Europe’s top beach soccer club competition gets underway as eight teams from the Challenge join the fray
Groups J and K of the Euro Winners Cup have been empty since the draw took place back in May, but today the precious places were filled as the curtains close on the Euro Winners Challenge group stages.
GDP Costa de Caparica, GD Sesimbra, CSKA Moscow, BSC Lokomotiv, GD de Alfarim and AO Kefallinia topped their groups to make it to the Euro Winners Cup, while CF Chelas and AD Buarcos also qualified as the best second-place finishers.
While the final eight spots were being fought over in the last day of the Euro Winners Challenge group stage, the first games of the European showpiece were already underway…
Click here for all of today’s matches and highlights.
EURO WINNERS CUP
Group A
A Jeffrey Kleibroek brace wasn’t enough to hold off GWP-Bodon-Cservy BSC, as the Hungarian side defeated BS Egmond on day one to go level on points with ACD O Sótão at the end of the opening day of the Euro Winners Cup.
The Nazaré side earned their three points in front of a home crowd, putting nine goals past Finland’s FC Baggio.
A hat-trick from the Spaniard Pablo Perez helped Sotao open their account in style, and they will be looking to repeat the performance when they face BS Egmond tomorrow.
Group B
A close tie, which featured many well-known faces from the world of beach soccer, saw BSC Spartak Moscow just manage to pull away from Swiss side SC Chargers Baselland.
Zemskov and Ott scored hat-tricks, but it was the Russians who claim an early advantage in Group B.
SC Braga’s first step towards retaining their title came against Linden City BSC. The Latvians were unable to get past the Braga defense at all, while at the other end the European champions netted seven to top Group B on goal difference.
They face Chargers Baselland tomorrow while Spartak will look for win number two against Linden City.
Group C
FC Delta swept aside MFC Spartak with six strikes to stake an early claim to qualification to the next round of the 2019 Euro Winners Cup. The Russians will take on SK Augur Enemat in their next match.
MFC Spartak will meet Sporting tomorrow, a match made more difficult by the guaranteed turnout of a home crowd for the Lisbon side, who won against SK Augur Enemat to go level on points with Delta.
Braces from Madjer, Ricardinho, Duarte and Belchior took their final tally to eight, but they still sit just behind their Russian rivals on goal difference.
Group D
FC Dinamo Batumi were disappointed on their first day of action in Nazaré, when a last second goal for Madeira side, CD Nacional, denied them the chance of two points in extra time.
In the second Group D match, last year’s runners-up had a score to settle in Nazaré, and after winning the Russian league BSC Kristall’s eyes are now on an even bigger prize.
Defeating Grodnooblsport was the first step, and Kristall did so emphatically with eight goals to the Belarussian’s two, topping the group.
Group E
Braces from the Italian striker, Gori and Ukraine’s Viotok, handed BSC Artur Music the win against Copenhagen BSC. The match finished 5-2, and the Danes will face another tough test tomorrow when they meet Catania.
The Italian champions didn’t hold back against SK Bosnia Online Eu Teplice, accumulating a total of 11, while the Czechs were unable to find the net.
They will face Artur Music tomorrow in an attempt to keep hopes of making the next round alive.
Group F
KP Lodz had a tough contest in their first match in Nazaré, against French side, Grande Motte Pyramide BS. They managed to clinch the win with a single goal advantage to match Euroformat on three points.
Eastleigh Spitfires also had a difficult welcome to their maiden appearance at the Euro Winners Challenge, as three-time Ukrainian champions, FC Euroformat-Bodon, put nine past the English side to go top of Group F.
The English have their next chance at points against KP Lodz, who are looking to make it two wins out of two.
Group G
CD Bala Azul took local Portuguese side Casa Benfica Loures to penalties after the whistle went with the scored tied at 6-6.
Casa Benfica claimed a point by netting all three of their spot kicks while the Spaniards just managed one, but dropping two points at this early stage could cost them in the campaign for the next round.
In the other match, Group G Greek representation faced Poland’s, and it was Boca Gdansk that controlled the game for the majority of the match, scoring nine to go top of the group.
Group H
Four goals from Dejan Stankovic helped Alanya Belediyespor breeze past Rostocker Robben by seven goals to two in their opening day in Nazaré.
The Turkish side go top, ahead of Spain’s Levante on goal difference, who clinched a 1-4 win over Cartel Waterloo.
Today’s victors will swap oppositions tomorrow, as Alanya face Cartel Waterloo and Levante take on Rostocker Robben. Should they both win, they will both claim an early entrance to the next round.
Group I
The first games of the Euro Winners Cup saw the four teams of Group I battle for a positive start in Nazaré. BSC Vybor were taken to penalties by Moldova’s CS Djoker, but they held their nerve to put away all three shots to take a point.
Moving above them with a normal time win was CF La Nucía from Spain, who fought a tight match against Yesil Ercis Belediye Spor Kulubu to take a 3-2 victory.
The Spanish top the group, while Djoker and Yesil Ercis will have to win tomorrow to keep hopes of the next round alive.
EURO WINNERS CHALLENGE
Group A
GDP Costa De Caparica beat Salgueiros 08 in what turned out to be a deciding match, to claim the topspot and qualification to the Euro Winners Cup.
GDP Costa De Caparica, Salgueiros 08 and CF Chelas all finished the group stage on six points, and the latter just clinched one of the best second-place finishing spots to join countrymen Costa De Caparica in the Euro Winners Cup.
They did so with a win against England’s Portsmouth, beating Pompey by ten goals to four.
Finals Standings
GDP Costa De Caparica – Qualify for EWC
CF Chelas – Qualify for EWC (as best second-place finisher)
SC Salgueiros 08
Portsmouth BSC
Group B
A stunning GD Sesimbra performance against Atletico Licata BS saw the Portuguese side romp into the Euro Winners Cup after seeing off each one of their Group B rivals over the three days.
Napoli Patron BSC and AD Buarcos 2017 could only fight for third place after the undefeated first-timers took the number one spot, but AD Buarcos claimed the three points to take the eighth and final place in the Euro Winners Cup.
Finals Standings
GD Sesimbra – Qualify for EWC
AD Buarcos – Qualify for EWC (as best second-place finisher)
APS Napoli Patron
Atletico Licata BS
Group C
Biblioteca Instruçao E Recreio took on Real Münster EV in the fight for third place in Group C, and it was the German side who ended their time in Nazaré without a victory, as local side Biblioteca Instrução e Recreio take third.
CSKA Moscow needed a win to secure their place alongside their four Russian counterparts who had already qualified to the Euro Winners Cup.
They did so with a 6-0 dispatching of LSA Perwez on the final day, remaining undefeated in the Euro Winners Challenge, and looking to continue that run into even tougher matches.
Finals Standings
CSKA Moscow – Qualify for EWC
LSA Perwez BS
Biblioteca Instrução e Recreio
Real Munster
Group D
São Domingos FC had the chance to tussle for one of the best second-place finishers in their match against New Team BS Brussels, but the Belgians scored eight times to deny them the opportunity, ending their time in Nazaré on a positive note.
At the top of Group D, BSC Lokomotiv were merciless in taking apart GR Olival Basto, netting a total of 13 times.
The Russians cruised into the Euro Winners Cup, while their Portuguese rivals go home without a win in the Euro Winners Challenge.
Finals Standings
BSC Lokomotiv – Qualify for EWC
São Domingos FC
New Team BS Brussels
GR Olival Basto
Group E
Alfarim became the first team to qualify for the Euro Winners Cup with a perfect run through the group stages, finishing top of the group with a final win against Varzim SC.
In the group’s other game, Amigos de Paz clung on to their lead against Littoral BS Dunkerquois to deny the French side a second-place finish.
Despite finishing on six points, GR Amigos da Paz were beaten to one of the last qualifying spots to the Euro Winners Cup by countrymen CF Chelas and AD Buarcos.
Finals Standings
GD Alfarim – Qualify for EWC
GR Amigos da Paz
Littoral BS Dunkerquois
Varzim SC
Group F
Casa Benfica Caldas Rainha were defeated by Sporting CP “B” in both teams’ final game in the Euro Winners Challenge, but the men in green and white suffered the same fate as GR Amigos da Paz in Group E, disappointingly being denied a Euro Winners Cup place.
Meanwhile the topspot was clinched by AO Kefallinia, who took a point against Marseille Beach Team after a tight game had to be settled on penalties.
As a result the Greek side claim a place in the Euro Winners Cup, while the other three Group F members’ journey in Nazaré ends here.
Finals Standings
AO Kefallinia – Qualify for EWC
Sporting CP “B”
Marseille Beach Team
Casa Benfica Caldes Rainha
Remember that all games will be streamed live at beachsoocer.com/live!
Stay up-to-date on all of the action from the Euro Winners Challenge, Women’s Euro Winners Cup and Euro Winners Cup on the Beach Soccer Worldwide website!
https://beachsoccer.com/events/women-s-euro-winners-cup-nazare-2019
https://beachsoccer.com/events/euro-winners-cup-nazare-2019
https://beachsoccer.com/events/euro-winners-challenge-2019
