Brazil retain crown in thrilling final

Brazil retain crown in thrilling final

Holders win in dying seconds of extra time

Brazil retained the Futsal World Cup with a 3-2 thrilling extra-time win over Spain at Hua Mark Indoor Stadium last night.

Falcao reacts after scoring for Brazil.

Neto scored two goals, including the winner with 19 seconds remaining, as Spain failed to avenge their defeat to the South Americans in the previous final.

It was Brazil's fifth title at the World Cup which was launched in 1989. Spain are the only other nation to have won the world title, lifting the trophy twice.

Neto opened the scoring after 25 minutes, only for Torras to equalise five minutes later.

Spain went ahead through Aicardo's 31st-minute strike and Falcao cancelled it out with a stunning equaliser with three minutes to go in regulation time.

Both sides started cautiously with tactical exchanges. Spain were marginally the better side in the opening period and a Vinicius goal-line clearance after five minutes prevented them from going in front.

Miguelin then forced Brazil goalkeeper Tiago into a point-blank reaction save four minutes later, while Brazil's best effort of the opening half came when a Rafael shot deflected off Kike and spun just over the crossbar.

In the second half, Brazil coach Marcos Sorato sent on superstar Falcao and Brazil were immediately lifted by the 35-year-old's arrival.

The Brazilians came close to taking the lead when Falcao sent a left-foot shot wide of the far post. Then, seconds later, the breakthrough did arrive.

It was a goal worthy of a final, with Neto, positioned wide on the left, meeting first time a short corner and blasting an unstoppable left-foot shot low across goal and inside the far post.

Spain attempted to claw back and Tiago twice had to race from his goal to save at the feet of Fernandao as pressure was applied.

With 10 minutes remaining, that pressure paid off as Torras pounced on a rebound to fire home after Miguelin's initial left-foot effort had been parried brilliantly by Tiago.

Spanish tails were up again and, just 61 seconds later, they scored a second. Again, a set-piece situation proved crucial, Alemao firing in a shot from a short corner that took a slight deflection on its way to beating Tiago at his near post.

Spain might have won it too when Torras rattled the face of the crossbar from a quickly taken Kike free-kick, but that near-miss was to take on added significance just a minute later.

Falcao unleashed a fierce long-range shot that was destined for the top corner the moment it left his left boot. Spain goalkeeper Juanjo didn't even move.

The strike also ensured that the final match would go to extra time, where another stunning goal won the trophy for Brazil.

This time, it was Neto who took the spotlight, flicking the ball over his marker's challenge on the halfway line, racing down the wing and rifling a low left-foot shot into the far corner.

In the third-place play-off, Italy defeated Colombia 3-0.

Brazil’s Neto scores the winner. Photos by PATIPAT JANTHONG

Italy players celebrate after defeating Colombia in the third-place play-off.

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