Latest news with #Futsal
Press and Journal
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Press and Journal
Aberdeen Futsal Academy aiming to grow women's game after historic Scottish Cup success
Aberdeen Futsal Academy Ladies won the inaugural women's Scottish Futsal Cup and captain Jude Davidson hopes it can spark an increase in women playing the game. After winning their regional section, the Granite City side defeated Edinburgh International in the final 4-2 on penalties following a 3-3 draw at Dundee International Sports Centre. Futsal is the Fifa-accredited version of five-a-side football and is played with a size-four reduced-bounce ball. It has been growing in the north-east since former Breedon Highland League star Grant Campbell founded the Aberdeen Futsal Academy in October 2022. As well as setting up the club, Campbell formed a men's regional league, and the academy's men's team have already won the Scottish Cup, Scottish Super League and played in the Champions League. Davidson and her team-mates attended some of the academy's social training sessions and a ladies' team was formed because, like in football, they were prevented from playing in the men's league. However, they don't have a league to play in and Davidson is hoping if interest and participation increases, they may be able to start a regional league. They train at Robert Gordon University on Wednesday from 8-9pm, and Davidson said: 'We're hoping now the women's 11-a-side football season is coming to an end to either get some matches against 11-a-side teams or just invite them along to our training sessions. 'It would be good if there were more teams. I know a few clubs are keen to get involved, so hopefully they will. 'We want to build the game up and to do that we need more people to get involved. 'We've had people come along who have played 11-a-side and we've had some who haven't. 'We've also had some people who have always wanted to play some form of football and they've decided this is for them. 'Once you come along you pick it up pretty quickly and we're keen for anyone to come along and take it up. 'If more people start playing, we'll be able to form more teams and ideally, get a league going. 'If folk that play either 11-a-side or five-a-side are interested, I'd urge them to come along.' Aberdeen's final triumph came at the end of a rollercoaster encounter. They trailed 2-0 before goals from Leanne Cuthbert, Steph Campbell and Caro Ferguson put them ahead in the closing stages. However, Edinburgh equalised to force penalties. But, in the shoot-out, goalkeeper Davidson saved Edinburgh's first and third spot-kicks – which meant conversions from Dani Paterson, Campbell, Cuthbert and Nicola Downie won the cup for Aberdeen. Davidson, who used to play 11-a-side for Deevale Ladies, added: 'I've played football for a good few years and that's by far the hardest match I've ever taken part in. 'Both sides wanted it so much, which made it a very hard game. But to win it was great. 'As the goalkeeper, it's a great feeling to make a saves in a shoot-out. 'It's early days for futsal up here and especially women's futsal, but we managed to make history by winning the Scottish Cup. 'Thirty or 40 years ago, women's football wasn't a big thing, but now it's massive and it's continuing to get bigger and bigger. 'I think futsal can go in a similar direction. 'To win the Scottish Cup and bring it to Aberdeen is brilliant.'
Hamilton Spectator
04-05-2025
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Canada qualifies for FIFA Futsal Women's World Cup with penalty shootout win
GUATEMALA CITY - Canada booked its ticket to the inaugural FIFA Futsal Women's World Cup in dramatic fashion by defeating Mexico in a penalty shootout Saturday to reach the final of CONCACAF W Futsal Championship. The two finalists at the eight-team CONCACAF tournament will represent the region at the 16-team FIFA Futsal World Cup, slated for Nov. 21 to Dec. 7 in the Philippines. Futsal is a five-a-side indoor game played in two 20-minute halves. Like hockey, teams can make changes on the fly. The semifinal at the Domo Polideportivo went to the shootout after finishing tied 4-4 following two five-minute periods of extra time. Mexico scored three unanswered goals in the first half before Canada answered with four of its own in the first four minutes of the second half. Trailing 4-3, Mexico tied the game with 1.8 seconds remaining on a goal by Rubi Gomez with its net empty Joëlle Gosselin, Esther Brossard, Jade Houmphanh and Cynthia Gaspar-Freire scored for Canada in the shootout. Stephie-Ann Dadaille had her shot saved. Goalkeeper Léa Palacio-Tellier stopped shots by Evelyn Gonzalez and Gomez before Gaspar-Freire roofed her penalty for a 4-3 Canada win. Sunday's final will see Canada face Panama, which downed Costa Rica 3-1 in the other semifinal. The Canadians moved into the semifinals after beating the U.S. 3-1 to finish runner-up to Costa Rica at 2-1-0 in Group B. Mexico won Group A with three straight wins and a tournament-high 13 goals. Canada, meanwhile, tied for the tournament's stingiest defence with just four goals allowed in pool play. The Canadians are coached by Alexandre Da Rocha, a former coach of the Quebec's women's futsal team and assistant coach with the Canadian men's futsal side. Female futsal players have long campaigned for a FIFA championship. In 2022, the International Women's Futsal Players Association condemned FIFAs 'public neglect towards women futsal players.' FIFA held the first Futsal Men's World Cup in 1989 with the 2028 edition featuring 24 teams. Defending champion Brazil has won six of the 10 tournaments to date, finishing runner-up once and third twice. Canada has not participated since being one of the 16 invited countries for the inaugural men's tournament, failing to advance out of the first round after losing to Argentina and Belgium before downing Japan. That 1989 futsal team included Paul Dolan, Pat Harrington, Nick De Santis, Eddy Berdusco, Lyndon Hooper and Alex Bunbury. Dolan was also a member of Canada's 1986 FIFA World Cup squad in Mexico. There have been eight editions of the CONCACAF Men's Futsal Championship with Canada participating in four of them. The Canadians' best showing was making the quarterfinals, in both 2021 and 2024. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 3, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
04-05-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Canada qualifies for FIFA Futsal Women's World Cup with penalty shootout win
GUATEMALA CITY – Canada booked its ticket to the inaugural FIFA Futsal Women's World Cup in dramatic fashion by defeating Mexico in a penalty shootout Saturday to reach the final of CONCACAF W Futsal Championship. The two finalists at the eight-team CONCACAF tournament will represent the region at the 16-team FIFA Futsal World Cup, slated for Nov. 21 to Dec. 7 in the Philippines. Futsal is a five-a-side indoor game played in two 20-minute halves. Like hockey, teams can make changes on the fly. The semifinal at the Domo Polideportivo went to the shootout after finishing tied 4-4 following two five-minute periods of extra time. Mexico scored three unanswered goals in the first half before Canada answered with four of its own in the first four minutes of the second half. Trailing 4-3, Mexico tied the game with 1.8 seconds remaining on a goal by Rubi Gomez with its net empty Joëlle Gosselin, Esther Brossard, Jade Houmphanh and Cynthia Gaspar-Freire scored for Canada in the shootout. Stephie-Ann Dadaille had her shot saved. Goalkeeper Léa Palacio-Tellier stopped shots by Evelyn Gonzalez and Gomez before Gaspar-Freire roofed her penalty for a 4-3 Canada win. Sunday's final will see Canada face Panama, which downed Costa Rica 3-1 in the other semifinal. The Canadians moved into the semifinals after beating the U.S. 3-1 to finish runner-up to Costa Rica at 2-1-0 in Group B. Mexico won Group A with three straight wins and a tournament-high 13 goals. Canada, meanwhile, tied for the tournament's stingiest defence with just four goals allowed in pool play. The Canadians are coached by Alexandre Da Rocha, a former coach of the Quebec's women's futsal team and assistant coach with the Canadian men's futsal side. Female futsal players have long campaigned for a FIFA championship. In 2022, the International Women's Futsal Players Association condemned FIFAs 'public neglect towards women futsal players.' Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. FIFA held the first Futsal Men's World Cup in 1989 with the 2028 edition featuring 24 teams. Defending champion Brazil has won six of the 10 tournaments to date, finishing runner-up once and third twice. Canada has not participated since being one of the 16 invited countries for the inaugural men's tournament, failing to advance out of the first round after losing to Argentina and Belgium before downing Japan. That 1989 futsal team included Paul Dolan, Pat Harrington, Nick De Santis, Eddy Berdusco, Lyndon Hooper and Alex Bunbury. Dolan was also a member of Canada's 1986 FIFA World Cup squad in Mexico. There have been eight editions of the CONCACAF Men's Futsal Championship with Canada participating in four of them. The Canadians' best showing was making the quarterfinals, in both 2021 and 2024. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 3, 2025.
Asharq Al-Awsat
27-02-2025
- Sport
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Enrique Is Finding the Right Balance in PSG's Attack After a Positional Switch
Making a positional switch has allowed Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique to play his three star forwards together, and it's paying off. When Khvicha Kvaratskhelia joined from Napoli, he came with a reputation as one of the world's best left wingers. But selecting him there meant dropping Bradley Barcola, who has done well for PSG since joining last season from Lyon. Enrique was criticized for his tinkering early on in the season, when PSG struggled to score, but these days most of his decisions appear to work. So he tried Kvaratskhelia out on the right in the Champions League playoff return leg against Brest — which PSG won 7-0 — and kept the Georgia winger there in the 3-2 win at Lyon last Sunday. Barcola stayed on the left, where he is at his best, with newly-prolific scorer Ousmane Dembélé playing primarily in the middle as a roaming striker. In those two games the fleet-footed Kvaratskhelia scored one goal, had two assists and posed a permanent threat. He showed his remarkable close control when dribbling — which gives him the look of an elite Futsal player — and also his superb passing ability, sending Dembélé clean through with a brilliant first-time pass from midfield. "Everything is going very well. It's never easy to arrive in a new country, a new league," Kvaratskhelia said. "It's really different, but I work hard, it's my job. My wife is coming. Everything is falling into place." Enrique had wanted to sign him last season, and thinks he can make PSG even stronger. "He's not quite at 100% yet," Enrique said. "We're focused on finding the team solution that ensures the best competitiveness in every match." It seems likely Enrique will keep Kvaratskhelia on the right flank for Saturday's home game with Lille in the domestic competition. He must then decide whether to do the same against Liverpool in the Champions League next Wednesday, when PSG hosts the Premier League leader in the round of 16. The timing of Saturday's match isn't great with a Champions League game coming up, but it's reasonably fair. Although Lille has one day less to prepare and has to travel to play Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday, coach Bruno Genesio's side wasn't involved in the French Cup quarterfinals this week having been knocked out. PSG remains unbeaten in the domestic league and has a 13-point lead atop Ligue 1 as it chases yet another league and cup double. Lille is in fourth place and mired in a contest for Champions League qualification, sandwiched between Nice and Monaco and with second-place Marseille still within sight.
Associated Press
27-02-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Enrique is finding the right balance in PSG's attack after a positional switch
PARIS (AP) — Making a positional switch has allowed Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique to play his three star forwards together, and it's paying off. When Khvicha Kvaratskhelia joined from Napoli, he came with a reputation as one of the world's best left wingers. But selecting him there meant dropping Bradley Barcola, who has done well for PSG since joining last season from Lyon. Enrique was criticized for his tinkering early on in the season, when PSG struggled to score, but these days most of his decisions appear to work. So he tried Kvaratskhelia out on the right in the Champions League playoff return leg against Brest — which PSG won 7-0 — and kept the Georgia winger there in the 3-2 win at Lyon last Sunday. Barcola stayed on the left, where he is at his best, with newly-prolific scorer Ousmane Dembélé playing primarily in the middle as a roaming striker. In those two games the fleet-footed Kvaratskhelia scored one goal, had two assists and posed a permanent threat. He showed his remarkable close control when dribbling — which gives him the look of an elite Futsal player — and also his superb passing ability, sending Dembélé clean through with a brilliant first-time pass from midfield. 'Everything is going very well. It's never easy to arrive in a new country, a new league,' Kvaratskhelia said. 'It's really different, but I work hard, it's my job. My wife is coming. Everything is falling into place.' Enrique had wanted to sign him last season, and thinks he can make PSG even stronger. 'He's not quite at 100% yet,' Enrique said. 'We're focused on finding the team solution that ensures the best competitiveness in every match.' It seems likely Enrique will keep Kvaratskhelia on the right flank for Saturday's home game with Lille in the domestic competition. He must then decide whether to do the same against Liverpool in the Champions League next Wednesday, when PSG hosts the Premier League leader in the round of 16. The timing of Saturday's match isn't great with a Champions League game coming up, but it's reasonably fair. Although Lille has one day less to prepare and has to travel to play Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday, coach Bruno Genesio's side wasn't involved in the French Cup quarterfinals this week having been knocked out. PSG remains unbeaten in the domestic league and has a 13-point lead atop Ligue 1 as it chases yet another league and cup double. Lille is in fourth place and mired in a contest for Champions League qualification, sandwiched between Nice and Monaco and with second-place Marseille still within sight. Marseille president Pablo Longoria angered the French soccer federation when he accused French referees of being corrupt in a bitter rant following his team's 3-0 loss at Auxerre last Saturday. Longoria has since backtracked and apologized for his words, but the league suspended him for 15 games. The suspension begins next Tuesday, so at least he can bid farewell to home fans at Stade Velodrome this weekend. ___
