Five-star Castellón lift cup

Playas de Castellón F.S. are the first UEFA Futsal Cup champions after a 5-1 victory over Action 21 Charleroi.

Total control
The Spanish side controlled Sunday's match in Lisbon's Pavilhão Atlântico from the start and lived up to their billing as pre-match favourites against an injury-hit Belgian team. Castellón coach Faustino Pérez-Moreno Gómez was delighted with his team's performance. "I am very happy and it is a very special feeling to have won the first one," he said. "We didn't play too well in the first half but in the second half we were much better. We pressed much more and took our chances."

Inspirational form
Javi Rodríguez was in inspirational form for Castellón and scored twice, along with goals from Lorente, Joan and Alemão. Joan's strike was his eleventh of the eight-team competition and ensured he finished as top scorer. The triumph was watched by a passionate band of Castellón fans that had made the trip to Portugal, and throughout they kept up a steady stream of noise in support of their team.

Early goal
Lorente opened the scoring after little more than a minute but Charleroi responded well despite the early setback. The Belgian team managed to stop the influential Brazilian international Vander Carioca on several occasions and earned an equaliser in the tenth minute. Their own Brazilian, Lúcio Rosa, worked an opening and fired underneath Guillermo in the Castellón goal. Buoyed by the breakthrough, Charleroi created several opportunities but when Rodríguez put his side back in front three minutes later the game swung firmly in the Spanish team's favour.

Strength in depth
Rodríguez and captain Lorente helped their side retain possession in order to wear down the opposition. Such is Castellón's strength in depth, sharpshooter Joan was left on the bench until the 17th minute but took little time to score once he arrived. Two minutes after coming on he flicked the ball home from close range after more trickery from Vander Carioca.

Goalkeeper sacrificed
The game was as good as over at half-time and further strikes from Alemão - when Charleroi had sacrificed their goalkeeper in the hope an extra outfield player would give them more of the ball - and Rodríguez again ensured the trophy would be going to Spain. The last goal of the afternoon came in the 33rd minute and was perhaps the pick of the bunch. A swift counterattack finished with Rodríguez stroking the ball into the far corner with his distinctive yellow trainers.

'Players are heroes'
For Charleroi, who had struggled with injuries all week, there was pride in defeat. Coach Ricardo Menezes da Silva said: "My players are heroes because they made it to this competition and then reached the final. The difference was on the bench because they have a lot of players they can change but the standard doesn't drop. They are a big team and it was right that they won."