Futsal Champions League: Sakarya come from behind against Murata to claim third place

Murata score five times but still cannot avoid a third defeat in three games. Turkey’s Sakarya Karasu are made to suffer by Screti’s side and find themselves two goals down on two occasions; eventually, though, they come back and celebrate third place in the group, which was what was at stake in this head-to-head between the two sides in black and white. Mattioli immediately looks dangerous with a left-footed effort that whistles just past the post. The Turkish reply is instant: Ekşi skips past Belloni and shoots, hitting the woodwork after a fine reflex save from Delvecchio. In the 7th minute Belloni himself breaks the deadlock with a direct free-kick: his right-footed strike goes through the wall and wrong-foots Sercanoglu. Molinas also tries his luck from a dead ball: this time Sercanoglu does well to cover his near post. At the other end, Ekşi hits the woodwork again at the end of a counter-attack. Uğurlu also sends a shiver through Murata: the Turkish No 14 gets away from Belloni and shoots with his toe, bringing out more sharp reflexes from Delvecchio. The San Marino champions react through a huge chance for Recober, who races clear one-on-one with Sercanoglu (excellent assist from Para) but wastes it by shooting wide; and above all through Oguz Böke’s own goal, as he clumsily diverts Belloni’s throw-in, after a touch from a team-mate, into his own net. The two-goal lead, however, lasts only an instant. Baydan breaks forward at lightning speed and squares to the far post for Ekşi, who has no trouble finishing.

At the start of the second half San Marino’s Bianconeri extend their lead to three: from a free-kick, Molinas pulls his left-footer inside and finds the gap to score his first European goal. From distance, Belloni forces Böke into action, while at the other end Baydan controls past Molinas with his first touch and then rifles past Delvecchio with a shot inside the post. Sakarya are in danger again when Molinas slaloms forward only to be denied by Böke. At the other end, Vardar finds Aygün, who finishes first time to bring the scores level. After a moment of brilliance from Belloni that Recober fails to turn into a goal, Ekşi controls and hooks the ball into the net, completing the Turkish comeback. Delvecchio prevents it becoming 5-3 against Papatya, who had gone clean through on the Murata goalkeeper. Delvecchio then takes matters into his own hands, advancing up to three-quarters of the pitch before unleashing a powerful toe-punt that really tests his opposite number Böke. Another huge chance then falls to Papatya, who fires over from close range. It is the prelude to the Turks’ fifth goal, born from a neat move between Ekşi (assist) and Vardar (clinical finish). At this point Murata pull one back through 17-year-old Gasperoni, set up by Belloni and, like Molinas, celebrating his first goal in European competition. But it proves to be just a flash in the pan, as shortly afterwards Yılmaz turns the ball in from a tight angle to make it 6-4. Even so, the match still has something to say. Mattioli reacts to a foul on him and is shown a red card for a second bookable offence. It is also Sakarya’s sixth foul: Belloni steps up to take the 10-metre penalty, but first hits Böke and then the post. The third attempt from Molinas is the one that finally comes off, making it 6-5 and completing his brace. There is, however, very little time left to salvage a draw. In fact, it is Delvecchio who prevents a 7-5 scoreline, getting between Ayvaz and Çamcı, who were making a mess of a two-on-none counter-attack. Murata end the group without a point and therefore finish fourth in a section won by Ujpest, who beat Drenica 2-0 to book their place in the next round.

UEFA Futsal Champions League, Preliminary Round | Sakarya Karasu – Murata 6-5

SAKARYA KARASU

Aykut Sercanoglu, Talha Vardar, Burak Uğurlu, Ramazan Bildirici, Yusuf Aygün

Substitutes: Oguz Böke, Sefa Yılmaz, Faruk Yanık, Mustafa Papatya, Orhan Ekşi, Sadettin Çamcı, Eyüp Çakar, Rıdvan Baydan, Halil Ayvaz

Head coach: Yusuf Parlak

MURATA

Delvecchio, Recober, Molinas, Mattioli, Belloni

Substitutes: Balducci, Gasperoni, Tani, Severi, Para, Marzi, Cesarini, Cerquetti, Andolina

Head coach: Massimiliano Spada

Referee 1: Vedran Marcinko (BIH)

Referee 2: Elwyn Rhys Parry (WAL)

Referee 3: Duncan McLullich (SCO)

Timekeeper: Péter Zimonyi (HUN)

Booked: Rıdvan Baydan, Talha Vardar, Mattioli, Burak Uğurlu, Belloni, Yusuf Aygün, Mustafa Papatya

Sent off: Mattioli (second yellow card)

Scorers: 6:58 Belloni, 14:24 and 28:14 Orhan Ekşi, 13:33 (o.g.) Oguz Böke, 22:20 and 39:46 Molinas, 25:19 Rıdvan Baydan, 27:20 Yusuf Aygün, 35:19 Talha Vardar, 35:39 Gasperoni, 37:50 Sefa Yılmaz