The Futsal Malta Association (FMA) is pleased to announce that it is launching a call for interested clubs to participate in the Futsal National Leagues season 2020/21.

Futsal is an exciting, fast paced 5-a-side game similar to football that is played widely across the world. Similar to last year, there shall be two leagues, Elite and Amateur.

The Elite Futsal League is the top futsal national league, wherein the most talented and experienced futsal players get a chance to shine. The nature of the game places a large emphasis of technical skill and ability in situations of high pressure marked by tactical awareness and fitness.

The Amateur Futsal League will promote the brilliant game of futsal, as it aims to introduce new players to the discipline of Futsal, whilst promoting a competitive mix of veterans and young players, coming together for team building, especially during the winter months and most importantly having fun.

All clubs or teams having an interest in participating in one of our leagues can find all the information and booking form by visiting the website: https://liveplayfutsal.com, or follow @futsalmalta on Facebook and Instagram. Interested teams can apply by 5pm on the 28^th of August, 2020.

After weeks of perseverance, we are proud to announce the biggest futsal event in Malta.
A high profile international futsal friendly is being organised next Sunday 3rd September at 1800hrs between Maritime Augusta and a selection of players from the FMA Futsal League. The event will also include the legendary international futsal player – Falcao – as guest star player accompanied by Leandro Lino from the Brazilian Selecao.
Falcao is world renowned for his exceptional skill in futsal and has featured in the Brazilian team’s repeated success in FIFA Futsal World Cup competitions.
Maritime Augusta are an emerging Italian Serie B side who are investing heavily in futsal and have recently strengthened their team by introducing internationally experienced coach Eduardo Garcia Belda, known as Miki, and Spanish international player Jose Miguel Ruiz Cortes.
FMA Selection will include a mix of local and foreign players taking part in the FMA Futsal League. Kevin Mifsud, former Futsal National Team Coach has been appointed as official selector.
Event Director, Mark Borg has expressed his satisfaction is reaching an agreement with Maritime Augusta to include Malta in their Falcao promotional tour. “The event will help the game to continue to grow in Malta and give the opportunity to followers to meet their futsal idol”.
Tickets are being sold at the entrance for €15. Children, between 8-12, €10.
Gates at Corradino Pavilion will be open at 5pm.

We are all shocked for the loss of futsal player Leonard Zammit. Zammit aged 29 played football for Zurrieq and Kirkop United. He also played futsal for 3 years with Sirens before joining Safi San Lorenzo in last January. For this season he was part of Mriehel ESS’ squad.
All the local futsal family expresses the deepest condolences to all Leonard’s family and friends.

STEPHEN AZZOPARDI
Luxol St. Andrews ended their historic presence in Group 8 of the UEFA Futsal Cup’s main round, with a positive win of 5-2 against Mostar from Bosnia & Herzegovina.
Mostar broke the deadlock after 13 minutes of play through Marijo Aladžić. A few minutes later Luxol’s Romanian Emil Raducu levelled the matters. Despite having more chances to score, Luxol didn’t manage to change the result before the half time.
Luxol started very well in the second half but Mostar gained again the advantage through Mirko Hrkač’s goal in the 26th minute. Following this goal, Luxol didn’t look back anymore and levelled again the score. On the 29th minute, from a corner taken by Celino Alves, Zvezdan Vukovic didn’t miss the target. Around two minutes later Aladžić was given the red card, for a foul committed on Hrvoje Penava. On the 34th minute Luxol scored twice through Hrvoje Penava and Panu Autio. Luxol continued offensively but unfortunately on the 35th minute, Raducu missed the brace from the penalty spot. Player coach Frane Despotovic’s sealed this well deserved win from the second penalty spot.
This result gave Luxol their first three points in the Main Round and managed to avoid the last place in the group. In fact Mostar came last, with the same amount of points but were surpassed with the goals’ difference.

In their second appearance in the UEFA Futsal Cup’s Main Round, despite their stunning performance, Luxol had to bow to Araz Naxcivan in the last 90 seconds.

The first half proved to be very balanced, with Luxol going twice on the lead through Hrvoje Penava and Panu Autio. Six minutes before the break, the outstanding Brazilian Maicon Da Silva Gaiewski reduced the score for Araz.

From the first instances, the second half showed to have quite a lot of challenges in store for both teams. In the third minute, Da Silva Gaiewski levelled the matters with his second personal goal. Only two minutes later, Luxol’s Brazilian proliphic scorer Rogerio dos Santos Filho, put again Luxol on the lead.

Luxol’s Emil Raducu and Hrvoje Penava lost their scoring opportunity, thus did not manage to widen the margin. After testing Luxol’s goalkeeper Kenneth Rakvaag, the unstoppable Da Silva Gaiewski netted his third goal.

In the twelfth minute of the second half, Gabriel Nascimento Bastos fouled Luxol’s Autio. Celino Alves took the free kick and paved way to Penava to score his second goal, putting Luxol again on the lead.

Six minutes from the end, Rafael Carvalho Vilela Dos Santos levelled the score again from an assist by Da Silva Gaiewski.

In the dying minutes, the high dominating levels of adrenaline of both teams led them to remain implanting excitement in the spectators of this game, as they continuously exchanged with the flying keeper. Araz missed a golden opportunity from Carvalho Vilela Dos Santos who hit the woodwork. Luxol also lost their last chance through Penava. Finally, against all odds, Da Silva Gaeiwski imprinted his fourth personal goal and a minute later Bolinha made the final score of 6-4.

Luxol found a difficult opponent to start their first ever presence as a Maltese futsal club in the UEFA Futsal Cup Main Round. In Group 8 Luxol were given little chance from the Romanian champions and host team FC Deva.

FC Deva took a three-goal advantage from Dumitru Stoika, Florin Matei and Marius Matei. In the opening of the second half, Alpar Csoma added another goal for the hosts. Luxol had a more balanced approach in the second half as Rogerio dos Santos Filho scored twice. Romanian goalkeeper Toni Tonita scored the fifth goal and Marius Matei missed to score the sixth one from the penalty spot.

Luxol will be again in action, today at 15:30 against Araz Naxcivan (Azerbaijan) and on Saturday at 15:30 against Mostar (Bosnia & Herzegovina).

by Stephen Azzopardi and Kevin Azzopardi (MFA Head of Communications Office)

Luxol St Andrews made history becoming the first Maltese futsal team to reach the main round of the UEFA Futsal Cup.
Luxol broke every record in having three wins out of three games, after beating hosts FC Diamant Linz (7-1), Macedonian champions KMF Shkupi (9-2) Israeli champions Maccabi Tel Aviv (4-3).
Like they did in the preceeding games, Luxol had a comfortable advantage before the end of the first half. They opened 3-0 in the first nine minutes of play with goals from Croatian defender Kristijan Grbesa, Serbian Zvezdan Vukovic and Mark Zammit. Adam Cohen pulled one for Maccabi to make the half time score 3-1.
Maccabi scored again through Ivan Diedunov but Croatian forward Nikola Perkovic put Luxol 4-2 ahead on 28 minutes.
Barely a minute later, Cohen reopened the issue for Maccabi Tel Aviv but Luxol held on to secure their victory and the qualification to the main round of the UEFA Futsal Cup.
Luxol will be in Group 8 against Araz Naxçivan from Azerbaijan, Romanians and hosts FC Deva and Mostar from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Maltese champions were meant to be in Group 5 but swapped with Group F winners Leo of Armenia following a decision of the UEFA Emergency Committee as clubs from Armenia and Azerbaijan cannot meet.
Futsal Minerva, Liburn, Regensburg, Mostar, Leo, Bielsko-Biała and ‘t Knooppunt also won their UEFA Futsal Cup preliminary round groups to complete the main round line-up.
The main round tournaments will take place between October 10 and 15.

Photo taken by Joe Borg and is found on uefa.com

STEPHEN AZZOPARDI

Luxol succeeded to win a very delicate match against Macedonian Champions KMF Shkupi, with another convincing result of 9-2. This was the best score for a Maltese club and being the second win in the Uefa Futsal Cup Preliminary Round.
Luxol led after 51 seconds as Brazilian Celino Alves opened the score, followed immediately by Kristjan Grbesa’s goal. Shkupi reduced the score through Erkan Seferi but Luxol replied with three more goals. Alves made his second personal goal, together with two more goals scored by Emil Raducu and Hrvoje Penava.
During the second half Luxol continued to increase the score through Nikola Perkovic, another one by Grbesa from the penalty spot and a brace from Zvezdan Vukovic. The Macedonians scored their second goal through Dragan Peteovic.
Tomorrow at 6pm, Luxol will be facing Maccabi Tel Aviv from Israel, where a draw is enough for a historical qualification to the Uefa Futsal Cup’s Main Round.

STEPHEN AZZOPARDI

A convincing win for Luxol Futsal in their opening match in the Preliminary Round of the Uefa Futsal Cup, held in Linz, Austria. The Maltese champions smashed the hosting Austrian champions with the final score of 7-1. This is not the highest score by a Maltese club playing abroad, as last year Valletta beat Scottish team Wattcell with the score of 9-3.
Luxol were in their best condition and opened the score in the opening seconds through Rogerio dos Santos.
Captain Mark Zammit doubled the score and increased the team’s confidence throughout the match. Emil Raducu and Nikola Perkovic made the half time score 4-0 for Luxol.
In the second half Luxol kept their superiority and added more goals through Celino Alves, GianCarlo Sammut and Perkovic’s brace. A few seconds before the final whistle came the Austrian consolation goal done by Nenad Stankovic.
Later today at 6pm, Luxol Futsal will play against KMF Shkupi from Macedonia.