Serbia go to penalties – again! – Norway score eight and Ukraine beat Portugal on home sand
As the hosts’ impressive run in the Euro Beach Soccer League came to an end at the hands of a ruthless Ukrainian side, there was more misery for Turkey, Estonia, Andorra and Czech Republic who are both yet to pick up points in Nazaré.
Norway v Andorra
Norway got their Division B campaign off to a winning start with a 5-3 victory over the Czechs yesterday, whereas Andorra suffered a big defeat to Bulgaria.
Xavier de la Rosa’s side were obviously keen to bounce back from their initial disappointment, but a confident Norwegian side took an early lead and showed no mercy in extending it.
Salveson and Salve both had braces by the end of the first period and Norway were running riot, racking up a grand total of six before the first whistle. It seemed that Andorra had all but given up by the second period, but it was actually evenly matched when both teams scored just once, Regalo pulling one back for De La Rosa’s men.
Nergaard added an eighth to the Norwegian tally in the third and final period and Andorra were well and truly beaten. They remain at the bottom of Group 1, while Norway shoot up to first position, but the result of Bulgaria’s later fixture against the Czech Republic could alter the positions.
Norway will be looking to make it six out of six points in tomorrow’s final game against Bulgaria, while Andorra’s last chance at some points come against the Czech Republic.
Goals: 1-0: Senja, min. 10 (1); 2-0: Salve, min. 5 (1); 3-0: Salve, min. 5 (1); 4-0: Salveson, min. 4 (1); 5-0: Salveson, min. 3 (1); 6-0: Kandal, min. 2 (1); 7-0: Hacham, min. 11 (2); 7-1: C. Regalo, min. 4 (2); 8-1: Nergaard, min. 7 (2);
Romania v Serbia
It took a very nervy (and lengthy) penalty shootout for Serbia to clinch victory against Estonia yesterday, but the spot-kick wouldn’t be so kind to them today. Romania, who hadn’t played yesterday, were aiming to pick up their first Euro Beach Soccer League Division B points of the year.
Valeriu Ionita’s Romanian side drew first blood, as Antic put them ahead in the seventh minute. With both keepers making some super stops (the Serbian, Milivojevic, in particular!) to keep the scoreline unaltered, the first period finished with just the one goal separating the sides.
But when Boata was brought down in the area in the opening minute of the second period, Romania were gifted the chance to get themselves back into it. The number nine slotted his shot into the corner to level things up. When the referee gave a second penalty for a handball inside the box, Serbia suddenly found themselves trailing, as the Romanian captain, Maci, smashed the penalty into the top corner.
Grujic equalised part way through the second period, but then Ravi scored a bizarre own goal, as a pass-back from distance saw Romanian goalkeeper, Andrei Paul, scrambling back to his line in vain. But the game remained tantalisingly tight as Boata secured his brace, nodding in a pitch-length pass from his goalkeeper.
At the start of the third period it was still all square and as time ticked on both teams struggled to emulate the goal-scoring of the second phase. After neither side could find the net the match went to extra time where who would step up, but Romanian captain Maci scoring a sublime overhead, only to see it cancelled out by a Jovancic equaliser seconds later.
It was to be a second day of penalties for Serbia, but this time they would lose out as Jovancic, having scored only moments ago in extra time, saw his shot saved. The two sides sit on a point apiece in Group 2.
Goals: 0-1: Antic, min. 7 (1); 1-1: Boata, min. 11 (2); 2-1: Maci, min. 9 (2); 2-2: Grujic, min. 8 (2); 2-3: Ravi (OG), min. 6 (2); 3-3: Boata, min. 3 (2); 4-3: Maci, min. 0 (ET); 4-4: Jovancic, min. 0 (ET);
Penalty kick shootout: 1-0 Maci, scored; 1-0 Jovancic, saved; 2-0 Alin, scored; 2-1 Valentic, scored; 3-1 Boata, scored;
Bulgaria v Czech Republic
Bulgaria enjoyed a decisive victory against Andorra yesterday and after the Czech Republic lost their game, they could be forgiven for going into this game with an air of confidence.
However, a reserved beginning to the game saw both teams lacking clear goal-scoring opportunities. Until Filipov, on the back of netting a grand total of five goals yesterday, found himself in enough space to grab goal number six of the tournament, minutes before the first whistle sounded.
Once the seal was broken, the goals came thick and fast for Bulgaria, with Velikov and Adamov finding their way onto the scoresheet as well as Tsvetkov getting a brace. Stejskal pulled one back for Dlouhy’s side, but the score at the end of the second period was 5-1 and the Czechs had a mountain to climb if they wanted to get back into this one.
For a while it looked like they were up to it though, when Stejskal completed a brace and Furbacher also found the net to bring it back to 5-3. But a final Filipov goal was enough to wrap up the points for Hristov’s men.
Goals: 1-0: Filipov, min. 2 (1); 3-0: 2-0: Tsvetkov, min. 8 (2); 3-0: Velikov, min. 7 (2); 4-0: Tsvetkov, min. 5 (2); 5-0: Adamov, min. 4 (2); 5-1: Stejskal, min. 2 (2); 5-2: Furbacher, min. 5 (3); 5-3: Stejskal, min. 2 (3); 6-3: Filipov, min. 1 (3);
Spain v Turkey
Spain took just a point from yesterday’s fixture, after being forced to penalties by a stubborn Ukraine side. Today they were looking to pick up more points against Turkey, who were coming off the back of a defeat to hosts, Portugal, yesterday.
Spain took the lead through captain Antonio, continuing his goal-scoring form after netting yesterday against Ukraine. But the contest remained a close one and Turkey created chances of their own. The first period ended with Spain enjoying a one-goal advantage, but Turkey were still very much in the match.
However, despite keeping Joaquin Alonso’s team out for most of the second period, Javi Torres struck with two minutes to go, and then once more with mere seconds to go to secure a brace. Starting the third period with a 3-0 deficit, Emrah Aykurt’s men had a bit of a task ahead of them to get back into the match.
As the third period moved into the closing stages, Turkey created little by way of dangerous opportunities, other than having a goal disallowed for a foul being committed in the build-up. They would have to wait until tomorrow for the game against the Ukraine for their final chance in to pick up points in Nazaré. Spain make it two wins out of two.
Goals: 1-0: Antonio, min. 8 (1); 2-0: Javi Torres, min. 2 (2); 3-0: Javi Torres, min. 0 (2); Llorenç, min. 0 (3);
Portugal v Ukraine
The hosts, in front of another packed-out stadium, hadn’t dropped a point in the Euro Beach Soccer League 2018 ahead of today’s bout against Ukraine, who lost out painfully against Spain on penalties yesterday.
But Varenytsia’s men hadn’t read the script today, as they took the lead, first through Pachev, and then, after Gonçalves levelled things up, Voitok nicked the lead back with just a second of the first period to go.
They then extended the lead to three when Sydorenko, the Ukrainian keeper, grabbed his own goal from distance. Korniichuk, ever a threat from wherever the ball falls to him, got on the scoresheet too and the Ukrainians began to run away with the match as the home crowd fell quiet.
Leo Martins gave them something to cheer about when he dragged one back but there was still a long way to go if they wanted to take any points from the tie. The final period continued and still Narciso’s men couldn’t find those vital goals to bring the game back under control. But then, with minutes to go, Jordan converted a penalty, reducing the deficit to just one goal, and giving the Portuguese hope.
But the men in yellow held on to their slender lead to claim their first points in Nazaré and end Portugal’s unbeaten league run.
Goals: 0-1: Pachev, min. 4 (1); 1-1: Gonçalves, min. 0 (1); 1-2: Voitok, min. 0 (1); 1-3: Sydorenko, min. 8 (2); 1-4: Korniichuk, min. 7 (2); 2-4: Leo Martins, min. 4 (2); 3-4: Jordan, min. 3 (3);
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