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The Seleção struck 10. The Albirroja exacted revenge. The War Elephants trampled the odds. The White Wolves snatched a point against La Machina Naranja amid an electric atmosphere.
Marcel, Marlon, Javier Adolfo Salas, Muhammad Osamanmusa, Manuel Kuijk, Ismail Ouaddouh and Khusniddin Nishonov were the biggest heroes as Matchday 1 of the FIFA Futsal World Cup Uzbekistan 2024™ emphatically fulfilled expectations.
Croatia 1-2 Thailand
Croatia goal: Sekulic (30)
Thailand goals: Muhammad Osamanmusa (3), Ronnachai Jungwongsuk (29)
Player of the Match: Arut Senbat (Thailand)
It was David against Goliath in Bukhara. The Thais had never avoided defeat against European opposition in 24 years of trying, were dwarfed by their hulking opponents, and duly had a staggering 36 shots fired at their goal. It was breached only once, however, and at the other end Osamanmusa magnified his already-mighty popularity among his worshippers with a palatial performance.
Quotes
“We are physically and muscularly very inferior to Croatia. We knew that our only chance was to go ahead and be very well organised and compact defensively. They have two pivots who could perhaps hold off four or five of my players at the same time (laughs). We showed our character, our will to win, and for the first time beat a European team.”
Miguel Rodrigo, Thailand coach
“It’s easy to explain as it’s the golden rule of football – if you don’t score a goal, your opponents will. We missed a lot of chances, including me. I had a great chance. But I’m proud of my guys. I think we did a lot of good things today, but sometimes the ball doesn’t want to go in.”
Franco Jelovcic, Croatia winger
Stat
Thailand ended a 10-game losing streak against European opposition in the FIFA Futsal World Cup.
Paraguay 5-2 Costa Rica
Paraguay goals: Javier Adolfo Salas (1), Emerson Mendez (11), Pedro Pascottini (11), Arnaldo Baez (24), Francisco Martinez (39)
Costa Rica goals: Minor Cabalceta (7), Edwin Cubillo (17)
Player of the Match: Javier Adolfo Salas (Paraguay)
Cubillo’s hat-trick headlined the teams’ only previous meeting in this competition, a 6-3 Costa Rica success in 2012. He excelled again today in a history-seizing display, but it was another diminutive pivot – and survivor from that game 12 years ago – who proved the star of this show. Salas’s cocktail of crowd-thrilling flair and opponent-unsettling productivity propelled Paraguay to maximum points.
Quotes
“I’m really, really happy. The first game in a World Cup is always the most difficult. It usually takes you a little time to find your rhythm, but we made a perfect start and played well throughout. First place [in the group] is crucial. We’ve started the way we wanted.”
Javier Adolfo Salas, Paraguay pivot
“I think it was 50-50. The game could have gone either way. They took more chances than us, and that’s disappointing, but I think we can be proud of our performance. Now it’s Holland. We have to win.”
Alex Ramos, Costa Rica coach
Stat
Javier Adolfo Salas’s goal was his first in the FIFA Futsal World Cup in 10 games across 12 years. His only previous effort in the competition, against Thailand in 2012, had also hurt Costa Rica, costing them a place in the knockout phase.
Brazil 10-0 Cuba
Brazil goals: Marcel (2), Neguinho (11), Marlon (13), Felipe Valerio (13), Marcel (23), Marlon (23), Pito (25), Arthur (28), Marcel (33), Marlon (39)
Player of the Match: Marcel (Brazil)
Few felt Marcel had a chance of even going to Uzbekistan 2024 a year ago. Thereafter, however, he has catapulted himself into one of the most feared wingers in the world. The top scorer in last season’s Spanish top tier maintained his magnificent form with three goals, though he will have to dispute match-ball rights with Marlon. Pito, fresh from being name the sport’s Best Men’s Player, also sizzled and scored a beauty as Brazil looked the business.
Quotes
“A game like this helps us with something that we can’t work on in training, which is the emotional aspect. You work on the technical side, the strategy, but the emotional side only comes with the feeling of winning, of scoring a goal, or participating in a cool play on the court.”
Marquinhos Xavier, Brazil coach
Stat
Marcel has now netted nine goals in three appearances in Uzbekistan, having registered six in two warm-up friendlies against the host nation. His latest output helped Brazil make it 37 goals scored in only three encounters with Cuba in the global finals.
Uzbekistan 3-3 Netherlands
Uzbekistan goals: Elbek Tulkinov (16), Ikhtiyor Ropiev (36), Khusniddin Nishonov (39)
Netherlands goals: Tevfik Ceyar (4), Ismail Ouaddouh (28 & 36)
Player of the Match: Ismail Ouaddouh (Netherlands)
The atmosphere in Tashkent was indescribable, and the Uzbek players did what their adoring public asked of them: laid siege to the Dutch goal. It was, however, guarded by an immovable force. Kuijk made save after save after save to frustrate the hosts, and Ouaddouh looked to have settled the showdown with a sublime solo effort. Nishonov, though, had other ideas and the spoils were shared.
Quotes
“Before the match, I’d have taken a point against the favourites to win the group, the host nation. But coneding an equaliser in the last seconds was harsh. I think we would have been the rightful winners.”
Ismail Ouaddouh, Netherlands pivot
