Debutants Skövde through in style

Skövde AIK clinched UEFA Futsal Cup preliminary round Group C wuth a game to spare - and then celebrated their victory with an 8-2 win against Hibernians FC.

Exciting encounter
The first team to represent Sweden in this competition, Skövde were up against Bulgarian group hosts FC Mladost, Albanian champions KF Tirana and Maltese debutant Hibernians for the one available place in the qualifying round. And it was a good start for Skövde as they defeated Tirana 8-5. Oskar Nielsen, Florian Manastirliu's own goal and Oskar Öst put Skövde 3-0 up at half-time and Jakob Orlov increased the lead. Rigers Sina pulled one back but Johny David and Claes Espefält then struck. Lorind Xhaierraj and Manastirliu - at the right end - reduced arrears but David struck again, and although Elton Mucollari scored twice in the 38th minute for Tirana, Orlov had the last word.

Kalchev heroics
Hosts Mladost then won 4-3 against Hibernians, thanks to Daniel Kalchev's hat-trick. His first was son 15 minutes and although Nedjosa Mijailovic and Branko Pantelic scored early in the second half, Nikolay Tzanev equalised and Kalchev claimed two more before Hibernians' Slavko Vukanovic set up an exciting finish.

Skövde through
Hibernians then lost 7-3 to Tirana to start Matchday 2, although Vojko Martinovic scored first. Elton Mucollari swiftly levelled from the spot and Lorind Xhaierraj and Rigers Sina struck for Tirana, and although Martinovic claimed a goal just before half-time, Mucollari , Manastirliu, Denis Lika and Andrea Kola put the game beyond the Albanian side, though Mikailovic did pull one back. That result meant a Skövde win would confirm first place, and they duly defeated Mladost 4-2. Marin Jelev scored the only goal for the first half for Mladost, Nielsen, David and Johan Johansson turned the game after the break. Aleksei Stepanov gave Mladost hope before Nielsen's late clincher.

Nineteen-goal thriller
Tirana and Mladost now met for second place - and it was the team from Albania that prevailed in a thriller 10-9, though two players on each side were shown red cards. Skövde, though, were uncatchable and five unanswered second-half goals ensured a happy conclusion against Hibernians. They now progress to Main round Group 2 to meet hosts MNK Split, Athina '90 Athens and Azerbaijan's Araz Naxçivan from 12-15 October.