Wairarapa became the first Vikings Futsal side from the North Island to play at the Vikings Pacific Regional Titles when they kicked off their campaign today.

Coming from the small town of Carterton the boys coaches and parents had a very early start on Friday morning to get to Wellington Airport for their 6am flight.

After arriving in Brisbane they were transferred to the Super Sports Complex at Runaway bay on the Gold Coast which would become their home for the next 5 days.

The side had 3 games today and finished with a full house, a win, a draw and a loss. First up the took on Brisbane South drawing 5 all then they took on Brisbane North going down 5-7 before defeating Central Queensland 10-7 in their last game of the day.

This was a solid start for the side who had chances to win all 3 games.

You can follow the tournament with up to the minute results on the regionals home page CLICK HERE

Source : Vikings NZ
Published : 11/4/2009

At the Futsal NSW Presentation evening held at the luscious surroundings of the Waterfront Hotel in Homebush Sydney Magic PCYC once again stole the show winning a number of awards on the evening.

Having won 6 individual awards last season the club dominated the awards ceremony again winning another 5 individual awards this year.

John Dimitrakas proved what many people at Magic have been saying all year, That Johnny was the standout goal keeper this year in the u/12s age group. And those words came to fruition with young Johnny having won the u/12s Goal Keeper of the year award. Having now won the award twice.

New signing of this season Andres Vais proved what a standout player he was this season winning the u/14s Player of the Year award. Amazingly Andres only played 9 games this season such was his importance to his team and his domination of the competition.

Natasha Lo Giudice continued to prove why she is the best female target in the competition and having won the same award last season Tash made it 2 from 2 as the u/16 girls Golden boot award winner.

Roberto Maiorana, the NSW Thunder Mens back up keeper proved why many have been saying that the future is at his feet or in his hands in this case, deservedly winning the Youth Mens Goal keeper of the Year for the 3rd consecutive year.

Whilst the amazing Natalie Spirovski had another Magical season, winning the Open Womens Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. Nat is undoubtedly the best female futsal player playing the game and the award is further proof of that.

The club also won a further 4 team awards collecting the :

u/16 Girls Premiers

u/16 Boys Champions

Open Mens Premiers and Champions as well as winning the prestigious Club Championship Trophy for an amazing and record breaking 4th consecutive year.

Carmine Bortone was also acknowledged for his continuous work within the club and was the recipient of the Club Person of the Year award.

Source : Sydney Magic
Published : 10/4/2009

Teams from the Melbourne Futsal League (MFL) traveled to Geelong on April 5th for a special Futsal Gala Day.

The event was hosted by Futsal Geelong at the Corio Leisure Centre. The format for the day was a series of matches for each age group with points determining the winners. U11 & U13 age groups were catered for and for the first time we saw Geelong and the Bayside Pirates compete in the U11 age category.

Melbourne Reds fielded a strong U11 team with 3 players from the Victorian State Team that won the U11 National Title this year in Canberra. AFG also had 3 state team members in it’s line up and the stage was set for some great Futsal action.

The Reds got off to good start with a 3 -1 victory over debutantes “Bayside Pirates”. Although the boys walked away with 3 points they needed to lift their intensity for the next 3 matches. That is exactly what they did against a shell shocked Cobra’s team to win their 2nd match 14 nil. Clever passing and strong team work resulted in an exceptional display of powerful game play.

Geelong’s U11’s put up a good fight, but with under age players it was always going to be a struggle, the Reds running away with a comfortable 8 nil win. Last up was the highly anticipated clash with AFG, who drew first blood with a well constructed goal. However the Reds did not panic and they eventually began to control the tempo of the match. The AFG keeper was working overtime, but eventually succumbed to the Reds onslaught. In the end 2 goals were enough to clinch maximum points and the days honors for the Reds.

A good day out for the boys with 27 goals for and only 2 conceded in the 4 matches. The next incarnation of the MFL is looking to involve more clubs and age groups, with hopefully a ‘Girls Only’ component. Well done to the FFV and Futsal Geelong for an enjoyable day of indoor action.

Source : Melbourne Reds Futsal Club
Published : 10/4/2009

[Editors Note : Whilst this isn't directly related to Aus/NZ/PI, its still interesting. We don't know how they think they were ever going to get away with it by scoring so many own goals...]

A junior high school soccer coach has been given a year-long suspension by the Japan Football Association (JFA), after ordering his team to throw a futsal match in January.

The team was playing a qualifier match for the Niigata Prefecture Selection Junior High School Futsal Tournament on Jan. 12, to decide the order of the top two qualifying teams. However, after realizing that the winner would have a high chance of playing a rival school, the coach — also the school’s vice principal — told his team to lose heavily; which they did, scoring six own goals in a 0-7 loss.

“I didn’t think of my role as an educator,” said the 47-year-old. “I know I made a mistake.”

Source : The Mainichi Daily News
Published : 10/4/2009

In the first of our series of current Futsalroo interviews, we are pleased to be talking with Peter Spathis, the current Futsalroos Keeper.

Peter has been a regular Futsalroos squad member for the past 5 years, representing Australia and our sport at the highest levels.

As an outstanding Keeper at the national level, and a surprisingly skilled on-field player at the local level, Peter is an excellent example for any up and coming players on how far they can go in the sport if they are committed and dedicated.

Peter’s list of Futsal Achievements can be found here.

F4A : Hi Peter. Thanks for taking the time to chat with us today. When did you start playing Futsal and why?

PS : I began playing Futsal at the age of 12 when I was lucky to be invited to join a local competition with a team named Sydney Allstars.

The Sydney Allstars were one of the best ever junior teams. In that team we had current Futsalroos Lachlan Wright and Adrian Vizzari and former Futsalroos Dario Torrisi and Paul Lombardo. We had a lot of success winning 5 National Club titles in a row, and the same number of state titles.

F4A : Where did you go from there?

PS : At around 17 I decided to Join Sydney Magic Men’s and play in the Thursday night State league, I guess I wanted a different challenge. That team featured current NSW Premier League MVP Yavuz Ekinci and again was a brilliant squad. We took out the league beating the Sydney Falcons that year in the Final.

That Magic Team was only around for one year and I moved to join the Sydney Falcons where I hooked back up with Lachlan Wright and Adrian Vizzari who also made the move over. The team featured a number of Futsalroos including Brett Hewit, Adam Confoy, Andrew Nolan and Jamie Amendolia. That team went on to win just about every competion, and it also saw me break into the state Men’s team at 18 years of age and few years later be called into the Australian Squad. The Falcons were around for 4 years before the players went their own way. I rejoined Sydney Magic and have been there for the past 4 years.

F4A : What has kept you involved in the sport this long?

PS : As a goalkeeper you get to touch the ball a lot more with quicker speed and game play. You also get the chance to attack as a goal keeper…and maybe even score.

F4A : Are you still involved much in outdoor?

PS : I was involved in outdoor till the age of 18 playing state league. I decided to put my full efforts into futsal and focusing in making the Futsalroos.

F4A : Was making that decision difficult? Do you regret stepping back from Football?

PS : To be honest it was easy because I knew if I wanted to break into the Aussie team, I had to be 100% committed to the sport.

F4A : Why play keeper? Have you always enjoyed being in goal, or were your aspirations initially as an on-field player.

PS : I started my career in goals and have always enjoyed playing there. I guess I like the thrill of being the last line of defense and the first line of attack.

[F4A note : Proof of the Keeper being the first line of attack can be seen in the video footage here on the Sydney Magic Website. Peter features in the +1 goal at the end. And from the 2007/08 season, Peter comes away with top goal of the season for his length of the field run to score and win the Semi Final match for Magic. That can be viewed on Vimeo here.]

F4A : What is the key to a being good keeper in Futsal. Reflexes? Communication? Positioning?

PS : You need to be good in a number of Areas which you have touched on the key ones. Also distribution is key as there is always the chance of counter attacking in Futsal.

F4A : You most recent standout performance was your incredible FOUR penalty saves in the 2008/09 NSW Premier League Grand Final. Any special knack to saving penalties, or is it just a natural talent of yours?

PS : As a kid you dream of being that Hero saving the penalties and I was really focused in doing that. Of course there are a couple of tricks but you also need a little luck.

Video Footage of Peters four saves in the Penalty shootout can be found here courtesy of Sydney Magic : http://www.sydneymagic.com.au/Sydney_Magic/Keeper_Corner/Pages/Mens_Penalty_Shootout.html

It shows the full penalty shootout, and is well worth your time taking a look.

F4A : How did you feel when you first found out you were selected for the Futsalroos?

PS : I remember the day I got my call up. I was at the gym and just finished my session when I received the call telling me I had just made the squad for the 2004 Fifa World Cup. I was in shock and shed a few tears. It was a great reward for the hard work I put in.

Originally I missed out on the 12 man Oceania Qualifiers squad. After the tournament we had a couple of camps and trial games and there were a number of changes to the final squad. Luckily for me I booked a spot to go to the Fifa World Cup.

F4A : How did you go in your first International match?

PS : I remember my first match very well. It was against Brazil, in Brazil in front of 20 000 people. We lost 11-1. I remember going back to my hotel and watching the goals on the news that night. Although the result was disappointing it was a great experience.

It was an overwhelming experience really couldn’t believe how skilful and how hard the Brazilians could shoot. I guess I was naïve. Before that match I didn’t know who Falco, Shumacher etc where….I certainly did after. We recently played Brazil and lost 7-0 in the KL5s obviously you don’t like conceding these types of scores against you, but it showed the improvement as a squad and on a personal level.

F4A : You have been a member of the Futsalroos for a while now. Do you find yourself under pressure as there are only two Goalkeeper positions in the team and of course one starting keeper position?

PS : Being a goalkeeper there is always pressure but to be honest I don’t find myself under pressure but more motivated to stay at the top as there a number of quality keepers coming through.

F4A : For a while it was a battle between you and Gavin O’Brien as to who was #1 keeper for Australia. Is it a friendly rivalry and has it been going for a while?

PS : Yes it has been a friendly rivalry for years. Gavin has helped my game. He is the ultimate professional, he always gives 110%, his attitude and commitment has rubbed off on me and helped my game. He has always performed at the top level and hope we can continue to battle for the number one jersey for years to come.

F4A : It seems to be difficult for the keepers to break into the top level (rep/state level) due to the limited number of spots available, and keepers having a longer playing career at their disposal. Do you see that discouraging up and comings from playing that position?

PS : No not at all. GK’s are no different to targets, pivots or flankers. They all have limited positions. I guess this is what makes it even more challenging to make and keep the spot your own.

F4A : What’s your opinion on the new talents coming through the ranks? Does anyone stand out enough to give some of the old guard a run for their money?

PS : There’s always talent coming through. The problem we find is that we lose many good prospects to outdoor. In saying that I do think we should be getting an under 21 National Team together so that we try and keep these players in our sport from an early age.

The boys currently training with the NSW Thunder Men’s squad Robbie Maiorana, James Gullotta and Josh De Palma all have great talent, attitude and drive. Also young Quake Goalkeeper Ollie has great potential.

F4A : Are you involved in training any of the younger Keepers?

PS : This year I was goalkeeper coach for Sydney Magic and got to work with some brilliant young keepers. I also helped with a few junior state teams working with keepers in preparation for the nationals. I really enjoyed it and would love to continue doing in the future.

F4A : People in Futsal circles regularly make comments that we don’t blood enough young players into the National squad. You are there first-hand and have played against the very best in the world, is there any merit in comments like that, or is playing at the International level a whole new ballgame and fresh blood is not that easy to introduce?

PS : I believe that if you’re old enough you’re good enough. Over the years I have seen many quality youngsters which have been blooded, some excelling and some not. In saying this, the jump from state league and national titles to full internationals is a huge step and takes time to adapt to that level.

F4A : How long did it take before you found a relative level of comfort playing at that level?

PS : It probably took me a little longer as I was playing second fiddle to Gavin for a while but the second trip in 2006 after the world cup I felt right at home and comfortable with the speed and skill of the international game.

F4A : Do you still get nervous before games? Or is it just before the really big matches now (State and National Finals, Internationals etc).

PS : I still get nervous on occasions, sometimes in the big games and sometimes at the local comp. I think being nervous is a good thing as it shows you are focused.

F4A : Since you are on the National men’s team, you have regular tournaments to look forward too. Has that been a factor in keeping you interested in the sport?

PS : Yes definitely. Being part of Asia has helped the National team as we now play up to 20 international matches per year. We have tournaments like the ASEAN games Asian Futsal Cup, KL5’s etc. Back in Oceana we were lucky to play 10 international matches in 4 years.

F4A : What are your most memorable Futsal moments so far?

PS : There is a number of memorable moments but the three that stick out is firstly my international debut against Brazil in front of 20 000 Brazilians.

Secondly our recent 3-3 draw against Argentina in the KL5’s. Argentina were ranked number 3 in the world. Not many people gave us a shot but our result proved that we can match it with the world’s best teams.

And more recently, being the first team (NSW Thunder) to represent Australia in Iran in the Futsal Asian Club Championship.

F4A : What do you think was the key to getting the 3-3 draw against Argentina. Was it having the same core of players who have played together for a while, or was it coaching tactics?

PS : That team that went to the KL5s had only 1 session together, but was the most closely bonded Australian team I have been associated with. We were close both on and off the court. Before that result we had big wins against Malaysia, Indonesia and England so we knew that if we stuck to our plan we would give them a run for their money.

We were physical and smart and were only 30 seconds from victory.

F4A : Which person do you least like playing against?

PS : The Brazilian National team, especially Falcao and Lenisio.

F4A : The state of play of Futsal in NSW is very strong, how do you see it in terms of other states?

PS : NSW has been strong for many years and the state premier and suoer league has got a lot to do with it. Many NSW players get to play quality games each and every week which is a major factor of the results in the National Titles.

Qld has many quality players and teams and Vic look like they are closing the gap with many of their junior teams making finals at the recent National titles.

F4A : What about coaching, based on what you’ve seen, is the overall skill level in our coaches improving?

PS : I do believe our overall coaching level is gradually improving. I believe this is a result of the coaching courses that are available within our state and more advanced courses that are available through the FFA and AFC.

All this education was not available 5 years ago.

F4A : Which coach had the most impact on you?

PS : I guess being part of the National setup for a number of years now, both Scott Gilligan and my goal keeping coach Adam Confoy have really helped my game. Scott has helped me tactically whereas Adam has worked on improving my goal keeping. Also over the past few years, club coach Jamie Amendolia has helped my game and bought a few different ideas to the table.

F4A : What is your opinion on the FFA/Vikings situation? Do you think the Futsal review will make much of a difference on how things are now?

PS : Like everyone I do hope we are playing under the one banner very soon, as a player you want to be playing against the best and playing along side the best with the National team. I truly hope the review will make a difference.

F4A : Where would you like to see the game go from here?

PS : The game has great potential, being a faster more skillful version of soccer. We just have to look at what 20/20 cricket has done over the past couple of years. Futsal can duplicate that success starting with a televised National League.

F4A : What is your opinion of the state of the sport in Australia?

PS : Probably in the same state as soccer was back in the Soccer Australia days. It took the Crawford report to get soccer going. Hopefully the FFA review can trigger us into action and bring the game up to where it belongs.

F4A : What do you see the biggest thing holding back Futsal?

PS : Hopefully the FFA review can answer that :)

F4A : Which Futsal people do you most admire presently?

PS : The guys I admire are those that have helped my game. These guys include Scott Gilligan, Adam Confoy, Jamie Amendolia, Brett Hewitt, junior coaches Con Tsokos and Arthur Kazas, and also current players Simon Keith, Lachlan Wright and Adrian Vizzari.

F4A : Having played at the absolute top level, do you still enjoy playing in the local comps during the week? Or is that no longer a challenge for you?

PS : I’m very competitive. I do enjoy playing local comp, mostly on the field as a target with a few other mates.

F4A : How is your relationship with the referees? Do you find being a recognized Futsalroo that it makes it harder or easier for you with the refs?

PS : The referees have a job to do and being a Futsalroo doesn’t influence them either way. If there is a foul they blow it no matter who you are.

F4A : Do you find you are more of a target for rough play as players try to prove themselves against you?

PS : No not at all. Everyone is competitive but fair.

F4A : So whats next for you in Futsal. Are there any major goals you still want to achieve from a playing point of view in the sport? How many years can you see yourself playing a key role for the Futsalroos?

PS : There a still many goals I would like to achieve from a playing point of view. On the top of this list would be to qualify for the 2012 Futsal World Cup and hopefully even captain my country. That would be really special for me.

2009 will be a busy year for the National team with the ASEAN Championships in Vietnam in June, qualifications for the Asian Championships in Thailand in November and also the Asian Club Championship in Iran in July.

I will make the most of it and take it all one step at a time.

Thank you for your time Peter. Good luck this year with the NSW and Futsalroos squads.

Peters Spathis’s Futsal Achievements

Australian Mens Represenative 2004-Current

• 2004-Four Nation Tournament in Brazil
• 2004-Futsal FIFA World Cup
• 2006-Asian Cup Qualifcation in Malaysia
• 2006-Asian Cup in Uzbekistan
• 2007-Asean Championships in Thailand
• 2007-Asian Cup in Japan
• 2008-KL5s in Malaysia
• 2008-World Cup Qualification/ Asian Cup in Thailand

Mens State Represenative – 1999 – Current

Mens National Champion – 2004, 2007, 2009

Mens State League Champion -1999, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009

Football NSW Futsal has a number of new competitions about to kick off for the winter season. Some of these areas include

Ashfield – Ashfield Boys High School, Liverpool Rd.Glenwood – Valentine Sports Park, Meurants Lane.

Kellyville – Bernie Mullane Sports Centre, Marella Ave.

Katoomba – Katoomba Sports and Aquatic Centre.

Liverpool – Whitlam Leisure Centre, 90a Memorial Ave.

Miller – Michael Wenden Centre, 96 Cabramatta Ave.

If you are looking to get fit or develop your skills, Futsal is the ideal way to have some fun and learn at the same time.

Get a group of friends, work colleagues or sporting team and enjoy the fun social environment

Please call 8814 4464 or email futsalcomps@footballnsw.com.au

Source : Football NSW
Published : 9/4/2009

Football NSW have released their 2009 Futsal Schools Regional booklet.

2009 Futsal Schools Regional Booklet (PDF)
2009 Futsal Schools Regional Entry Form (PDF)
Athletes with Disability Entry Form (PDF)

The Schools Regional Futsal Championships is a unique opportunity for schools to participate in a competition against a variety of other schools e.g. State, Private, and Independent Schools.

Whilst winners are recognised, winning isn’t everything. Participation is equally important. All schools should enjoy the experience of being a part of this pinnacle event for Futsal on the schools calendar.

Come and enjoy the competition tempered with social interaction and the true meaning of sportsmanship.

The Schools Regional Futsal Championships has a number of age categories to offer, from Primary (10 years) to Secondary (19 years), male and female, and Special School Titles.

The Competition caters for elite and non-elite Students and schools, and gives you the opportunity to compete against participants from many schools across NSW and the ACT.

Football NSW also strives to create social interaction between students and give them the chance to meet and mingle with other Futsal players from other schools, and make new friends.

All Participants also have a once a year opportunity to network with a wide variety of players, coaches and teachers, and to catch-up on the latest tactics and techniques of Futsal and programs in other schools.

Football NSW Futsal Department is very proud of the reputation that has been created for the Championships, and over the years it has become one of the largest school based, single sport events in NSW and Australia.

A minimum of three games is guaranteed, with trophies presented to winners and runners up in each age gender category. It is preferable one teacher per team be appointed to supervise the students.

Football NSW Futsal Dept wish you a successful and enjoyable event as we look forward to sharing this unique experience with you.

The Region’s covered by this competition :

Central Coast Region
South Coast Region
Bankstown Region
Penrith Region
Windsor Region
Blue Mountains Region
Sutherland Region
Marrickville Region
Campbelltown Region
Dural Region
Liverpool Region
Northern Beaches Region
Young Region

Note this is the only Schools Futsal championships sanctioned by Football Federation Australia.

Source : Football NSW
Originally Published : 30/1/2009
Re-Published : 7/4/2009

The Canterbury School titles kicked off at QEII Stadium on Wednesday 1st April with 19 Girls, 16 Girls, 14 Girls and 14 Boys competing for the title leaving 19 Boys and 16 Boys to contend for their title on Thursday 2nd April.

The Winners and runner up of each age group have gained automatic entry into the Vikings Futsal NZ Champion of Champions. This tournament will be held at the Edgar centre in Dunedin over Queens birthday weekend (30th May – 1st June) and will give Canterbury schools the opportunity to compete against schools all over New Zealand.

Congratulations to the following teams who made the finals.

19 Girls

Cashmere high caused an upset winning 5-0 against Linwood college.

19 Boys

Linwood College A won 3-2 against their rivals St Bedes Red

16 Girls

A strong Marian won 7-2 against Burnside

16 Boys

Burnside White won 5-2 against shirley in a hotly contested grade

14 Girls

Competing in the 16 girls grade Avonside competed well with winning all games but 1.

14 Boys

Christchurch Boys High continued their winning steak from pool round by taking the title over St Bedes. Final score 6 -3.

Source : Vikings NZ
Published : 9/4/2009

Football NSW will again be conducting its Highly Competitive Winter State League, played out of Sydney Olympic Park, Homebush

The Futsal Winter State League will be commencing in early May 2009

Days: Monday Nights

Venue: At Sydney Olympic Park, Homebush NSW

Age Groups: Competition is Open to Men’s and Women’s Teams

Prize: There will be Prize Money on Offer

For more information or to register your interest please contact 8814 4464 or

Email futsalcomps@footballnsw.com.au

Please click here for the Flyer (PDF)

Source : Football NSW
Re-Published : 8/4/2009

The UEFA Futsal Cup Semi finals will kick off on the 24/4/2009.

24/04/09 Kairat vs Interviú Madrid
24/04/09 Ekaterinburg vs Dinamo Moskva

Third Place Play-off 26 April 2009
Final 26 April 2009

Dinamo outdo Ekaterinburg to retain cup

http://www.uefa.com/competitions/futsalcup/news/kind=1/newsid=816814.html
Sunday 5 April 2009

MFK Dinamo Moskva will go into their UEFA Futsal Cup semi-final at MFK Viz-Sinara Ekaterinburg on 24 April in high spirits after beating their rivals 7-4 on aggregate to retain the Russian Futsal Cup.

Dinamo delight
Dinamo defeated Ekaterinburg a year ago to take the trophy as part of a domestic double, but this season Viz have held the upper hand, leading the league by six points after beating the capital club three times and drawing the other of their four fixtures. However, Dinamo have been in fine form since the recent return of Yuri Rudnev as coach and have now won the cup for a fourth time, despite the absence through injury of several key men including Cirilo.

First-leg draw
In Wednesday’s first leg at the Ekaterinburg Palace of Sport, where the UEFA Futsal Cup finals will be held, Dinamo twice trailed the European champions. But goals from Artem Chudinov and Damir Khamadiev were cancelled out by Aleksandr Rakhimov and Vladislav Shayakhmetov, the former Viz player making it 2-2 in the last minute.

Decisive result
The return on Sunday was a different matter, with Dinamo this time dominant. Aleksandr Fukin, Anatoli Badretdinov, Konstantin Maevski, Rakhimov and Pavel Kobzar all found the target for Dinamo, with only two Pavel Chistopolov strikes in reply. Rudnev said: “We’ve lost some of our top players, but today we were well organised and played mobile futsal, which makes me very happy. We set ourselves the goal of winning this trophy despite all the difficulties and we carried out that task.” Ekaterinburg coach Sergei Skorovich added: “Today, two equally matched teams of the highest level met and Dinamo won, which means they were stronger.”

Interviú victory
Of the other two UEFA Futsal Cup semi-finalists, Kairat Almaty retained the Kazakhstan title last weekend and in midweek suffered two rare defeats, losing 5-3 and 7-4 at home to Ayat Rudny. Interviú Madrid prevailed 4-2 at Carnicer Torrejón FS with a Jaison own goal and two Jordi Torras strikes sandwiching a Betão effort. They lead the regular season table by seven points ahead of ElPozo Murcia FS and look likely to have top seeding for the eight-team championship play-off.

Kairat champions of Kazakhstan again

http://www.uefa.com/competitions/futsalcup/news/kind=1/newsid=815094.html
Tuesday 31 March 2009

Kairat Almaty will go into the UEFA Futsal Cup finals later this month with a fifth straight Kazakhstan domestic double under their belt after wrapping up the league title for the sixth year in a row.

Title success
Having secured a draw and a win against their main title rivals Aktyubrentgen Aktobe in two away games in mid-March, Kairat welcomed the second-placed team holding a nine-point lead. They knew two victories would give them an unassailable lead, and in the first game they won 4-1 after recovering from falling behind early on and followed that up with a 3-2 success, Rafael scoring twice to secure the title with four games remaining.

Harder competition
Goalkeeper Vitali Khalyavin is the sole veteran of all six championship successes, and the 29-year-old Kazakh international said: “We had to work hard for every title. Some people think it has become easier to win gold medals after the reduction of the number of Premier League participants, but that is rubbish. On the contrary: the overall level is significantly higher. Our team continue to grow in terms of quality. We have four matches left in the Kazakhstan league and will try to use them as the part of the preparations for the UEFA Cup semis. As we saw during UEFA [European] Futsal Championship qualifying, Kazakh sides can play against any opponents. Yes we suffered a 7-0 defeat by Spain, but we were not inferior in terms of the game.”

Interviú on top
His team will meet Spanish opposition in the shape of Interviú Madrid in the UEFA Futsal Cup semi-finals in Ekaterinburg on 24 April, with Kairat hoping to win at that stage for the first time in three attempts. In the Spanish league, Interviú remain top of the table after a 4-0 defeat of UD Guadalajara FS at the weekend, Neto scoring twice and Daniel and Schumacher both on target. FC Barcelona are five points behind in the race for top seeding in the championship play-offs.

Russian tussle
The other two semi-finals, MFK Dinamo Moskva and hosts and holders MFK Viz-Sinara Ekaterinburg, are also closely matched in the race for Russian honours. Ekaterinburg saw their Super League lead over reigning champions Dinamo cut to six points this weekend as the capital club picked up a 3-1 win and 4-4 draw at neighbours MFK Dina Moskva while their rivals lost 4-1 at MFK Tyumen before a 4-2 success. Dinamo and Viz’s league and European ambitions are on hold for the moment, though, as they face off over two legs for the Russian Cup on Wednesday in Moscow and Sunday in Ekaterinburg.

Source : UEFA.com