Ann Arbor Mudpuppies win inaugural NFPL title behind 2nd-half explosion

INDIANAPOLIS — At halftime of Friday’s National Futsal Premier League (NFPL) final between the Ann Arbor Mudpuppies and Futsal Indy, the scoreboard read 1-1. Eighteen second-half goals later, the Mudpuppies lifted the trophy as the first-ever NFPL postseason champions after surging to a 13-7 win.

It was a wild ride, to say the least, especially once Ann Arbor’s Yuri Farkas put his stamp on the match.

After a bit of a feel-out session early, the game opened up about midway through the first half. Both sides hit the woodwork and tested one another’s goalkeepers, but the back of the net proved elusive.

Futsal Indy struck first and seemed set to head to the locker room with a 1-nil lead, but Ann Arbor equalized with under a minute left in the half. It was an unusually low-scoring half for a futsal game, making what was to come even more shocking.

The wheels fell off alarmingly fast for Futsal Indy following the break. After holding the visitors to just a lone tally in the first half, Indy conceded five goals in the first six minutes of the second and never really recovered. The hosts briefly cut the lead to 7-3, but it was all Ann Arbor from there.

Farkas did a little bit of everything in leading the Mudpuppies rally, namely scoring in bunches. He tallied in a variety of ways and also regularly showed poise on the ball in the middle of the court.

With nothing to lose, Indy rotated a field player into net to masquerade as a part-time goalkeeper while often joining the attack to create a numbers advantage. The move allowed the hosts to rack up a few goals late, but they continued conceding just as many as they scored with their net frequently exposed.

Junyor Zanelatto and Marcelo De Matos led the way for Indy with impactful performances, but both visibly displayed their frustration in the second half by repeatedly jawing at the referees. Given the explosion of Mudpuppies goals, the frustration could be seen up and down the Futsal Indy roster Friday night.

Futsal Indy finished atop the NFPL regular-season table after winning nine of 12 games; the Mudpuppies won eight and finished second.

League commissioner Ubusuku Abukusumo was on hand at Park Tudor School, Futsal Indy’s home venue, to soak up the final and present the NFPL title to Ann Arbor. Abukusumo played for the Columbus Crew from 1997-99.

With its first season in the books after an 18-goal second half in the NFPL title match, the league will look to build upon its successful inaugural campaign when next season rolls around.

Follow Kevin on Twitter: @KJboxing.

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