The second set of group games commences on Saturday afternoon in Nassau.
– Senegal and Italy out to tighten their respective grips on Groups A and B
– Italy’s Gabriele Gori scored six goals against Nigeria
– Mexico take on Nigeria, with both sides needing points
Groups A and B at the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bahamas 2017 return to action on Saturday, as the second round of group games commences.
Section leaders Italy and Senegal are both looking to back up their emphatic wins on day one, while the four teams who are still pointless need to open their accounts fast if they are to make it to the knockout phase at Bahamas 2017.
The games
Group A: Switzerland v Ecuador (17.00)
Senegal v Bahamas (20.00)
Group B: Italy v Iran (15.30)
Mexico v Nigeria (18.30)
What you need to know
Senegal showed in their opening game what they are capable of, displaying plenty of firepower up front and no little talent at the back.
Proof of that came with the performance of goalkeeper Al Seyni Ndiaye, who pulled off 14 saves in keeping a clean sheet against Ecuador.
Can the Senegalese now thwart combative hosts the Bahamas and stop them from scoring too?
While Italy and Iran fight it out for the leadership of Group B, Mexico and Nigeria will face off in a duel crucial to their hopes of making the last eight.
Both sides paid dearly for their mistakes in their first outings in the competition, leaving them with no margin for error and no option but to convert the obvious talent they possess into much-needed points.
Though Gabriele Gori stole the show with his goalscoring exploits on day one, Italy can also count on the gifts of Paolo Palmacci, who helped himself to a hat-trick against Nigeria, two of his goals coming from spectacular scissor-kicks.
With Iran sure to keep a close eye on Gori, Palmacci could well be the ace up the Azzurra sleeve.
