The Solomon Islands national futsal team, Kurukuru are continuing to show improvement as they build to the FIFA Futsal World Cup Thailand 2012, falling to recently relegated Spanish National League side Carnicer Torrejon just 3-0 on Tuesday.
While the final score was in the home-side's favour, Kurukuru coach Dickson Kadau commended the progress his team has already made since losing 7-0 to Australia in Brisbane last week - in what was the squad's first international match in 18 months."Compared with the friendly match against Australia, the boys are playing much better and that is important for us as we look ahead to the World Cup," he says.
"I felt today that we could have won but the result did not go our way. I am not satisfied with this result and I want us to get on the scoreboard and win."
Kadau says defensively the team were more organised and the players more confident with each other while in attack they showed better coordination though despite getting the lion's share of scoring chances they failed to capitalise and score.
The statistics for the first-half were accurately reflected in the nil all score at half-time, however despite the second period having a similar amount of possession and goal-scoring opportunities for both teams, it was the Spanish side who were able to take advantage.
The Kurukuru adopted a more attacking approach in the second-half however this unfortunately left them exposed at the back, which allowed Carnicer Torrejon to take the lead through a Kike goal just before the 22nd minute mark.
A few moments later a lapse in concentration allowed Kike to extend the lead with a chip over the keeper giving the home-side a 2-0 advantage.
With nine minutes remaining captain Eliott Ragomo was employed as a flying goalkeeper to add weight to the Kurukuru's attack which was effective for keeping the ball.
Unfortunately it also left the defense open, allowing Jorge Cavadas to score with a deep shot from inside his own half beating Ragomo who was racing back to cover the goal.
The Kurukuru now face First Division side Caja Segovia on Thursday, followed by the friendly international against European champions Spain on Saturday.
As well as the friendly matches the Solomon Island futsal team have been engaged in an intensive training programme at the Ciudad del Futbol, or City of Football, in Las Rozas, Madrid thanks to the Royal Spanish Football Federation.
Not only is the team training in world-class facilities at the state-of-the-art Polideportivo Futbol Sala they will also have the opportunity to see Spain's national futsal squad train under coach Jose Venancio Lopez Hierro.