International giants enter, early form bites back
A new continental campaign always starts with a bluff: reputation on one side of the table, early-season form on the other. The Champions Cup now opens with its preliminary round while the Challenge Cup moves into round two.
Early tells from the first Challenge Cup round: Veteran brands edged tight lines (Semen Bremen 1–0, Borsholm-Skibstrup IF on pens). There was lots of parity (shootouts for Valur, Sasboys, Toronto, YooSin). The Balkans/Eastern Europe looked sharp (Arsenal RK, FC Lazies, F.C.PRETOR, HAŠK). Latin sides held serve (Mauá Futsal, Colorado da Serra) and Chile’s Lexeros impressed on the road. The repeatable story so far is compact defenses, set-piece margins and away resilience.
The champions step in with no dress rehearsal—prelims already feature past winners staring each other down. Several regional flagbearers drew tricky away days, and a few dark horses arrive hot from domestic starts. One slip and a season’s international ambition can end before it begins.
Champions Cup — Preliminary Round
Why it matters: History says royalty usually survive this gate, but the bracket is littered with ambushes. Round-one fixtures include multiple former title-winners colliding and classic inter-community duels.
Matches to watch:
A blockbuster between former international kings. Norrlands bring the Swedish tempo game; Radnik counter with Serbian control and knockout savvy. This is a late-round tie masquerading as a prelim.
Veltins return as ex-champions looking to set tone early. French contenders rarely back down physically—expect Veltins’ structure vs. direct French thrusts and a premium on first-goal value.
Fresh off lifting last season’s big one, GialloRossi must switch from target to hunter immediately. Just Vale usually travel well; Polish sides, though, are ruthless at turning territory into set-piece chances.
Oldboys are perennial trouble in knockout football, but away prelims can get choppy. If the Irish press bites early, game-state could tilt; Oldboys’ late-game management is the counterweight.
A modern DO classic: Seher Bosna’s control-and-composure against Danish verticality. Transitions on the half-turn will decide whether this stays on Seher Bosna’s script.
Goldstar know how to navigate prelim pitfalls, but Kuusysi’s compact 4-4-2 often travels. If the Belgians don’t speed circulation wide, this could become a grind.
Two storied names with contrasting identities—Algerian technique vs. Nordic direct play. Watch the duels at fullback; territory there likely dictates the shot map.
A fascinating intercontinental matchup. Abahani’s aggressive wing play meets Croatian game management; Fight United Elite usually ace these margins if they keep fouls around Zone 14 to a minimum.
Round one already trimmed the field and sharpened storylines. From here on, we trust more in what teams did this week than what they did last season. Several pedigreed clubs advanced without drama; others were forced through extra-time and penalties—useful stress tests this early.
Challenge Cup — Round 2
Round 1, at a glance
Statement wins for Grosuplje Dreamteam, The steelheads, FC SPIDERS Sydney, Il Circolino, RC Kouba, Mauá Futsal, Fábrica de Tecidos Bangu, Colorado da Serra and more. Veterans edged classics: Semen Bremen nicked it at Gimnasia; Borsholm-Skibstrup IF survived on penalties at Abel United. There were shootout marathons (hello Sasboys and Valur) and a few lopsided scorelines.
Match of the preliminary round: Clepardia Kraków knocked out Insomniac FC.
Matches to watch, round 2:
GD breezed through R1 but now face a Spartak side fresh from a composed away win in Portugal. This should be cleaner tactically—but expect goals from both sides.
Kouba looked authoritative in a 3–0 opener; San Stefano arrive after a 3–2 rollercoaster. If Kouba control the middle third as usual, the Montenegrin counters must be perfect.
A continental-flavored chess match. Galacticos were clinical at F.C. Imperial; ODS ground out a tough away win in South Africa. Small details—restart routines and keeper distribution—loom large.
Lazies escaped a high-tension Balkan derby; Bella survived penalties in Germany. Serbian game management vs. Norwegian aerial threat—set pieces and second balls tell the tale.
Trabzon looked lively in R1; Torden debut here. If the Turkish press bites, this could become a territory match—Norwegian directness is the counterpunch.
Spars were emphatic in R1; Cosmos edged a cagey 1–0. If the Latvians recycle quickly, Cosmos must choose between pressing higher or protecting the box. Either choice opens space somewhere.
Steelheads’ methodical 2–0 metronome meets MEWA’s confidence after an eye-catching opener. Expect the Swiss to slow this into a positional battle and squeeze the shot quality down.
Mexico City showed control in a 1–0; Arsenal RK sprung a smart away win in Poland. Serbian aggressiveness vs. American patience—whoever wins the midfield duels dictates tempo.
YooSin came through a nerve-shredder on penalties; Il Circolino were crisp away. Italy’s structures often travel—Korean transitions must be cleaner to prevent set-piece pressure.
Inferno impressed in Tallinn; HAŠK produced a mature 2–0 at La U. A proper form test: Peru’s vertical surges vs. Croatia’s compact mid-block.
The Danish ex-champions advance after spot-kicks at Abel; Blades pulled a tidy 1–0. Borsholm’s structure should raise the technical bar—watch game flow after minute 60.
Both survived shootouts; now nerves face a second exam. Belgium’s buildup vs. Canada’s transitions—watch the first 15 minutes for control cues.
