Russia qualify on final day

Russia bounced back from their shock failure to qualify for the FIFA Futsal World Championship finals in November 2004 by advancing to next year's UEFA European Futsal Championship in the Czech Republic.

Tough challenge
Russia faced a tough Group 5 challenge from hosts Serbia and Montenegro in Zrejanin, and only a 5-2 victory when the two teams met on the final day took them into the continental finals.

Comfortable wins
The home nation were in free-scoring form from the start, opening by beating Georgia 9-2, Miloš Mišcevic claiming a hat-trick. Russia were also comfortable winners, Azerbaijan seen off 5-0. Viatcheslav Moskalenko and Konstantin Maevski each scored twice.

Azerbaijan edged out
Those two players, and six others, were among the Russia scorers the next day as Georgia lost 11-2. Pavel Tchistopolov, Vladislav Chtchoutchko and Denis Abyshev eached claimed two. Serbia and Montenegro were pushed all the way by Azerbaijan, though. Mišcevic put the hosts up in the second minute but Namig Mammadkarimov immediately levelled. However, Mišcevic's tenth-minute goal proved to be the winner, but his team were to be denied in the final game.

Exciting finale

'Must work harder'
After the final match, Serbo-Montengrin player Predrag Rajic said: "That was a very hard tournament, especially the match against Russia. We have not enough experience and lost it at the key moment. We must work harder, believe in ourselves and wait for another chance."