Bellarte’s national team beaten 1-0 in the final by Portugal. The blue coach puffs up his chest: “There’s a bright future ahead of us. The goalkeepers on the move? We all wanted to win”
The two defeats against the world champions and the zero goals scored clash with the performance of an Italfutsal who plays it equal against Portugal. “It’s a moving national team” said Max Bellarte at the end of the second friendly match in Vila do Conde, undeservedly lost in extremis.
SUPER PERFORMANCE
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If in the first friendly match Italfutsal stood up to the champions of all for more than a time, this time they go further. Merlim on a free-kick immediately shakes the crossbar of Correia’s goal. Portugal responds as a great team which it is: Pietrangelo saves first on Tiago Brito, then on Sobral; at halftime it is 0-0. Real challenge also in the second half: Portugal pushes and wins a penalty for a foul by Musumeci on Zucky Tè, but Pietrangelo hypnotizes Bruno Coelho from the penalty spot. On the other side Edu (who came on for Correia in the second half) denied the Azzurri advantage to a wild Merlim. The Blue Star also affects another wood.
THE PICK
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Max Bellarte dreams of the big shot and puts the goalkeeper back on the move even in the final match. But the daring move doesn’t pay off: on Merlim’s lap, Motta kicks, Edu saves and on the restart André Coelho punishes with an empty net for the Portuguese advantage. The Azzurri’s reply is big: Edu’s miracle on Marcelinho, Pany Varela’s save on the line one second from the end denies a well-deserved equal to the very unfortunate Merlim.
BELLARTE
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“We don’t even look at the result, it was a moving match.” Max Bellarte sings the praises of his team: “When we were even, two minutes from the end we wanted to put the goalkeeper on the field to try and win it, a decision not only mine, but also of all the boys – explains the Azzurro coach – I am sure their future is bright. I can only be happy. We bring home a game that cannot even be described on an emotional level: Portugal are strong and we have shown that we are not that far off on our growth path”.
PORTUGAL-ITALY 1-0 (OO pts)
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PORTOGALLO: Correia, Erick, Afonso, Pany, Zicky, Edu, A. Coelho, Santos, Monteiro, Neves, Kutchy, B. Coelho, Brito, Teixeira, Sobral. Ct Braz.
ITALY: Pietrangelo, Musumeci, Merlim, Motta, Cutrupi, Bellobuono, Yaghoubian, Galletto, Etzi, Pazetti, Isgrò, Liberti, Donin, Cutrignelli, Raguso, Marcelinho. Coach Bellarte.
Scorers: 19’03” st A. Coelho (P).
Notes: 11’29” st missed penalty, Bruno Coelho (P).
Ammonites: Musumeci (I), Pazetti (I).
Referee: Ruben Santos (POR), Miguel Castilho (POR), José Moreira (POR). Crono: Tiago Silva (POR)
April 17 – 09:09
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