This study aimed to (i) explore the discriminatory power of the task-related variables and the context in establishing differences in the elite futsal leagues of Portugal, Spain, and Russia and (ii) understand how these variables vary according to the match outcome. Methodological issues concerning efficiency (goals and shots), offensive organisation (positional attack, counterattack, set pieces, or 5vs4+Goalkeeper), 1st goal scored during matches (home or away team), match type (balanced or unbalanced), and match outcome (winner, loser, or drawer) were discussed. Archival data were obtained from the 2017–2018 season of Portuguese, Spanish, and Russian professional futsal leagues for all play-off matches. Crosstabs analysis was conducted to establish the significance relationship between the elite futsal leagues and the situational variables. Afterward, discriminant analysis was used to identify the task-related variables that maximise mean differences between different league teams for defining offensive profile, and the variations found when the condition of the winner, loser, or drawer is taken into account. The results allowed to understand that the Portuguese and Russian teams used the positional attacks more, and less the counterattacks and set pieces than the Spaniards, who present a more balanced offensive profile. Overall, winners were better discriminated by goals scored, whereas 5vs4+Goalkeeper strategy discriminated loser teams. Coaches should be aware of these different offensive profiles in order to increase control over the match planning and decrease predictability against opposing teams.

The purpose of this study was to analyse the effect of players' dismissals on the outcome of attacks in elite futsal matches, and to establish the performance profile of the attacks made in numerical superiority by elite futsal teams. One hundred and twenty five attacking game situations in numerical superiority (dismissal of opponents from defensive team) were analysed from the regular season of the Spanish professional Futsal League. The effect of contextual-related variables (quality of opposition, match-location, match-periods, opponent team's fouls, match-status, attack-duration and match-type) on goal effectiveness was analysed using binomial logistic regression and two-step cluster analysis. Results from the binary logistic regression showed that the highest attack effectiveness was achieved when the teams play at home, perform the attack during minutes 33-36 and the opposing team has 3 fouls. Secondly, the two-step cluster analysis technique allowed identifying four types of attacks when the teams were playing with numerical superiority. The results showed the great importance (in order) of match-type, match-status, attacking team's fouls, match-period, quality of opposition, opposing team's fouls, match-location, goal situation, and attack duration. The identified trends may help coaches to design the superiority/inferiority scenarios more specifically during training and to monitor them during competition.

The aim of the present study was to identify the importance of the goalkeeper's chance to shoot at goal as an outfield player in elite futsal according to critical and situational variables. The sample consisted of 11,446 actions corresponding to 1325 matches from the Spanish Futsal League in the seasons from 2010 to 2015. Binary logistic regression and classification tree multivariate models were used to identify the best predictor variables related to the chance of shooting as a criterion of success. Results from the binomial logistic regression emphasised the success relationships when the teams played at home, against an equally ranked opponent, during balanced matches, and had up to two fouls. When the teams were drawing or losing, the actions of goalkeeper as an outfield player were unsuccessful. The classification tree results identified a greater chance of shooting in balanced matches during the playoffs, and with no more than two fouls. Negative effects were observed during the regular phase and when used by the teams in the final moments of a match. The identified trends will allow futsal coaches to recognise the most suitable situations for achieving success when using an attack with the goalkeeper as an outfield player.