Ukraine through as Belgium fall

Ukraine took just one UEFA European Futsal Championship Group B fixture to seal a quarter-final place with a win that eliminates Belgium and also takes through Italy.

Progress sealed
Unable to afford a second loss after their 4-0 defeat by Italy, Belgium began brightly but were 3-1 down at the break and could not force their way back. A win against Italy on Saturday would leave Ukraine top of the section, otherwise as runners-up they will travel to Budapest to play Group A winners Azerbaijan.

Belgium threaten
Belgium had Saad Salhi and Jonathan Neukermans back from suspension and both got an early taste of action as they kept the two-time runners-up – without the banned Mykhaylo Romanov – at bay. A superb Belgium passing exchange ended with André's shot rattling the frame of goal. Ukraine goalkeeper Vladyslav Lysenko used his legs to deny Zico and Ahmed Sababti.

Ukraine ahead
However, Ukraine broke the deadlock in the eleventh minute. Dmytro Silchenko sent in a diagonal free-kick from the right and Valeriy Zamyatin flicked in his with heel. Five minutes later Serhiy Cheporniuk crossed and Maxym Pavlenko set up Denys Ovsyannikov to tap in Ukraine's second. Belgium had a stroke of luck when Karim Bachar's shot deflected off the post and the back of the luckless Lysenko into the net. But Belgium conceded their sixth foul and Valeriy Legchanov smashed in the double penalty.

Victory confirmed
The second half began in lively fashion as André's shot was tipped over by Lysenko and Belgium goalkeeper David Morant pulled off a double save from Pavlenko. Belgium lost Mustapha Aabbassi to a second yellow card but while they held out for the two minutes with a player fewer, Ukraine maintained the initiative. Not long after Yevgen Rogachov's shot was tipped on to the post, Pavlenko finished off a neat move. Ukraine even employed a flying goalkeeper late on to try and overtake Italy on goal difference but it was Bachar who struck in the last minute for a Belgium consolation.