Futsal is but creative rush for the players — four quarters of 10 minutes each is a recurring blur of delicate chips, and cunning tricks, thought of and executed at finger snaps. And, Premier Futsal that comes with sounds of joy and flashlights of colour is an engaging pastime people loosen up to with cheers.
It’s got elements of glitz — booming music, giant screens, cheerleaders, digital billboard fencing the court, lights, lights, and lights — and interest — freakishly skilful players lead by football legends — packed into an indoor stadium of capacity eight thousand.
Both the matches played on Friday was replete with chances echoing the sport’s elemental concept of take the ball and take a chance.
Mumbai 5s emerged winner in the first match, with a goal each in four quarters.
After Angellot scored one in the first, Foglia converted a penalty in the second to make it two in two quarters.
In between, Foglia chipped one above the post and Ryan Giggs hit a slow-roll off a free-kick to the goalkeeper.
For Chennai 5s, Romulo tried in vain to back-heel a short aerial pass from Falcao into the net.
Later, he surged and threatened to score only to trip forward, skid, smile, and get, up and back in play.
Ramirez netted Foglia’s pass off a free-kick for Mumbai’s third, before Foglia himself scored again off a Giggs pass in the last quarter; the one in which Chennai managed two goals — Cirilo and Falcao scored one each — to hand Mumbai a 4-2 win.
Ronaldinho was the source of excitement in the second match that his team, Goa 5s lost 2-4 to Kolkata 5s. He was all casual play, boyish charm, and toothy grin as the crowd backed him with all its might.
The cheers reached a crescendo when he took a free-kick, which he passed, quite tamely, to Vampeta. He was benched after two quarters.
By which time, Kolkata had scored two goals with Pula and Mohammed Islam striking once each in the first quarter.
Three goals were scored in the third quarter — Goa scoring two, and Kolkata, one; Fredsan and Vampeta scored one each for Goa while Argentine football legend Hernan Crespo added one to Kolkata’s count.
Ronaldinho was back in play in the fourth quarter that saw his teammate Fredsan score an own goal to hand Kolkata a 4-2 win.
The results:
Mumbai 4 (Angellot, Foglia-2, Ramirez) bt Chennai 2 (Cirilo, Falcao); Kolkata 4 (Pula, Mohammed Islam, Hernan Crespo, Fredsan-og) bt Goa 2 (Fredsan, Vampeta).
