Courtesy:
UEFA.comEuropean forces to collide in quarter-finalsThere will be two all-European quarter-finals at the FIFA Futsal World Cup with Spain meeting Russia, and Portugal up against Italy following the conclusion of the round of 16 in Thailand.Monday 12 November 2012Europe will have five representatives in the FIFA Futsal World Cup quarter-finals after Italy, Portugal, Russia, Spain and Ukraine booked their places with comfortable wins.
Ricardinho scored two late goals as Portugal swept aside Paraguay 4-1 on Sunday to become the first team to advance from the round of 16. Iberian neighbours Spain, the only side other than Brazil to win the global competition, dispatched hosts Thailand 7-1 to join them.
Italy, who topped their group unbeaten, further strengthened their World Cup credentials, as Saad Assis struck a scintillating hat-trick in a commanding 5-1 success against Egypt. The Czech Republic lost out in the only all-European last-16 tie after a 3-0 defeat by Russia.
On Monday, finals debutants Serbia also fell, losing 2-1 in a closely contested match with Argentina. Brazil flexed their goalscoring muscles in a resounding 16-0 success against Panama, meanwhile, and Ukraine survived a spirited second-half comeback to prevail 6-3 against Japan. Colombia complete the quarter-final lineup after edging out Iran 2-1.
Quarter-finalsWednesday
45: ARG v BRA, Indoor Stadium Huamark
46: COL v UKR, Indoor Stadium Huamark
47: POR v ITA, Nimibutr Stadium
48: ESP v RUS, Nimibutr Stadium
Semi-finalsFriday
49: POR/ITA v ESP/RUS, Indoor Stadium Huamark
50: ARG/BRA v COL/UKR, Indoor Stadium Huamark
Final & Third-place play-offSunday, Indoor Stadium Huamark
Previous finals (hosts)2008: Brazil 2-2, 4-3 pens Spain (Brazil)
2004: Spain 2-1 Italy (Chinese Taipei)
2000: Spain 4-3 Brazil (Guatemala)
1996: Brazil 6-4 Spain (Spain)
1992: Brazil 4-1 United States (Hong Kong)
1989: Brazil 2-1 Netherlands (Netherlands)
Courtesy:
UEFA.comSpain and Italy to meet for final berthSpain and Italy will meet in Friday's FIFA Futsal World Cup semi-finals after winning their last-eight encounters, though Ukraine missed out following a defeat by Colombia.Wednesday 14 November 2012Italy will take on Spain for a place in Sunday's FIFA Futsal World Cup final after both sides won all-European quarter-finals on Wednesday.
Portugal looked set to reach the last four after Ricardinho's first-half hat-trick earned them a 3-0 lead, but Italy fought back to win the game in extra time. A penalty from Saad Assis and late efforts by Gabriel Lima and Rodolfo Fortino meant the scores were level after regulation time. Humberto Honorio struck the winner in extra time.
Spain enjoyed a more comfortable route through against Russia despite going behind to Cirilo's early opener. Sergei Skorovich's team dusted themselves down and carved out a 3-1 advantage thanks to goals from Ortiz, Fernandao and Sergio Lozano. That proved sufficient even though Alemao's own goal caused late concern.
Italy and Spain will meet in the semi-finals in Bangkok on Friday. The other last-four encounter, on the same day and at the same venue, will be between Brazil and Colombia, who progressed courtesy of victories against Argentina and Ukraine respectively.
Semi-finalsFriday
ITA v ESP, Indoor Stadium Huamark
BRA v COL Indoor Stadium Huamark
Final & Third-place play-offSunday, Indoor Stadium Huamark
Previous finals (hosts)2008: Brazil 2-2, 4-3 pens Spain (Brazil)
2004: Spain 2-1 Italy (Chinese Taipei)
2000: Spain 4-3 Brazil (Guatemala)
1996: Brazil 6-4 Spain (Spain)
1992: Brazil 4-1 United States (Hong Kong)
1989: Brazil 2-1 Netherlands (Netherlands)
Courtesy:
UEFA.comSpain see off Italy to set up Brazil final dateSpain won the all-European semi-final in Bangkok 4-1 against Italy to advance to Sunday's FIFA Futsal World Cup final against holders Brazil, the conquerors of Colombia.Friday 16 November 2012Spain are through to their fifth straight FIFA Futsal World Cup final after a 4-1 win against fellow Europeans Italy in Bangkok, Thailand – and will play holders Brazil in a repeat of the decider four years ago.
Venancio López's team earned the chance to avenge their penalties defeat by the Brazilians in 2008 by seeing off Italy with a strong second-half performance. Fortunate to be leading at half-time courtesy of a Saad Assis own goal, Spain had to recover from the setback of conceding an equaliser to Alex Merlim before eventually running away with the game.
Alemao had the perfect answer to Merlim's 29th-minute leveller by restoring the Spanish advantage within 11 seconds, before Lozano and Lin added further goals with Roberto Menichelli's team committing men forward. Italy had lost to the same opponents at the same stage four years previously.
"We didn't just win, we put on a real show," said Venancio afterwards, and more of the same may be required if Spain are to lift the trophy they also collected in 2000 and 2004. Brazil will be gunning for their fifth world crown – from this, the seventh edition of the tournament – in Sunday's final at the Huamark Indoor Stadium.
The reigning champions overcame a dogged Colombia side 3-1 thanks to a second-half strike by Gabriel and a Jhonathan Toro own goal, after the latter player had cancelled out Gabriel's opener.
Both the final and the third-place play-off take place at the Bangkok venue on Sunday.
Previous finals (hosts)2008: Brazil 2-2, 4-3 pens Spain (Brazil)
2004: Spain 2-1 Italy (Chinese Taipei)
2000: Spain 4-3 Brazil (Guatemala)
1996: Brazil 6-4 Spain (Spain)
1992: Brazil 4-1 United States (Hong Kong)
1989: Brazil 2-1 Netherlands (Netherlands)
Courtesy:
UEFA.comBrazil beat Spain to retain crownA Neto double, including the extra-time winner 19 seconds from time, secured back-to-back FIFA Futsal World Cup triumphs for Brazil at the expense of European side Spain.Sunday 18 November 2012Brazil scored with just 19 seconds of extra time remaining in the FIFA Futsal World Cup final to inflict heartache on Spain and secure back-to-back triumphs in the competition.
After a goalless first half, Neto opened the scoring before Torras and Aicardo gave the European challengers the lead. However, Brazil responded and took the game to extra time thanks to Falcao's strike, and with the game seemingly heading for penalties, Neto struck a dramatic winner.
Spain enjoyed the better of a first half containing few chances, coming closest to scoring when Sergio Lozano's fifth-minute shot was cleared off the line by Vinicius. Falcao's introduction at the break seemed to inspire the South Americans and the 35-year-old almost made an immediate impact but dragged his left-footed strike wide of the target.
Moments later, Neto made the breakthrough, meeting a corner first time and firing it into the bottom right-hand corner. Spain rallied, though, and after Fernandao was twice denied by Tiago, Torras pounced on a rebound to equalise.
Buoyed by their goal, Spain went ahead just 61 seconds later, Aicardo finding the net with a deflected strike from a short corner. Torras then hit the crossbar as Spain looked to seal the victory, but they were made to pay when Falcao unleashed an unstoppable drive with less than four minutes remaining.
That took the game into extra time, whereupon another stunning strike gave Brazil their fifth Futsal World Cup triumph. Neto flicked the ball past his marker on the halfway line and broke down the left before shooting low into the bottom right-hand corner to spark Brazilian celebrations.
Courtesy:
UEFA.comItaly ease past Colombia to take bronzeFortino struck twice after Sergio Romano had opened the scoring to seal a 3-0 victory for Italy in their third-place play-off against Colombia, who lost goalkeeper Juan Lozano to a red card.Sunday 18 November 2012Italy beat Colombia 3-0 in the FIFA Futsal World Cup third-place play-off to secure the bronze medal.
The European side, beaten 4-1 by Spain in the semi-finals, dominated most of the possession but were unable to find a breakthrough in the first half as Merlim, Saad and Marco Ercolessi all had efforts saved by Colombia goalkeeper Juan Lozano.
Italy increased the tempo after the break, but Lozano was on hand to deny Saad, Gabriel Lima and Sergio Romano before the latter opened the scoring with a brilliant first-time volley from Saad's corner on 28 minutes. Things went from bad to worse for Colombia when Lozano was dismissed for handling outside his area, and the Azzurri soon made their numerical advantage count. Just a minute later, Fortino collected Lima's pass and kept his cool to finish before rounding off the scoring in the last few seconds.
"Naturally, we are very satisfied to have finished third at this tournament," said Italy coach Roberto Menichelli. "For us, it was important – and a source of great pride – that we have finished as the second-ranked European team after Spain. There are some great teams that haven't managed to finish as highly as we have."
Posted by
Luca Ranocchiari -->
luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com
