Another defeat for Portugal in front of a home crowd saw Spain top the group, while the rest of the final standings were decided on final day of action
After trailing for most of the game, Spain handed Portugal a second defeat in front of a home crowd to finish on top of Division A, while the hosts slip to a finishing position of third.
Elsewhere in the day’s action, the final games of the Euro Beach Soccer League Nazaré decided the other finishing positions. The first game of day three saw Andorra vying to pick up their first points of the tournament…
Czech Republic v Andorra
The meeting between Dlouhy’s Czech side and De La Rosa’s Andorran was both teams’ final punt at points in the Euro Beach Soccer League in Nazaré, after each had failed to win their previous games.
After an early period of Czech domination and Andorra desperately clearing their lines, it wasn’t long before the scoring was opened. The big man, Bocek, helped himself to a brace before the first whistle blew to see his side going into the first break with a two-goal advantage.
A few minutes in to the second period, the Czech number four made it a hat-trick, which would have come much sooner were it not for the acrobatics of Andorran keeper, Ximi. Hurab added a fourth and then Furbacher a fifth deep into the second stage.
Striding to a definitive victory, and securing a third place finish in Division B Group 1 in the process, the Czech Republic put a way three more in the final period to wrap up the three points.
Goals: 1-0: Bocek min. 11 (1); 2-0: Bocek min. 5 (1); 3-0: Bocek min. 10 (2); 4-0: Hurab min. 4 (2); 5-0: Furbacher min. 1 (2); 6-0: Hurab min. 7 (3); 7-0: Furbacher min. 0 (3); 8-0: Klima min. 0 (3);
Estonia v Romania
With Romania and Serbia having won a penalty shootout each, and therefore sitting on a point apiece, Group 2 in Division B was wide open for either Estonia or Romania to claim the title with three, or even two points, today.
But Estonia’s hopes of picking up their first Euro Beach Soccer League points in 2018 were dampened slightly when Romania put opened the scoring, with Boata adding to yesterday’s tally of two goals. The captain, Maci, then added another and going into the second period, Ionita’s side were enjoying a two-goal advantage.
But an answer would come, when Juha netted for Estonia to reduce the difference between the teams to just one. Two more second period goals flew in from each team and there was still just one goal in it, until Juha scored once more, but this time, following some confusion, he turned it into his own net, involuntarily extending the Romanian lead.
As much as they pressed, Ellermaa’s were simply not clinical enough in front of goal and Romania did a great job of keeping their attacks at bay. They saw the game out and, with three points, top Group 2.
Goals: 0-1: Boata min. 11 (1); 0-2: Maci min. 1 (1); 1-2: Juha min. 9 (2); 1-3: Boata min. 7 (2); 2-3: Truusalu min. 6 (2); 2-4: Juha (OG) min. 2 (2);
Bulgaria v Norway
The meeting between these two Division B teams on the final day of the Euro Beach Soccer League in Nazaré, would decide who topped Group 1 and take essential points on the way to the Promotion Final.
Bulgaria, who enjoyed a much higher goal difference prior to the start of the game, found the net first, as Filipov – who else? – took his tournament total to eight. Despite several promising chances at both ends, the score remained at just 1-0 until the end of the first period.
Going into the second, as the chances kept coming, it looked like a goal for either side was inevitable at any minute. But the period went on and still the scoreline remained unchanged. Until, with just seconds to go before the whistle, Senja got on the end of a pass to turn in an equaliser and the third period started with the teams all square once more.
Things really started heating up as the final period drew on. Tsvetkov scored for Bulgaria, only to see it cancelled out by a diving header from Salveson, who really should have been picked up by the defenders. But as the minutes ran out Martinov was given too much space in the middle of the field and blasted one in off the inside of the upright.
Norway fought on until the end, but when Martinov and Filipov completed their braces hopes of a Norwegian comeback were gone. Jorn Jacobsen’s men would have to settle for second. Bulgaria take nine out of nine points in Nazaré to top Group 2.
Goals: 1-0: Filipov min. 10 (1); 1-1: Senja min. 0 (2); 2-1: Tsvetkov min. 7 (3); 2-2: Salveson min. 5 (3); 3-2: Martinov min. 4 (3); 4-2: Filipov min. 1 (3); 4-3: Salvesen min. 0 (3); 5-3: Martinov min. 0 (3);
Ukraine v Turkey
Turkey were the only team in the Division A group yet to pick up any points in this year’s Euro Beach Soccer League in Nazaré, after Ukraine upset hosts in front of a packed Portuguese stadium yesterday.
With a win today, Ukraine had a hope of topping the group, but Turkey went straight into attack-mode as Keskin found the net deep into the first period. However, Medvid would even things up just a minute later and this is how the first period would end.
Medvid completed his brace, nodding in a Korniichuk cross from close range but almost immediately, Keskin also completed his brace. It was a battle of the number tens, and four goals evenly split is what the scoreline read until deep into the final period when the floodgates opened.
First, Baris scored to nose Turkey ahead, then Sydorenko smashed in a pitch-length strike from his position between the sticks. Baris then replied straight from the restart to complete a brace of his own. Trailing momentarily, the Ukraine responded with a goal from Borsuk when he rose to head in a loose ball.
This tight and fierce contest spilled over into extra time, where Varenytsia’s side found an extra gear and netted twice, with Medvid completing a hat-trick and Kornichuk getting on the scoresheet too. Turkey end the campaign in Nazaré bottom of the group and Ukraine would have to wait for the outcome of Portugal against Spain later on to find out what position they would occupy.
Goals: 1-0: Keskin min. 5 (1); 1-1: Medvid min. 4 (1); 1-2: Medvid min. 9 (2); 2-2: Keskin min. 9 (2); 2-3: Baris min. 5 (3); 3-3: Sydorenko min. 5 (3); 3-4: Baris min. 4 (3); 4-4: Borsuk min. 4 (3); 5-4: Medvid min. 2 (ET); 6-4: Korniichuk min. 1 (ET);
Portugal v Spain
Portugal had a point to prove after their loss on home sand to Ukraine yesterday. They could still beat Ukrine to the top spot with a normal-time victory today against Spain and that was very much the aim of Narciso’s men.
They set their stall out early, as Coimbra floated a perfectly weighted volley over an approaching Dona. The noise from the spectators was deafening, but Joaquin Alonso’s men did well to respond swiftly, and within four minutes the score was even once more when Antonio found the net, only for Portugal to snatch the lead once more through Gonçalves.
But who to step up and level the score but the captain again, as Antonio completed his brace and forcing the hosts into the first break all square. Three minutes after the restart, Madjer put Narciso’s side ahead again but it was cancelled out once more, this time by Chiky.
The Spanish were proving hard to shake off in this Iberian derby. Then, in the final period, Chiky struck again, and for the first time, the nervous crowd saw their team trailing. Minutes later Coimbra bundled a header over the line to square things up.
With the teams neck-and-neck, we were no closer to finding out who would come out of this bout victorious, and sure enough, we went into extra time. It was then that Llorenç, who had had a relatively quiet game, came up with something special to grab the two available points for his team, driving a bicycle kick past Andrade to the dismay of the home crowd.
Spain knock the Ukraine off the top spot and Portugal finish their Nazaré Euro Beach Soccer League campaign in third place.
Goals: 1-0: Coimbra min. 11 (1); 1-1: Antonio min. 7 (1); 2-1: Gonçalves min. 4 (1); 2-2: Antonio min. 4 (1); 3-2: Madjer min. 9 (2); 3-3: Chiky min. 2 (2); 3-4: Chiky min. 11 (3); 4-4: Coimbra min. 10 (3); 4-5: Llorenç min. 1 (ET);
Follow all the Euro Beach Soccer League Nazaré 2018 action, including teams, fixtures and results, right here.
Remember that you can watch all of the upcoming action live on the Beach Soccer Worldwide website.
