Dinamo first through to final four
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
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MFK Dinamo Moskva are the first team through to the UEFA Futsal Cup final four next April after beating MNK Nacional Zagreb 5-0 on a day when MFK Viz-Sinara Ekaterinburg made a soild start to their title defence.
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Win secured
Dinamo began the Elite round as the only team who competed in the first two final four events able to qualify for the third and after two opening Group C wins were within a point of going through. In fact, after Araz Naxçivan defeated ACS Odorheiu Secuiesc 6-4 in the today's first game with four strikes from Serjão, Dinamo only needed to avoid a two-goal loss to hosts MNK Nacional Zagreb but in any case won 5-0. Tatu got Dinamo off to a good start with goals on five and eleven minutes and Vladislav Shayakhmetov added two more either side of the break. Pula's 31st-minute effort settled matters and the 2007 winners can look forward to a semi-final in the spring. Araz finished second in the group, ahead of Nacional.
Holders prevail
Ekaterinburg took the European title from Dinamo in Moscow last April on their competition debut and are s step nearer to joining their Russian rivals in the finals again after an solid opening to Group A on home territory, defeating Italian champions Luparense Calcio A5 5-3. In front of 4,000 fans, Pavel Chistopolov struck after three minutes, Dmitri Prudnikov added two more before the midway point in the half and Andrey Shabanov made it 4-0 to Ekaterinburg not long prior to the interval. Mauro Canal swiftly pulled one back and Rogerio De Oliveira and Vampeta set up a nervous ending for the home side before Chistopolov clinched victory three minutes from time on the counterattack. Viz-Sinara coach Sergei Skorovich said: "I am grateful to the lads that they could get us out of a tough situation."
Shakhtar cruise
Luparense's Wednesday opponents FC Shakhtar Donetsk defeated Slov-Matic Fofo Bratislava 7-1 to take the early group lead. Vassura gave Shakhtar an eleventh-miinute lead and Fumasa added two more before the break. Yevgen Yunakov and Romario ended the Ukrainian champions' lead after the break and although Gabriel Bartosek pulled one back, Fumasa completed his hat-trick and Igor Moskvychov claimed Shakhtar's seventh. As well as Matchday 2 in this pool, Wednesday is also the opening of Group B in Belgium with hosts Action 21 Charleroi facing FK Era-Pack Chrudim and 2008 semi-finalists Kairat Almaty up against Slovenia's KMN Gorica.