If you like the taste of Australian Thai food well I’m sure Scott Kidson and Chris Colley would be able to tell you it tastes 10 times better in Bangkok with their visit for the AFC Futsal Championship from 11th to the 18th May.

Futsal, a highly entertaining form of indoor football is immensely popular across Asia and AFC wont be deterred in putting the guys through an arduous preparation course and fitness. Futsal will continue to prosper in Australia resulting in better teams and better referees. We wish both Scott and Chris the best of luck for this tournament.

Source : Football Australia
Published : 1/5/2008

The Qantas Futsalroos continued their preparations for their assault at making the 2008 FIFA Futsal World Cup in Brazil later this year, with a 6-2 win over Kuwait in Bangkok, Thailand.

The team came back from a 2-1 half time deficit, to overwhelm the Kuwaiti’s who are also participating at the AFC Futsal Championships that start in Bangkok next Sunday.

It wasn’t the best start by Australia as they tried to find their rhythm in the hot and humid conditions, with Kuwait taking advantage and grabbing the half time lead. Read more

The Winter State League hit Round Two at the Sydney Olympic Sports Halls last night (5/5/08) which saw 9 brilliant games of Futsal being played.

Dural Warriors took on Inner West Allstars early in the evening, both teams were missing there star players due too the Futsalroos World Cup Campaign. Both teams started off strong with the game surging back and forth from one goal to another. After a tough well fought out first half the score was locked at 0-0 at the break. The second half started fast and furious with Dural scoring two early goals as they surprised the Allstars defence with fast and strong attacking. Inner West Replied quickly and gained a goal back to make the score 2-1 which set the scene to be a stormy finish. With two minutes to go Allstars drew level with some of there own fast attacking strategies. From the kick off Dural created a nice piece of play and saw themselves shooting for goal but the shot was denied by a brilliant save by J. Gullota. The ball was quickly played out by Gullota to send Tim Mascarello screaming up the court hitting Dural on counter attack to then find Dimento on back post who slotted the ball home to make the score 3-2 Allstars Way and win them the game. Inner West Allstars should consider themselves lucky as they got out of jail in the closing stages of the match.

In the other highlight match of the evening, Sydney Benfica took on Sydney City Eagles in a Fiery and feisty match. With both teams having positive results last week this game looked like being entertainment at its best. Benfica scored early in the first half with a very thoughtful attacking piece of play. As Benfica’s structure on the court got the better of Sydney City they doubled there score to make it 2-0. Just before the whistle to half time was blown Sydney City scored a confidence boost as they put the ball in the back of the net to make the score 2-1 at half time. As both teams started the second half there passion for the win started to get the better of both teams as it started to turn into a heated match. Benfica were the team who recovered quickly as they put three un answered goals in the back of Sydney City’s Net through some great counter attack, which saw them taking out the game to win 5-1.

Other results of the night were:

Men-
Plumpton 3 (Troy Eedy, Daniel Fogarty, Luis Freitas)
Quake 1 (Mark Symington)

Inner West Allstars 3 (J Dimento x2, S Adeli)
Dural Warriors 2 (Michael Thorton x2)

Sydney Benfica 5 (Flavio Moreia x3, Marcelo Andrace, Itaua Batista, H Ongaratto)
Sydney City Eagles 1 (B Lam)

Commodores 1 (Nelson McLaughlin)
Parramatta Blues 1 (K luburic)

Northern Beaches 3 (Engelo Rumora x2, Shane Watson)
Maccabi 0

West City Crusaders 4 (Josh Arkland, Daniel Gauci, Narcizo Labal, I Matricano)
Shire Futsal 1 (Scott Farrahar)

Women-
Quake 4 (Clare Walsh x3, Caitlin Jarvie)
Dural Warriors 0

Liverpool Fusion 2 (Renee Tomkins, Clare Tyson)
Sydney City Eagles 0

Sydney Magic 5
Inner West Allstars 0

Source : Football NSW
Published : 8/5/2008

The Hills Grammar senior girls and senior boys futsal team who won the NSW Schools Regional Futsal championships recently will compete in the state championships in June.

Both teams went through the regional under-19 championships in April undefeated and emerged regional champions.

The Hills girls team also won the championship the previous year.

The teams will now represent the school and region in the NSW Schools Futsal Championships on June 23 along with 15 of the best schools in the state at the Penrith Sports Stadium.

Hills Grammar have eight players in the boys’ squad and nine players in the girls’ squad.

After their school holiday break the teams are training again under coaches James Muir and Mitchell Clendinning.

Muir said most of the players also played futsal “outside with other teams as well”.

“The girls team just won another tournament the Hills Zone Sports Association Futsal tournament,” Muir said.

“In the girls team we have four members who play for the NSW team.”

The four NSW players are Taylee Lewis, Eloise Geekie, Demelza Howard and Jacqui Frier.

Source : The Hills Shire Times via Futsal Planet
Published : 6/5/2008

The Qantas Futsalroos will open their qualifying campaign for the 2008 FIFA Futsal World Cup on Sunday with Scott Gilligan’s side looking to maintain Australia’s record of having appeared in every FIFA Futsal World Cup since the inaugural version in 1989.

The Qantas Futsalroos have been drawn alongside number 2 ranked Asian side Japan, along with Turkmenistan and Chinese Taipei for the Asian Football Confederation’s Futsal Championships being held in Thailand.

The four semi finalists at the 16 nation tournament will represent Asia at October’s FIFA Futsal World Cup in Brazil.

Gilligan has chosen an experienced 14 man squad for the qualifying tournament which features seven veterans of the 2004 World Cup campaign.

Australia’s first Group B match is against Turkmenistan on Sunday, followed by Chinese Taipei on Monday and Japan on Tuesday 13 May.  The all-important quarter finals will see the top two teams in Group B meet the top two teams in Group A that features Thailand, Kyrgyzstan, Iraq and Indonesia.

Australia will complete their final preparations with matches against Kuwait tomorrow and against the Thailand U21s on Thursday, having demolished New Zealand 11-2 in Sydney on Saturday immediately prior to flying out to Bangkok.

The Qantas Futsalroos squad for the qualifying tournament is:

Tuan Cao (NSW), Fernando de Moreas (VIC), Trent Flanigan (ACT), Greg Giovenali (NSW), Luke Haydon (QLD), Simon Keith (NSW), Angelo Konstantinou (ACT), Dean Lockhart (NSW), Danny Ngaluafe (Qld), Gavin O’Brien (NSW), Peter Spathis (NSW), Adrian Vizzari (NSW), Lachlan Wright (NSW), Christopher Zeballos (NSW).

The four groups are:
Group A – Thailand, Kyrgyzstan, Iraq, Indonesia
Group B – Japan, Australia, Turkmenistan, Chinese Taipei
Group C – Uzbekistan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Korea Republic
Group D – IR Iran, Tajikistan, China PR, Kuwait

Australia’s matches are:
May 11 v Turkmenistan – 6.45pm (local time)
May 12 v Chinese Taipei – 12 noon (local time)
May 13 v Japan – 6.45pm (local time)

All matches in the tournament will be played at either the Nimibutr or Hua Mark stadiums in Bangkok, with the final to be held on May 18.

Source : Football NSW
Published : 5/5/2008

The Australian Futsalroos & New Zealand National Futsal Team will play an International Friendly on Saturday 3rd May at Dural Leisure Centre. The game starts at 6.00pm.

This is in preparation for the Asian Football Confederation Futsal Championships to be held in May, from the 11th – 18th in Thailand in which the top four teams will qualify for the 2008 World Cup to be held later on in the year in Brazil.

Australia’s group consists of:

Japan
Turkmenistan
Chinese Taipei

There will be a host of NSW players trying to stake their claim for an AFC and World Cup position with some great performances.

On the 4th May the New Zealand National team will play Sydney Magic PCYC the current premier League Champions at Marrickville PCYC from 7:30pm.

This is a unique opportunity to see the Australian Futsalroos on home soil, so come and support the boys and watch Australia’s best Futsal players do what they do best, entertain, excite and amaze.

Entry to both games are free.

Results

Australia 13 defeated New Zealand 2

Sydney Magic PCYC 6 defeated New Zealand 0

Source : Football NSW
Published : 2/5/2008