Swish Serbia steal Russian thunder

Serbia will stay in Budapest for a quarter-final meeting with Portugal, after overturning a 2-0 deficit – and the UEFA European Futsal Championship formbook – to beat Russia 4-3 at the Papp László Arena.

Serbia top
Russia needed only a draw to top Group C and avoid holders Spain in the quarter-finals on Tuesday. But Serbia's comeback means they stay in Budapest to play Group D runners-up Portugal and Russia must travel to Debrecen to take on Spain.

Fouls total
Konstantin Maevski and Aleksandr Fukin forced Vladimir Ranisavljević to make diving saves as Russia assumed command early on. Possesion, however, is only nine tenths of futsal law, and Vidan Bojović passed up a fine chance on the break. Pula smacked a shot against the post from distance before testing Ranisavlejić with another raking drive as Serbia's fouls total rose ominously.

Penalty misses
Compelled to keep it clean after conceding a fifth eighth minutes from the break, Bojović's challenge on Cirilo prompted a double penalty which Konstantin Timoschenkov hit wide. Pavel Chistopolov was not so generous, arrowing home from the left on 17 minutes, but while Pula conceded another spot-kick with ten seconds left, Slobodan Rajčević drove against the frame.

Driving seat
Cirilo set up Maevski – Russian futsal's Andrei Arshavin – to slip the ball through Ranisavljević's legs and home within two minutes of the restart, leaving the unenviable prospect of a quarter-final meeting with Spain at the Fönix Arena on Tuesday looming a little larger for Aca Kovačević's side. However, three goals in the space of two minutes put them in the driving seat.

Sea change
First Bojan Pavićević fired home after Željko Borojević rolled Marko Perić's corner into his path, and Russian-based Perić then intercepted in his own half, racing through unchaperoned to beat Sergei Zuev. Vladimir Lazić then wrangled Mladen Kocić's ball from the left touchline home. Kocić then muscled Maevski off the ball, surging through to beat Zuev at the second attempt to make it 4-2, but Perić nudged past his own goalkeeper from close range after miscuing at Chistopolov's ball across the box to set up a breathless finish.