th minute they took the lead when Mario Osorio's cross-shot was only parried by Kazakhstan goalkeeper Galimzhan Kosmukhambetov and Barroso slammed in the rebound. Little more than 90 seconds later it was 2-0, Pola producing an emphatic finish after good work by Raúl Campos. Kosmukhambetov was being kept busy but produced some useful saves and when Raúl Campos did beat him, the post intervened.

Lead increased
Spain swapped goalkeepers at half-time, Didac Plana taking over, but play remained at the other end and Raúl Campos again struck the woodwork after Barroso's free-kick pass. The pressure caused Kazakhstan to commit fouls and after reaching five for the second period, they knew every subsequent one would mean a double penalty. One duly arrived on 30 minutes, converted by Ernesto, and the same happened 12 seconds later, only this time he hit the post. Although Kazakhstan had their moments, the final word went to Pola, tapping into an empty net moments before the end. Kazakhstan will aim to bounce back on Tuesday against Ukraine, when Spain play the Netherlands.

Jordi García, Spain coach
"The first match is always very important, especially in the sense that it gives you confidence for the rest of the tournament. It is a long tournament, we have to use all the players and the goalkeeper change was planned before the game. It is going to be another tough game against the Netherlands. I was really surprised, positively, by the way Kazakhstan played. They prepared hard and everyone did well. They do things very few people can do, tactically."

Amirzhan Mukhanov, Kazakhstan coach
"Of course we knew that it would be hard. We knew exactly how Spain would play. This game was very helpful for us and taught us a lot. I think that the score reflects the standard of the opponents – we couldn't cope with them, they were too quick for us and we had big problems down the flanks as well. The two goals in the first half decided the match. In the second half, when we conceded five fouls, we had to make changes to make sure we did not give any more away. The task in the second half was to play more aggressive futsal."



Italy and Slovenia share points in thriller

Monday 8 December 2008

Match report by Paul Saffer from Yubileyny Sports Palace

Italy came from behind twice to secure an opening UEFA European Under-21 Futsal Tournament Group A point against Slovenia.

Short-lived leads
Danijel Pantič's early opener for Slovenia was quickly cancelled out by Andre Fantecele and in the second half Gabriel Lima did likewise after Gaj Rosič had made it 2-1. Slovenia had begun the game as underdogs but they were not disheartened by losing the lead as they resisted a late Italy surge.

Quick response
Although Wellington Coco was just denied by Slovenia goalkeeper Damir Puskar and Lima hit the post early on for Italy, a lively Slovenia side took the lead on seven minutes when a free-kick from the athletic Pantic took a deflection that fooled Italy No1 Gabriel Miraglia. The Azzurrini responded within 90 seconds. Douglas Perassolli's shot was parried by Puskar and Fantecele was on hand to tap in the rebound. There were some heroic last-ditch efforts by both defences to keep the score level at the break, notably the excellent Kristjan Cujec blocking when Coco seemed certain to score.

Lead restored
Miraglia made a tremendous diving save from a long Gasper Vrhovec effort early in the second half and although Italy seemed the more likely side to score, it was Zoran Tesko's side who did so in the 27th minute. Rok Mordej's clever ball found Rosic, whose strong drive from outside the box gave Miraglia no chance.

Points shared
Again, though, Italy quickly equalised, Lima finishing off a neat one-two with Coco. Puškar then did superbly to keep out a close-range Luiz Felipe Follador shot and also get a hand to cut out Coco's run but Italy's efforts earned a double penalty for a sixth Slovenia foul with 60 seconds left. However, Puskar stood firm against Andrei Bordignon's shot as Slovenia held on for a point ahead of tomorrow's meeting with hosts Russia, which follows Italy's game against Croatia.

Paolo Minicucci, Italy coach
"The game was as we expected – Italy had control and the tactics of the Slovenian team were above all focused on defence and counterattack. This doesn't mean that our opponents played a bad game, Zoran evidently studied our game well and worked out the best way to put us in trouble and to obtain the maximum from the game. We lacked a little killer insinct and for sure the Slovenia goalkeeper was crucial, he had a fantastic match."

Zoran Tesko, Slovenia coach
"In the first half the match was very open, both teams had good chances. In the second half our concentration was not as high as in the first half. Italy are a good team, we did have chances to win but they were very good and I am happy about the result. When we conceded five fouls, we were not able to play in the same way we had earlier in the second half."



Zhurba times it right for Ukraine

Monday 8 December 2008

Match report by Paul Saffer from Yubileyny Sports Palace

Two Sergiy Zhurba goals gave Ukraine victory against the Netherlands in their opening game in Group B of the UEFA European Under-21 Futsal Tournament.

Late winner
Mohammed Attaibi put the Netherlands in front and his emphatic equaliser made it 2-2 after goals from Dmitriy Klochko and Zhurba had turned the game in Ukraine's favour. The Netherlands, however, had no answer to Zhruba's second strike with just over three minutes left. The Netherlands now have a tough task in their Tuesday fixture against Spain, who beat Ukraine's next opponents Kazakhstan 4-0.

Attaibi strikes
The Netherlands were without suspended captain Najib El Allouchi but early on Oualid Saadouni forced a save from Dmytro Lytvynenko. And the Ukraine goalkeeper was more than a little unlucky to concede in the ninth minute, when he parried Attaibi's angled shot only for the ball to spin in off the inside of the post.

Equaliser
It was rather against the run of play that Klochko equalised for Ukraine, turning and shooting through the grasp of Pieter Grimmelius. Saadouni remained a threat, one mazy dribble forcing Lytvynenko to dive at his feet, though Ukraine were nearly ahead before the break when Dmytro Sorokin played in his brother Oleksandr for a dangerous shot that made Grimmelius work. Ukraine kept up their threat after the interval and Dmytro Sorokin's shot was diverted away from goal by the leg of Grimmelius. Both teams had their chances but it was Ukraine that edged ahead thanks to Zhurba's free-kick.

Winner
Attaibi claimed his second goal of the game to cancel out the lead and there was no need for a deflection this time; Lytvynenko would barely have seen the ferocious shot after Mohamed Allouch's pass. However, it was Ukraine who took the points as Taras Kuz's flick was touched into the path of Zhurba by Grimmelius and the forward made no mistake.

Gennadiy Lysenchuk, Ukraine coach
"The Netherlands are really serious opponents. They always pay lots of attention to preparing youngsters in football and futsal. They played friendlies against strong opponents like Italy and Hungary before the tournament, while we didn't have a chance to do the same. We were quite timid at the start and let in a goal. However, we equalised soon and after that found our game. We played for victory today all the way. My players fulfilled my tactical plan. I have to thank my colleague, he has a good team, and I think they are capable of beating Spain and making it to the semis."

Marcel Looseveld, Netherlands coach
"First of all I thank for Mr Lysenchuk for his complements. Like I said yesterday at the press conference, we started with a whole new team this year. The difference was that you need more experience to close out games. It is important that you don’t make mistakes at crucial moments and that is what cost us both the first and second goal. Today we deserved more, we dictated most of the match, it is really sore for me and my players to lose like this. Ukraine surprised me and I didn’t have my captain – I heard him from the stands, which was good, it means the players were hurting."



Pogorelov late show delights St Petersburg

Monday 8 December 2008

Match report by Wayne Harrison from Yubileyny Sports Palace

Russia struck twice in the final seven minutes to earn and an unlikely draw against Croatia and leave UEFA European Under-21 Futsal Tournament Group A finely poised after the first round of matches.

Three-goal blitz
Roared on by a raucous crowd, Kirill Pogorelov gave Russia the lead, only for Damir Repinc and Josip Lucic, either side of the break, to give Croatia the lead. Sasa Babic added a third on 33 minutes but amid frenzied home pressure, two Pogorelov strikes, his last with two seconds remaining, salvaged a point. The other match in this group also was a draw, meaning an exciting Tuesday in prospect when Croatia play Italy and Russia face Slovenia.

Luketin saves
The Yubileyny Sports Palace had been filling up throughout the day in anticipation of the hosts' opener and some thought that Dmitri Lyskov’s early shot had crept the right side of Zarko Luketin's post. The pressure soon told, however, when a low cross by Dmitri Prudnikov from the left was cutely touched in by Pogorelov.

Corner routine
Luketin was still in the thick of it yet it was Croatia who shocked the hosts just before half-time when a well-worked short corner was drilled low into the bottom corner by Repinc. Russia were quickly into their stride after the break, though, and a stinging drive by captain Prudnikov soon rattled the crossbar.

Lucic strike
Russia went close again when Aleksei Petrov shot narrowly wide but, just like the first period, Croatia rode a spell of pressure to score as Mate Bugarija's low ball was turned in by Josip Lucic. Ludekin then turned away a Danil Kutuzov effort as Russia sought an immediate riposte.

Russian pressure
Pressing for an equaliser, Russia conceded again when Sasa Babic stabbed past Slemzin but almost immediately Pogorelov reduced arrears by chipping Luketin. With time running out, Luketin performed more heroics, but he could do nothing when Pogorelov's drive was deflected in.







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