Futsal Champions League: Murata beat Encamp as well but it’s not enough to advance

After their winning debut, Murata Futsal made it a historic double by winning 6-2 against Andorran side Encamp in the final match of Group A in the Preliminary Round of the UEFA Futsal Champions League, held in North Macedonia. No San Marino team had ever won two matches out of three, nor by such a wide margin. However, the six points collected by Max Spada’s men were not enough to qualify, as hosts FORCA – who narrowly beat the Bianconeri on Matchday 2 – claimed the ticket thanks to their victory over Armenia’s Yerevan, finishing the group with a perfect record.

Murata – who played before the Macedonian side – had only one option: to win. The Bianconeri’s approach was spot-on from the very first second, as they started the game in the best possible way. After Jamičić hit the post, less than a minute had passed when the deadlock was broken by captain Busignani, who fired from distance and beat the Andorran goalkeeper. The Bianconeri pressed on and shortly afterwards extended their lead again: this time Ercolani first hit the post and then, in the ensuing scramble in the box, managed to sort it out and make it 2-0. Spada’s team showed the perfect mentality: fully focused and ready to hurt the opposition in every situation. As in the 14th minute, when Andorran keeper Rubio collided with a team-mate and left the goal unguarded, allowing Jamičić to keep his cool and make no mistake. A near-perfect first half was then certified first by Protti and then by the ever-present Busignani, who in the 19th minute completed his brace and Murata’s fourth, capitalising on an error by the opponents while they were using the flying goalkeeper.

Murata went into the break 4-0 up, and at the start of the second half the script did not change – if anything, the volume was turned up. Another Encamp error with the flying goalkeeper allowed Moretti to read the situation perfectly and join the party. The Andorrans kept pushing and soon pulled one back through Ferreira, but Murata always had the game under control. The post denied Busignani his hat-trick before Encamp scored again (29’) with Clemente, who reduced the deficit to 5-2. Spada’s players were not rattled by the two goals conceded and found the net again in the closing stages. Applying the exclamation mark was none other than Mattia Protti: the Bianconeri goalkeeper scored late on to make it 6-2, with the whole team then racing over to embrace him. It was an unforgettable match for Murata and for all San Marino futsal, which continues to grow year after year, proving its worth on the international stage as well. As for progressing to the next round, it now seems only a matter of time.

UEFA Futsal Champions League, Preliminary Round | Murata – Encamp 6-2

MURATA

Protti, Moretti, Busignani, Jamičić, Ercolani

Substitutes: Geri, Giusti, Maiani, Zanotti, Ghiotti, Mattioli, Dominella, Belloni, De Angelis

Coach: Massimiliano Spada

ENCAMP

Rubio, Da Silva Fontes, Hugo Rodrigues, Alves, Raventos Prat

Substitutes: Fernandez Guijarro, Silva, Ferreira, Albert Trullà, Clemente, Rodriguez, Sosa Kromer, Adrià Guirao

Coach: Alex Gonçalves

Referee 1: Bryan Claude François (FRA)

Referee 2: Pawel Tokarewicz (POL)

Referee 3: George Jansizian (SWE)

Timekeeper: Done Ristovski (MKD)

Booked: Silva, Albert Trullà, Rodriguez, Moretti, Protti

Sent off: Ferreira

Scorers: 0:47 and 18:05 Busignani, 3:35 Ercolani, 13:43 Jamičić, 21:05 Moretti, 23:02 Ferreira, 28:19 Clemente, 38:31 Protti