FIFA Futsal World Cup 2021: Portugal face Argentina in final | Futsal world cup
Portugal face defending champions Argentina in the FIFA Futsal World Cup final on Sunday after beating Kazakhstan on penalties in Kaunas.
Pany Varela struck early in the second half, but with 46 seconds left, Dauren Nurgozhin equalized for a side from Kazakhstan in their first World Cup semi-final, meaning Portugal went to extra time as in his other two knockout matches in Lithuania. Douglas Junior’s free kick gave Kazakhstan a 2-1 lead, but Bruno Coelho forced the penalties.
In the shootout, Bebé saved Douglas Junior’s first kick but Higuita then turned down Pany’s Portugal’s third effort. The two teams had changed keepers from the fifth penalty, but after the rescue of Vítor Hugo from Arnold Knaub, Tiago Brito beat Rauan Atantayev to set up a final between the European and world champions. For Portugal, it was a first World Cup semi-final victory in their third attempt after 2000 and, when they lost to Argentina, in 2016.
Argentina, who knocked out the Football Union of Russia * in the last-eight rematch of the 2016 final, beat Brazil 2-1 on Wednesday to reserve their place in the deciding match. Portugal and Kazakhstan came back from two defeats to win their quarter-finals, respectively against Spain and Iran.
Lithuania, who were hosting the ninth edition after a postponement from 2020, fell to the group stage on their debut in a major tournament. The other six European teams reached the round of 16, where Serbia fell to Portugal and the Czech Republic lost to Spain.
* Russian Football Union, being the member association of the Russian Federation. In accordance with the World Anti-Doping Code and a December 2020 decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport, this team participated in the FIFA Futsal World Cup Lithuania 2021 as neutral athletes of its national sports federation.
Futsal EURO 2022: Netherlands, January 19 to February 6
Premises
- Kaunas Arena
- Vilnius Arena
- Klaipėda Arena
Knockout phase
Final
October 3: Argentina vs Portugal (Kaunas)
Third place match
October 3: Brazil vs Kazakhstan (Kaunas)
Semi finals
September 30: Portugal 2-2aet, 4-3pens Kazakhstan (Kaunas)
September 29: Brazil 1-2 Argentina (Kaunas)
Quarter-finals
September 27: Spain 2-4aet Portugal (Vilnius)
September 27: Iran 2-3 Kazakhstan (Kaunas)
September 26: Morocco 0-1 Brazil (Vilnius)
September 26: Russian Football Union 1-1aet, 4-5pens Argentina (Kaunas)
round of 16
September 24: Uzbekistan 8-9 Iran (Vilnius)
September 24: Portugal 4-3aet Serbia (Kaunas)
September 24: Spain 5-2 Czech Republic (Vilnius)
September 23: Kazakhstan 7-0 Thailand (Kaunas)
September 23: Argentina 6-1 Paraguay (Vilnius)
September 23: Brazil 4-2 Japan (Kaunas)
September 22: Russian Football Union 3-2 Vietnam (Vilnius)
September 22: Venezuela 2-3 Morocco (Kaunas)
Group stage
Group A: Kazakhstan (through), Venezuela (debuts, through), Costa Rica, Lithuania (host, debut)
September 12: Kazakhstan 6-1 Costa Rica (Kaunas), Lithuania 1-2 Venezuela (Kaunas)
September 15: Costa Rica 0-1 Venezuela (Kaunas), Lithuania 0-3 Kazakhstan (Kaunas)
September 18: Costa Rica 6-2 Lithuania (Kaunas), Venezuela 1-1 Kazakhstan (Vilnius)
Group B: Football Union of Russia (through), Uzbekistan (through), Guatemala, Egypt
September 12: Russian Football Union 9-0 Egypt (Vilnius), Uzbekistan 4-5 Guatemala (Vilnius)
September 15: Egypt 6-3 Guatemala (Vilnius), Uzbekistan 2-4 Russian Football Union (Vilnius)
September 18: Egypt 1-2 Uzbekistan (Vilnius), Guatemala 1-4 Russian Football Union (Kaunas)
Group C: Portugal (via), Morocco (via), Thailand (via), Solomon Islands
September 13: Morocco 6-0 Solomon Islands (Kaunas), Thailand 1-4 Portugal (Kaunas)
September 16: Solomon Islands 0-7 Portugal (Kaunas), Thailand 1-1 Morocco (Kaunas)
September 19: Solomon Islands 4-9 Thailand (Kaunas), Portugal 3-3 Morocco (Klaipėda)
Group D: Brazil (through), Czech Republic (through), Vietnam (through), Panama
September 13: Vietnam 1-9 Brazil (Klaipėda), Panama 1-5 Czech Republic (Klaipėda)
September 16: Brazil 4-0 Czech Republic (Klaipėda), Panama 2-3 Vietnam (Klaipda)
September 19: Brazil 5-1 Panama (Klaipėda), Czech Republic 1-1 Vietnam (Kaunas)
Group E: Spain (through), Paraguay (through), Japan (through), Angola (debuts)
September 14: Paraguay 0-4 Spain (Klaipėda), Angola 4-8 Japan (Klaipėda)
September 17: Spain 4-2 Japan (Klaipėda), Angola 1-4 Paraguay (Klaipėda)
September 20: Spain 4-1 Angola (Klaipėda), Japan 1-2 Paraguay (Vilnius)
Group F: Argentina (holders, by), Iran (by), Serbia (by), United States
September 14: Serbia 2-3 Iran (Vilnius), Argentina 11-0 USA (Vilnius)
September 17: Iran 4-2 United States (Vilnius), Argentina 4-2 Serbia (Vilnius)
September 20: Iran 1-2 Argentina (Vilnius), United States 0-7 Serbia (Klaipėda)
The top two from each group and the top four third-place teams advanced to the knockout stage.
Meet the European contenders
CZECH REPUBLIC
How they qualified: Group 8 finalists of the main round, Group D finalists of the Elite round, Play-off against Croatia D2-2agg aet W6-5pens
Previous World Cup appearances: 3
Best World Cup: second group stage (2004)
Best Futsal EURO: third place (2003, 2010)
KAZAKHSTAN
How they qualified: Main round winners Group 5, Elite round winners Group D
Previous World Cup appearances: 2
Best World Cup: round of 16 (2016)
Best Futsal EURO: third place (2016)
LITHUANIA
How they qualified: hosts
Previous World Cup appearances: 0
Best Futsal EURO: never qualified
PORTUGAL
How they qualified: Main round winners Group 8, Elite round winners Group A
Previous World Cup appearances: 5
Best World Cup: third place (2000)
Best Futsal EURO: laureates (2018)
RUSSIAN FOOTBALL UNION
How they qualified: Main round winners Group 7, Elite round winners Group C
Previous World Cup appearances: 6
Best World Cup: finalists (2016)
Best Futsal EURO: laureates (2001)
SERBIA
How they qualified: Winners of the main round Group 6, Vice-champion of Group B of the Elite round, Play-off vs Finland W6-5agg
Previous World Cup appearances: 1
Best World Cup: round of 16 (2012)
Best Futsal EURO: fourth place (2016)
SPAIN
How they qualified: Main round winners Group 1, Elite round winners Group B
Previous World Cup appearances: 8 (maximum)
Best World Cup: laureates (2000, 2004)
Best Futsal EURO: laureates (1996, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2016)
World Cup Honor Roll
2016: Argentina 5-4 Russia (Colombia)
2012: Brazil 3-2 August Spain (Thailand)
2008: Brazil 2-2, 4-3 pens Spain (Brazil)
2004 : Spain 2-1 Italy (Chinese Taipei)
2000: Spain 4-3 Brazil (Guatemala)
1996: Brazil 6-4 Spain (Spain)
1992: Brazil 4-1 United States (Hong Kong)
1989: Brazil 2-1 Netherlands (Netherlands)
