Courtesy: FIFA.com


Solomons slump as Colombia cruise

Colombia have revived their hopes of a place in the knockout rounds at Thailand 2012 with a resounding 11-3 win over the Solomon Islands side at Bangkok’s Nimibutr Stadium.

This was a match that both these sides needed to win after losing their opening fixtures, and it was the South Americans who triumphed thanks largely to a second-half collapse from their opponents. In the opening 45, the Solomons had been much improved from the team thrashed 16-0 by Russia but still conceded too many opportunities, and this resulted in Colombia scoring moving two goals in front inside seven minutes.

Jhonathan Toro scored the first, shooting home from close range from Jose Quiroz’s pass, and Quiroz himself doubled their advantage seconds later following a cross by Yefri Duque. But the Solomons initially showed that they were capable of fighting back, and hopes were raised by their first goal of the tournament, scored from the penalty spot after 14 minutes by captain Elliot Ragomo.

Within 60 seconds, the Pacific Islanders were level through a Samuel Osifelo free-kick, and though Toro reestablished Colombia’s slender lead, another Solomons counter enabled Mica Leaalafa to send them into half-time level at 3-3.

The second half was all about Colombia though. Andres Reyes put them back in front with a fine turn and shot two minutes into the second half, and Yefri Duque made it 5-3 just before the half-hour mark. However, it was in the final ten minutes that the floodgates really opened, with six more goals flying into the Solomons’ net.

Reyes got the first, rounding the keeper to convert, and Toro completed his hat-trick from close range after Jorge Abril had grabbed Colombia’s seventh. Angellot Caro then made it 9-3 before Yeisson Fonnegra and Prado rounded off the scoring and completed another miserable match for Oceania's champions.

The quotes
“In the second half our counter-attacks were lethal. It is true that we have accomplished something historic by winning our first-ever World Cup match, but I can’t be completely satisfied just yet. Now I have to think the best way to play Russia,"
Arney Fonnegra, Colombia coach.

"It's obvious that I am satisfied with the first half and very unsatisfied with the second. We lost our concentration and stopped executing our game-plan, which was to pressure them and mark tight in one-on-ones. We have the talent, but we must keep working in order to improve,"
Dickson Kadau, Solomon Islands coach.




Courtesy: FIFA.com


Russia maintain perfect record

Following victories in their opening matches over Solomon Islands and Colombia respectively. Russia and Solomon Islands met in Bangkok knowing that a win would go a long way to guaranteeing a place in the knockout phase. Yet the game was not as close as many neutrals might have previously anticipated with Russia dominating from the first whistle to the last.

They got off to the best possible start when skipper Serget Sergeev volleyed them ahead in the 34th second after linking up well with Sirilo. Two minutes later, they had doubled their advantage when Carlos Merida failed to stop Vladislav Shayakhmetov’s direct free-kick.

In a role reversal of Russia’s first, Sergeev turned provider for Sirilo for Russia’s third and Dimitrii Prudnikov fired home a stunning volley for the Europeans’ fourth. The fifth came from the second penalty spot after Merida had fouled Alexander Fukin outside his area, with Sergeev making no mistake from the resulting penalty. The captain completed his hat-trick shortly before half-time when he reacted quickest to a shot which the keeper could not hold on to.

At the opposite end, Gustavo showed tremendous agility when called upon, but those occasions were all too brief as Russia bossed the second half too. Eder Lima scored the seventh in the 27th minute, Pavel Suchilin the eighth and Prudnikov completed the rout to give Russia 25 goals from their two games in the tournament so far.

Russia now meet Colombia, while Guatemala take on Solomon Islands in Bangkok on Friday.




Courtesy: FIFA.com


Serbia sink Kuwait to qualify

Serbia have qualified for the last 16 of FIFA Futsal World Cup with a 7-2 win over Kuwait at Bangkok’s Huamark Indoor Stadium.

Coupled with their earlier 3-1 success against Egypt, today’s victory was sufficient to guarantee a spot in the knockout phase and leave Kuwait facing near-certain elimination. The Asian newcomers actually enjoyed the better of the early chances, but they were undone by the class and composure of Serbia’s No10 Mladen Kocic during a tousy first half.

It was Kocic who provided the breakthrough on seven minutes, turning his marker inside-out before side-footing coolly beyond the helpless Hani Mhisen. Kuwait threw on an outfield player, Abdulraham Altawail, in place of their keeper but, though their attacking adventure was to be applauded, it did not have the desired effect. Instead, Serbia went into the break 3-0 up after Kocic smashed home his second from a short free-kick and Vladimir Lazic slid in to convert Alexsandar Zivanovic’s well judged cross.

Kuwait began the second half in determined fashion and an early goal from Ahmad Alfarsi following a goalkeeping fumble offered hope that a comeback might just be possible. However, this flicker of hope was quickly extinguished after another opportunist strike from Lazic and a slick counter-attack rounded off by Slobodan Racjevic put the Serbians out of sight.

There was still time for Vidan Bojovic and the towering captain Bojan Pacivevic to add to the scoreline, with these goals coming either side of Alfarsi’s second of the match, which proved of little consolation for Kuwait.

The quotes
"The first five minutes were great, but Serbia found their way into the game through their strong defence. When we conceded the first goal were started to become very nervous. That's why I brought in the fifth [outfield] player, to calm the players down,"
Luis Fonseca, Kuwait coach.

"I was very happy with our performance, especially as it was an unusual match with Kuwait playing all five players outfield. We handled that well and are very happy to be assured of going through. Our motivation will remain high for our third match though - we want to top the group,"
Aca Kovacevic, Serbia coach





Courtesy: FIFA.com


Egypt bounce back against Czechs

Egypt have boosted their hopes of a place in the last 16 with an accomplished 7-2 win over the Czech Republic at Bangkok’s Huamark Indoor Stadium. A hat-trick from Ramadan Hamasry helped secure a result that takes his side ahead of the Czechs on goal difference in Group E, a section led by Serbia, who earlier secured their spot in the knockout phase with a second win in succession.

The Pharaohs made a good start to the match, forcing Czech keeper Libor Gercak into some good saves, and fell behind against the run of play when Matej Slovacek slotted home at the back post from Lukas Resertar’s low cross. It took until the 11th minute for an equaliser to arrive but it was worth the wait, with Ramadan Samasry showing great strength to hold off his marker and shoot inside the far post after working a one-two with Islam El Darwu.

Then, a minute before half-time, Egypt took the lead as Bougy charged in bravely on a rebound to crash the ball home off the underside of the crossbar. It was a lead they increased two minutes into the second half, when a long throw from keeper Hema picked out Ahmed Mohamed, who lifted a delightful finish over the advancing Gercak.

The Egyptians always looked in control thereafter and although Resetar pulled a goal back, Samasry soon re-established his team’s two-goal cushion after showing superb pace to burst through the middle of the Czech defence and then nutmeg the keeper. But the goal of the match, and perhaps of the tournament, came when Mostafa Nader made it 5-2 with a first-time volley from midway inside his own half after the Czechs had committed all five players forward and left their net unguarded.

And there was still time for further gloss to be added to the scoreline, with Samasry completing his hat-trick from Mizo’s unselfish cross and Mizo himself completing the scoring with a couple of minutes remaining.

The quotes
“I promised we would win this match and I’m glad that we lived up to that promise. I’m very pleased with my players, and not only with the way they played but also with their strong mentality. When we lost the first goal, they remained completely calm. We also never stopped trying to score more goals and that is very pleasing because a scoreline like this is a big boost to everyone,”
Badr Khalil, Egypt coach.

“I don’t have words to express how I feel. We had a bad day. Egypt played very well and we collapsed. We couldn’t score and then we conceded some very soft goals. Now we have to prepare for the next game against Serbia, and in that game we must play better than we did today,”
Tomas Neumann, Czech Republic coach.




Courtesy: FIFA.com


European duo take their places

Tuesday 6 November 2012

Day six of the FIFA Futsal World Cup Thailand 2012 saw co-favourites Russia book their place in the last 16 thanks to an impressive 9-0 win over Guatemala. Serbia joined their European counterparts in the knock-out stages, following up their opening 3-1 win over Egypt with a 7-2 success against Kuwait.

Czech Republic had the chance to join them there but instead fell to a 7-2 defeat to Egypt, a result which leaves both teams still in with a chance of making further progress. Colombia meanwhile struggled through their first half against Solomon Islands before pulling clear to record an 11-3 win.

Results
Kuwait 2-7 Serbia
Egypt 7-2 Czech Republic
Colombia 11-3 Solomon Islands
Russia 9-0 Guatemala

Goal of the day
Colombia-Solomon Islands, 3-3, Micah Leaalafa 19’47
Even though the Solomon Islands ended up falling to another heavy defeat, the Oceania champions nevertheless managed to score the goal of the day. With the clock ticking down to the end of the first half, Micah Leaalafa set off towards the Colombian goal, drew in no fewer than four opponents then fed captain Elliot Ragomo, who was in space on the left wing. In the blink of an eye, Ragomo played the ball back to Leaalafa, who slid it home to pull his team level.

Memorable moments

Colombia make history
Los Cafeteros keep on writing new chapters in their history. After making it through the South American group to qualify for their first ever FIFA Futsal World Cup, they slipped to defeat to Guatemala in their opening match. Today, however, the South Americans bounced back to celebrate their first ever three-points at this level.

Clean sheet for Gustavo
Russia's attack is fast becoming legendary at this FIFA Futsal World Cup. Sergey Skorovich's men already have 25 goals to their name after thrashing Solomon Islands 16-0 and Guatemala 9-0, making them the best attack in the tournament. Those scorelines also illustrate just how strong the UEFA Futsal Euro 2012 runners-up are at the back. Goalkeeper Gustavo wears head protection just like Czech football star Petr Cech, and the similarities do not end there. Russia's No12 pulled off a whole host of excellent saves against the Oceania champions in his team's opening match and repeated the feat against Guatemala on Tuesday, recording his second clean sheet in a row and ensuring that Russia remain the only team yet to concede a goal at Thailand 2012.

Watching them like a hawk
Shortly after Egypt scored to make it 1-1 in their match against Czech Republic, referee Alireza Sohrabi was forced to halt play. A falcon had found its way into the Indoor Stadium Huamark, and after circling the field of play, it landed right in front of Egypt's penalty area. The players were somewhat taken aback, but the fans were much more appreciative of the aerial display, giving the falcon a warm round of applause. The star of the show then flew off towards the scoreboard to watch the remainder of the match.

Stat of the day
2 – No fewer than five players managed to bag a brace of goals on Day 6 of the tournament. Andres Reyes notched twice against Solomon Islands, Dmitrii Prudnikov scored two against Guatemala, while the match between Kuwait and Serbia saw Ahmad Alfarsi, Mladen Kocic and Vladimir Lazic all find the back of the net on two occasions.

The words
"Russia demonstrated that there are two different realities. They're professionals and they've come here to Thailand to win. We on the other hand are amateurs and are here to learn,"
Carlos Estrada, Guatemala coach.

Next up

Wednesday 7 November (all times local)

Group A
Costa Rica-Ukraine 19.00
Paraguay-Thailand 19.00

Group C
Japan-Libya 17.00
Portugal-Brazil 17.00






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