11/12/2008
UEFA.com articles

Under 21 UEFA Futsal Tournament
All reports are courtesy: UEFA.com


Pressure off pair prior to group decider

Thursday 11 December 2008

by Paul Saffer from St Petersburg

Spain and Ukraine meet for first place in UEFA European Under-21 Futsal Tournament Group B on Thursday but both coaches admit they have their thoughts on the semi-finals 24 hours later.

Duo through
Victories against the Netherlands and Kazakhstan have left both Spain and Ukraine on six points and sure of last-four berths. Spain lead Ukraine on goal difference and so a draw would give them top spot and mean they avoid the winners of Group A, either hosts Russia or Italy.

Rotation
However, with qualification from the group stage achieved, Spain coach Jordi García will not take any risks with his squad against Ukraine. "Of course we will not change against Ukraine but with an eye to the semi-finals I need to give my key men some rest and protect them from cards," he said. "This game will also be the chance for the less experienced players to have an opportunity."

Winning aim
Ukraine coach Gennadiy Lysenchuk will be fielding his first-choice selection but also knows his initial target has been met. "Every game is a good lesson, so we'll field the strongest lineup possible," he said. "We are not going to look closely at the situation in other group and think which opponents will be easier for us in the semi-finals. We don't care who we play. If we win on Thursday, great, but if not we are still in the semis."

Netherlands lessons
By contrast the Netherlands and Kazakhstan are playing for pride and the consolation of third place. The Netherlands were unfortunate to lose 3-2 to Ukraine and 5-1 against Spain, and coach Marcel Loosveld wants his players to learn from those matches. "We had a lot of opportunities, maybe more than Spain early on," he said. "It is not only about being professional but having a professional mentality. You must think professionally and that's what we forget often. We have to give 100 per cent [against Kazakhstan]."

Scoring blank
Amirzhan Mukhanov's Kazakhstan side went down 4-0 to Spain before an improved showing yielded a 3-0 defeat by Ukraine. As his team aim to secure Kazakhstan's first point in any UEFA final tournament, Mukhanov said: "We haven't scored a single goal in two matches, and that speaks for itself. We can't take our chances, we miss the net even from great positions. We came here to find out who we are and what our level is."




Russia and Italy have fate in their hands

Thursday 11 December 2008

by Wayne Harrison from St Petersburg

Hosts Russia take on Italy in their concluding UEFA European Under-21 Futsal Tournament Group A fixture with both teams able to book a semi-final place though Slovenia and Croatia will aim to exploit any slip-ups.

Final-day outcomes
On Tuesday Italy beat Croatia 2-1 and Russia gained a last-gasp 4-3 victory against Slovenia to move three points clear of their group rivals, and if the top two draw their last match they each will progress to face Spain or Ukraine on Friday. But if Italy lose, Slovenia could overtake them on goal difference by beating Croatia. Similarly a Russia defeat would open the door for Croatia should they win.

Russia test
Despite falling behind for the third time in the finals, Italy dominated against Croatia and deserved Luiz Filipe Follador's winner. Coach Paolo Minicucci hopes to continue their improvement, and could have captain Massimo De Luca back after the knee injury suffered in the opening 2-2 draw with Croatia. "We want to take one step at a time and reach the semi-finals," said Minicucci. "At that point it would be of little interest to us whether we meet Spain or Ukraine: if you are to win the competition, sooner or later you must face Spain – it is a minor detail."

Recovery needed
Home coach Oleg Ivanov, meanwhile, knows Italy well. However, he is urging his own team to gather their thoughts, having followed up their last-gasp equaliser versus Croatia on Matchday 1 with a similarly dramatic winner against Slovenia. "Italy are a skilful team who put together a lot of combinations in their futsal," said Ivanov, who has Ildar Nugumanov suspended. "We know them quite well. First we have to recover after such a tense game."

'Full throttle'
Slovenia may not have their fate in their own hands but coach Zoran Tesko has pledged that his players will do everything they can against Croatia. "We have to do some planning but you can see that we have to win, and we will go full throttle no matter what," he said.

'Slightest chance'
Croatia may be without key man Dario Marinovic, who limped off after scoring against Italy with a hip injury. "If there is even the slightest chance of going through we will try to take it," said coach Mladen Perica. "As for Dario Marinoviæ, our best player, it is not looking good. He was hardly able to walk so we will have to see. We will try to get him fit."




Lytvynenko gets his priorities right

Thursday 11 December 2008

by Dennis Novitsky from St Petersburg

Ukraine are already through to Friday's UEFA European Under-21 Futsal Tournament semi-finals and captain Dmytro Lytvynenko says they will leave something in reserve when they take on Spain for first place in Group B.

Priority
Victories against the Netherlands and Ukraine have booked Ukraine's progress one game early, though to top the pool they must defeat Spain due to their inferior goal difference. Lytvynenko knows that the priority has to be the match that will follow a day later. "We have already talked about how to play against Spain," the goalkeeper told uefa.com. "The coaches and myself think it's not right that we give our all against Spain and then find, whoever we play the next day, that we are tired. Our reserves are not unlimited. We have to give 100 per cent in the semi-final. I think the coaches will rest some key players."

Semi-final rivals
If Ukraine finish second in the group, their semi-final opponents will be either Italy or hosts Russia and Lytvynenko knows both teams from another tournament at the Yubileyny Sports Palace a year ago. "In the St Petersburg friendly tournament we played both Italy and Russia," he said. "We beat Italy in the group stage, but lost to Russia by a big margin. According to what we have seen here, those teams are quite equal. Russia's advantage is the fact they are playing at home, yet they have great responsibility to their fans. I guess I don't care who we play."

Captaincy
Lytvynenko, like Sergiy Zhurba, has already been called into the senior international squad. The FC Lokomotiv Kharkiv goalkeeper is proud of his role as leader of the side, though he admits that when Ukraine dominate matches it actually makes his role more difficult. "I am captain and my goalkeeper's role doesn't prevent me from inspiring the team as futsal is really dynamic," he said. "However, when our opponents are weaker than us, the connection between me and the team gets lost a bit. But I have to stay alert."

Inspirations
The 21-year-old revealed that his inspirations are a mixture of top futsal goalkeepers as well as a footballer. "In childhood, when I played both football and futsal, I really liked the legendary Peter Schmeichel," Lytvynenko said. "When I started to play futsal professionally, my touchstone became the Spaniard Luis Amado. In Ukraine I had a chance to work with Vladislav Korneyev, and I learned a lot from him. Plus the Russian Sergei Zuev, one of the best custodians in the world. There are a lot of great goalkeepers, and you can learn something new from each of them."



Milovanov tells of Russia's passion play

Thursday 11 December 2008

by Dennis Novitsky from St Petersburg

Ivan Milovanov believes a combination of a never-say-die attitude and the support of the home fans are the reason that Russia have twice scored dramatic last-gasp goals to hold first place in UEFA European Under-21 Futsal Tournament Group A ahead of tonight's final pool match against Italy.

Last-gasp goals
The hosts have put their fans in St Petersburg's Yubileyny Sports Palace through the mill this week, needing an equaliser just two seconds from time to hold Croatia 3-3 on Monday, and 24 hours later beating Slovenia 4-3 with another goal in the dying moments. A point against Italy would ensure Russia's participation in Friday's semi-finals and Milovanov, a scorer in the defeat of Slovenia, explained why the home nation have twice averted potential disaster.

Reasons
"Simply, we always play until the end and give all we can to get a result," Milovanov told uefa.com. "Besides, there are great fans in St Petersburg, they support us devotedly. Yet I think that we can decide the outcome of the match earlier. I guess we don't take our chances properly but I hope we'll find our game soon."

Italian encounter
Milovanov's goal against Slovenia came when he touched in Aleksei Petrov's free-kick. "It was not a prepared combination, I just was lucky," the MFK Tyumen player admitted, before turning his thoughts to Italy and insisting Russia will go for a win, not just the draw they need to top the group. "We saw a video of Italy, and they are very quick and skilful, a good team. It will be very hard for us. Still, we'll play only for victory."

Semi-final thoughts
Assuming Russia do go through, either Spain or Ukraine await in the semi-finals. And Milovanov already knows who he would rather player. "I'd rather play Ukraine," he said. "Because Spain are the favourites to win this tournament."



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