3 Things To Remember About The 2012 Futsal World Cup

The FIFA Futsal World Cup ended earlier today in Thailand. After two and a half weeks of intense match-ups, a champion was declared yesterday. Futsal is soccer with some differences. Futsal is played indoors on a smaller, wood pitch with two twenty-minute halfs while utilizing a smaller ball.  Each team has only four players and a goalie on the floor at the same time along with free subs. This is the seventh ever FIFA Futsal World Cup.  The Full Count presents the three biggest storylines that you need to remember about the tournament.

1. An Amazing Final

The final featured Brazil and Spain. The two teams have combined to win all the Futsal World Cups, Brazil with five and Spain with two wins. Since 1996, the two have met four out of the five times in the final. The 2008 final between Brazil and Spain went to penalty kicks, where Brazil pulled out the victory. This final turned out to have the same amount of drama.

Brazil celebrating the victory
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The first half had no one score. The first goal of the match came about five minutes into the second half. Neto blasted a shot off a corner kick into the back of the net from far out. Five minutes later, Torras scored off a defliction off of Brazil's keeper, Tiago. A minute later, Spain broke the tie as the shot went off Tiago. With less then four minutes left, Falcao scored the equalizer with a line drive that was an upper 90°. With about one minute and thirty seconds left in the half, Spain picked up their sixth foul. The meant Brazil would get a PK. However, Rodrigo missed the shot. With about twenty five seconds left, Neto got the ball on the left side of the pitch. He got past the defender and shot a low line drive that went into the net.

2. Award Winners

The Golden Ball Award went to Neto. Neto had seven goals throughout the whole tournament. Eder Lima of Russia won the Golden Boot Award for scoring the most goals in the tournament with nine. However, seven of them came in a 16-0 annihilation of the Solomon Islands (It was actually closer this time then their match in the 2008 Cup, where Russia won 31-2). Italy's Stefano Mammarella won the Golden Glove Award for being the best keeper of the tourney. Argentina won the Fair Play Award.

3. Colombia's 1st Tournament

Miguel Sierra and Angellott Caro, who scored three goals
and three assists in the tournament
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Colombia qualified for their first ever Futsal World Cup in the spring by coming in fourth in the CONMEBOL Qualification. They were in Group F with Guatemala, Russia, and the Solomon Islands. In their first match, they were defeated by Guatemala, 5-2. Their next opponent was the Solomon Islands, who they beat easily, 11-3. Their last game of group play pitted them against Russia. Russia won 2-0. With group play over, Colombia was tied with Guatemala and the Solomon Islands for second place and an opportunity to make it to the knockout stage. Colombia advanced due to having the best goal differential. In the Round of 16, they defeated Iran 2-1. In the quarters, they won against Ukraine, 3-1. Next was the semifinals, where they were up against Brazil. After the first half the score was tied up at one. But, Brazil scored a goal at seven minutes into the half and then Colombia had an own goal. The score was then 3-1 Brazil and that is how it ended. They still  played in the third-place game, which they lost. Still, the tournament was a success for the team from South America.