Under-19 Futsal EURO final highlights, report: Spain 6-2 Portugal (aet)

Hosts Spain were pegged back twice in 40 minutes before surging away in extra time to defeat Portugal and retain the UEFA European Under-19 Futsal Championship in front of a fervent competition-record 3,067 Olivo Arena crowd in Jaén.

Match in brief: Spain success

Spain were ahead in 62 seconds, as Jorge Carrasco picked up the ball on the right, turned and shot in from a tight angle. Not long afterwards Kutchy had to stretch to clear an Alex García chip, Carrasco somehow turned an Adrián Tapias centre wide and Adrián Rivera rattled the crossbar from distance with Tiago Velho beaten, then hit the post with a free-kick.

Portugal were clinging on but in the seventh minute were level, Albert Ortas bringing down Kutchy and Rúben Teixeira converting from six metres. Spain were only briefly shaken, soon restoring their dominance. Their lead was restored from a rare Portugal slip at the back as Rúben Teixeira's pass across his own box was intercepted by Ortas, who set up Juan Moreno to tap into an empty net.

Portugal dramatically forced extra timeUEFA via Sportsfile

Not long after the break, Moreno hit the crossbar from a tight angle. Spain continued to have the upper hand, even if not to the extent of the first half, Tiago Velho by far the busier of the keepers, kept especially on his toes by home captain Rivera. But with less then three minutes remaining, Portugal's flying goalkeeper Raúl Moreira crossed and Ion Cerviño turned the ball into his own net.

So, just like in the semi-final with Poland, Spain were taken to extra time. And, as on Thursday, they scored quickly, Rivera's corner turned in from outside the box by Álex García under the dive of the Portugal keeper.

Just before the interval, Spain broke and, after a one-two with Nicolás Marrón, Rivera tapped in his deserved goal. And with Portugal committed, Ion Cerviño lobbed in from inside the Spain half to ensure all 12 of the hosts' outfield players had scored for them in their victorious tournament.

Pablo Ordoñez's late clincher was his finals joint-leading fifth goal of the tournamentUEFA via Sportsfile

The last word went to Jaén local Pablo Ordoñez as he was sent clear to tap into an empty net, his fifth goal of the finals, equal with Nicolás Marrón, who himself was also part of the 2019 triumph in Riga along with coach Albert Canillas.

Reaction 

Albert Canillas, Spain coach: "This was a hard-fought victory, the overall standard is rising and I’m really proud of how the players handled the difficult moments along the way. We played very well but today’s game still could have gone either way, they had a great chance at the far post late on at 2-2 which they didn’t take. "Our goal is not just to win titles, our main aim to develop these young players and to help them make the step into the senior team, like [2019 winner] Antonio Pérez, who has been a regular in the senior squad recently."

Albert Canillas celebrates with captain Adrián RiveraUEFA via Sportsfile

Adrián Rivera, Spain captain: "We knew that the first two games didn’t reflect how tough it was going to be to win this EURO, and we had to work really hard in each of our last three games. With it being level at full time, like in the semi versus Poland, had to keep our heads, remember that we’re in good enough shape to go the distance and make the breakthrough in extra time, which is what we did.

"The crowd was phenomenal today, it’s superb for futsal that they came in such numbers and without them we may not have won."

Adrián RiveraUEFA via Sportsfile

José Luís Mendes, Portugal coach: "Spain were better than us, we couldn’t play our futsal. The first goal created some discomfort in our team. We made some errors in the first half and we were a little bit better in the second. The third and fourth goal, in extra time, put us out of the game. Looking at it overall, we had a good tournament. Congratulations to Spain, they were better and we have to recognise that."

Diogo Furtado, Portugal captain: "Spain were the better team, but this loss doesn’t wipe away our four years’ work. I think this EURO has made us better players and we are proud of the job we did. We have to savour the good moments that we had. It was a fantastic atmosphere here, we play futsal to be part of events like this.”

There was a competition record attendance at Olivo Arena UEFA via Sportsfile

Key stats

• Pablo Ordoñez and Nicolás Marrón top scored with five goals, equalling the tally of compatriots Adrián Rodríguez and Antonio Pérez in 2019. Nicolás is the only Spain player from the 2019 squad involved again.
• Spain have scored 33 goals in these finals, eight higher than their tally in Riga, with all 12 outfield players on target at least one.
• Spain played extra time in the semi-final and the final, totalling seven goals without reply (having drawn both matches 2-2 in regulation).
• Portugal have 45 goals overall in the campaign (including qualifying, which Spain were excused), higher than any 2019 tally.
• There were 99 goals in the finals; 19 more than in 2019.
• The 3,067 crowd is a record for the competition.