Spain began its journey in the Futsal World Cup in Uzbekistan with a 1-1 draw against Kazakhstan at the Universal Complex in Andijan. Despite conceding an early goal and failing to take advantage of a numerical superiority after a Kazakh player was sent off, Spain also had to cope with Sergio Lozano’s muscle injury during his return. Jesús Gordillo, initially left out of the squad, went on to play a crucial role by saving a point for Spain within 48 hours. Both Spain and Kazakhstan, the Group D favorites, now trail Libya, and their final group standings will depend on their goal difference in the upcoming matches against Libya and New Zealand.
Kazakhstan, playing without Taynan and Edson due to a passport controversy, opened the scoring just five seconds into the game. A well-placed ball from Leo Jaraguá set up Orazov for a clinical finish past Jesús Herrero, disrupting Spain’s early game plan. Spain’s Adolfo Fernández quickly rallied the team to recover from the initial setback.
Higuita
Kazakhstan’s goalkeeper, Leonardo de Melo (Higuita), became the star of the match with a series of outstanding saves and his renowned ability to join the attack. At 37 years old, Higuita proved why he’s considered one of the best goalkeepers in futsal history. Combining sharp shot-stopping with dangerous runs and precise shooting. A foul by Tursagulov on Antonio Pérez led to the Kazakh player’s expulsion after a VAR review. But Spain failed to capitalize, especially after Sergio Lozano was forced to leave the game with an injury, causing concern among the Spanish fans.
Fede Vidal
Spain’s coach, Fede Vidal, called for a timeout and reshuffled the lineup, bringing Didac Plana on for Herrero to exploit his footwork. The equalizer came in the 16th minute from Jesús Gordillo, who had been added to the roster at the last moment following César Velasco’s injury. Gordillo’s quick impact on the game underscored the importance of having a pivot, a tactical move that had initially been overlooked. Catela’s perfectly timed assist played a key role in the goal.
In the second half, Raúl Campos replaced Raúl Gómez as Spain sought to break down Kazakhstan’s tight defense, which remained compact and waited for counterattacks. Despite several attempts, including strong efforts from Catela, Spain was unable to find the back of the net again, as Higuita continued to frustrate their advances.
In Group D, Libya made history with their first-ever FIFA Futsal World Cup victory. Beating New Zealand 3-1 with goals from Mohamed Khamis, Mohamed Zreeg, and Feras Abuksheam. Libya, now leading the group, will face Kazakhstan on Wednesday, while Spain’s next opponent will be New Zealand. Elsewhere in Group C, Afghanistan claimed a 6-4 win over Angola in their first FIFA competition since 1948, while Argentina dominated Ukraine 7-1 in their match. Upcoming fixtures include Portugal vs. Panama and Tajikistan vs. Morocco in Group E, and Iran vs. Venezuela and Guatemala vs. France in Group F. Brazil had an impressive opening performance earlier in the tournament.