In a very difficult meeting, Spain could only draw (2-2) against an Azerbaijan plagued by nationalized Brazilians and the classification for the quarterfinals will be played this Saturday against a Georgia that has six points and is ahead by two.
ESP
AZE
SPAIN, 2
(1+1): Dídac Plana (p.), Carlos Ortiz, Sergio Lozano (1), Mellado, Raúl Gómez (1) -first five-, Catela, Esteban, Chino, Boyis, Borja, Cecilio and Raúl Campos.
AZERBAIJAN, 2
(2+0): Kurdov (p.), Eduardo, Felipinho, Fineo, Vilela (1) -first five-, Vassoura, Farzaliyev, Bolinha, Chovdarov and Atayev (1).
REFEREES
Miguel Castilho (Portugal) and Gabor Kovacs (Hungary). They showed a yellow card to Azerbaijanis Atayev (8:58) and Vassoura (32:53).
GOALS
0-1, Vilela (9:16); 1-1, Raul Gomez (11:28); 1-2, Atayev (16:48); 2-2, Sergio Lozano (30:01);
INCIDENTS
Match corresponding to the second day of Group D of the European Men’s Futsal Championship, played in front of around 100 spectators at the MartiniPlaza (Groningen, Netherlands).
The great protagonist of the meeting was Sergio Lozano, who emerged midway through the second half to tie a game that had turned uphill and set off the alarms on the next play by going to the ground hurting his hamstrings. Luckily he returned to the track later and hopefully there are no injuries.
The current runner-up arrived with three points thanks to their 5-1 win against Bosnia and Herzegovina, while the Asians risked everything having lost in their debut against a Georgia side that came from behind (3-2).
With four Brazilian nationals starting out like Eduardo, Fineo, Felipinho and the great Vilela (Palma Futsal) in an embarrassment that is repeated in futsal and against which no one cries out, Azerbaijan showed firm determination and great solidity from the first minute. And that is low Gallo, Levante.
Spain started better and Catela tested Kurdov after four minutes and the Azeris responded in a quick transition with Vassoura after a loss by Chino that ended well between Dídac and Catela. Then, Chino shot the crossbar in the 7′ and Sergio Lozano took a foul shot by Vilela under the sticks.
Raúl Gómez balanced Vilela’s initial goal
| UEFAFutsal
Y the star of Palma Futsal scored his third goal in the European Championship by getting ahead of Sergio Lozano on the verge of a free kick just before the halfway point of the first half and making it 0-1.
La Roja reacted immediately and, after a deflected shot by Raúl Campos the former azulgrana Raúl Gómez (played for Barça B) leveled the match with 1-1 in the 12th minute in a wing service that could be played by captain Carlos Ortiz.
From there, the game calmed down until a mistake in the ball exit Atayev took advantage of it to beat a Dídac who repeated as a starter and achieve the 1-2 in the 17′. Azerbaijan lasted two minutes with five fouls and went to the locker room with an advantage.
Vilela was a nightmare for the Red
| UEFAFutsal
Spain returned determined to look for the tie, but without luck or success. After a possible penalty by Eduardo on Raúl Gómez, Kurdov crossed the path of the KPRF power forward in the 23rd minute and Chino in the 25th minute just after a missile from Mellado hit the crossbar.
At least, Azerbaijan already had three fouls before 28′ while the chances followed one another. Thus, a great incursion by Dídac resulted in a shot at the post at point-blank range just before Sergio Lozano appeared to establish the 2-2 in the 30′ with a dry and crossed shot against which Kurdov could not do anything.
However, practically in the next action the captain of Barça tried a similar shot and ss damaged the ischium Luckily he returned to the track somewhat sore to play the final minutes of the match.
Sergio Lozano tied for Spain
| UEFAFutsal
Azerbaijan needed the victory and looked for it first with two arrivals from Vilela which disrupted an excellent Dídac and then attacking without a goalkeeper for the last three and a half minutes, which greatly complicated the Spanish chances of victory.
Vilela once again had a great chance and Esteban went on to score the 3-2 header in a distant shipment from Dídac in an action that was not valid and so the end was reached with a result that satisfies little to Spain and even less to Azerbaijan.