The league leaders will clash for this season Euro Beach Soccer League on Sunday in Nazare after both win on Day 4
Hat-tricks from Hodel and Beqiri formed the backbone of a thrilling encounter between Switzerland and Germany, which saw the Swiss remain perfect on points, while Portugal did the same in slightly less dramatic fashion, beating Ukraine by four goals to two.
Switzerland and Portugal will face each other tomorrow in what will serve as the final for the 2020 Euro Beach Soccer League.
Switzerland grasp key win in 14-goal thriller against Germany
A Hodel hat-trick helped Switzerland keep the top spot at the Euro Beach Soccer League Superfinal. Just as they had last time the teams met, Schirinzi’s men edged a 14-goal thriller against Germany.
Not even Beqiri’s hat-trick was enough for Die Mannschaft to turn the game around after losing an initial lead, and Germany will end the Euro Beach Soccer League Superfinal Nazaré without any points on the records.
Once again, Marrucci’s men managed to strike first, as Biermann burst down the right flank to smash in the opener, only his second of the campaign. But before long, strikes from Wüest and Hodel that took the score to 2-1 by the end of the opening leg.
As the second period began, Steinemann, chesting in an off-target Hodel overhead, and the Ostgen added to the Alpina advantage to make it 4-1. A magnificent lob by Beqiri from his own half stopped the Swiss frenzy. However, two more goals in the following minutes reactivated the Swiss momentum. A stubborn Beqiri found the back of Elliott’s net again, letting everybody know that he and his team were not giving up.
Two more goals, one from Biermann and Meltzer, brought Die Mannschaft to just one goal behind. The match continued like this: Switzerland widening the gap and Germany cutting it down again. But the final 8-6 saw Switzerland bag three more points to help them reach the continental decider against defending champions Portugal with a perfect record.
Goals: 0-1: Biermann, min. 9 (1); 1-1-: Wüest, min. 8 (1); 2-1: Hodel, min. 1 (1); 3-1: Steinemann, min. 10 (2); 4-1: Ostgen, min. 9 (2); 4-2: Beqiri, min. 6 (2); 5-2: Hoeveler (og), min. 4 (2); 6-1: Hodel, min. 3 (2); 6-3: Beqiri, min. 2 (2); 6-4: Biermann, min. 10 (3); 6-5: Meltzer, min. 9 (3); 7-5: Wüest, min. 6 (3); 8-5: Hodel, min. 3 (3); 8-6: Beqiri, min. 1 (3)
Portugal stay perfect with win over Ukraine
Portugal earned a fight to reclaim their 2019 Euro Beach Soccer League title in the best possible conditions, after clinching a hard-fought win over Ukraine this evening in Nazaré. The hosts, who went behind to Sydorenko’s side first, didn’t let their heads drop and found the perfect moment to hit back and seize the points.
Ukraine knew that their chances of fighting for the second place in this year’s Euro Beach Soccer League had one unnegotiable condition: beating Portugal today. With that in mind, the spirited first minutes by the 2016 champions took the Portuguese by surprise. Seven minutes into the game, Voitenko swept the Ukrainians ahead, and had Portugal trailing for the remainder of the period.
It was only in the last minute of the first period that Be Martins could equalize for the Equipa das Quinas. A perfectly worked corner kick saw Bruno Torres nodding home to turn the score around just as the second period began, with Batalha firing a free kick home to double the distance.
The fight went on in the third period, in which Voitok’s second hit added some spice, with nine minutes still to go. But the defending European and world champions didn’t stutter and Leo Martins restored the two-goal advantage, taking the final score to 4-2, confirming Portugal’s perfect run in the 2020 edition of the Euro Beach Soccer League Superfinal.
Goals: 0-1: Voitenko, min. 5 (1) 1-1: Be Martins, min. 1 (1); 2-1: Torres, min. 11 (2); 3-1: Batalha, min. 4 (2); Voitok, min. 9 (3); 4-2: Leo Martins, min. 6 (3)
