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FUTSAL

Hakoah bound for Brazil

Hakoah's pool includes Argentine side Pinocho, Greek club Olympia, Brazil's Joinville Krona and Colombian side Atlas.

By AJN STAFF April 27, 2023, 1:07 pm Edit
Hakoah goalkeeper Noah Felich, playing for Australia in a 2022 Maccabiah Games men's futsal match. Photo: Maccabi Australia via Hakoah Futsal
Hakoah goalkeeper Noah Felich, playing for Australia in a 2022 Maccabiah Games men's futsal match. Photo: Maccabi Australia via Hakoah Futsal

IN an exciting development, and glowing endorsement for, Eastern Suburbs Hakoah Futsal Club – and the NSW Futsal Premier League it plays in – its men’s team was last week invited to compete in the 2023 Copa Mundo Do Futsal tournament.

Futsal’s prestigious U21 world club championship event will be held in May in Parangua, Brazil, and feature 15 clubs from around the world, in three pools, including top Spanish, Brazilian and Argentinian teams.

Hakoah’s pool includes Argentine side Pinocho, Greek club Olympia, Brazil’s Joinville Krona and Colombian side Atlas.

Although the Barcelona team is in a different pool, Hakoah hopes to play the powerhouse Spanish club in a pre-tournament friendly match.

The competition, which will be streamed live, also includes futsal clubs from the US, Canada and Japan.

Hakoah Futstal Club president Daniel Sharp said, “Our team is headed by 20-year-old Noah Felich, one of our current men’s goalkeepers, who has been playing with the club since he was 12.

“In preparation for this competition, Noah has been training under the best futsal goalkeeper coach in Australia, Peter Spathis.

“Peter says Noah has improved massively in the last seven months, and should be on the cusp of making the Australian men’s national team, the Futsalroos.”

Hakoah’s men’s head coach Steve Tzanakes said, “To be invited to the Copa Mundo Do Futsal is an amazing honour for the club, and I hope we do Hakoah, Maccabi, and Australia proud,” adding, “This is going to be a highlight in the players’ futsal careers, and it will really allow our guys to experience playing against the best in the world.

“We hope that they come back really excited about what futsal has allowed them to do.”

Hakoah’s men’s and women’s teams, and a Maccabi men’s team, are currently playing in the NSW Futsal Winter League, and Hakoah will play in the NSW Futsal Premier League once again from mid-spring.

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