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MY BEACH SOCCER 
The Alpine snatch Russia the continental throne to become the Euro Beach Soccer League winners for the first time
The Swiss National Beach Soccer team finally managed to derail the Russian train to clinch the first Euro Beach Soccer League title in their history. The Alpine brought on an amazing Beach Soccer display to finally see the dream of upsetting the defending champions and current World Cup winners in the very Superfinal. Again, the formula of an amusing collective play plus the killer instinct of such a bomber as Stankovic, awarded as the tournament’s top scorer, was the route to success for Switzerland. Indeed, you need to do things really well if you want to have any chance of beating Likhachev’s machine.
Two of the Beach Soccer superpowers in the World came down to a match that anticipated a heavy dose of emotions. The game could not have a better opening than Leonov, the current adidas Golden Ball holder, scoring his 100th goal for Russia. With such an emotional and brilliant unfolding, the match could give anything else than true spectacle. And so it did. In a busy first period, both sides proved they had not done all the way for nothing, and only regarded getting into the plane with the cup as a satisfying way out of the season.
The battle, as expected, was terribly balanced, with the Swiss always managing to reply the Russian hits during the first two legs. But with the third period, the turning point came for Schirinzi’s lads, who would, for the first time, get ahead on the score, thanks to Borer’s second hit today. That would not be the end of the road for Switzerland, as Leu would immediately widen the gap for the 4-6. That became too much for the World Champions, who have been seeing their dominance contested too many times lastly. They could not bend the Swiss determination and, although Makarov got them close with the 5-6 with two minutes to go, the equalizer would never come, and Switzerland accomplished the dream of reigning in the Old Continent.
Goals: 1-0: Leonov, min. 11 (1); 1-1: Stankovic, min. 9 (1); 2-1: Shishin, min. 8 (1); 2-2: Borer, min. 2 (1); 3-2: Leonov, min. 2 (2); 3-3: Stankovic, min. 1 (2); 4-3: Shishin, min. 1 (2); 4-4: Mo, min. 0 (2); 4-5: Borer, min. 8 (3); 4-6: Leu, min. 7 (3); 5-6: Makarov, min. 2 (3)
Italy bags third place in the EBSL 2012
Italy will always be Italy. The might have begun the Euro Beach Soccer League season with a dubitative display, they might have just got to The Hague thanks to a set of mathematic coincidences… But when it comes to the time of competing, the Azzurri are all breed. Their solid performances in this EBSL Superfinal stage finally got them the prize of flying back home with the bronze position in the tournament, after bending Romania with an undeniable solvency.
After netting a two-goal advantage during the game’s first leg, Italy let things go a bit in the second period, taking some minutes to breath after such a dynamic and intense first stage. Romania took advantage of that pace decrease by the Azzurri, and I. Poste materialized that slight Carpathian growth with a great free kick lash he sent to Del Mestre’s back of the net. That goal let Esposito’s side know that Romania would never give up, so they needed to gear up again not to lose the control of the game.
It was not much later that this happened. Corosiniti and Gori, Italian top scorer of the tournament, widened again the gap with two free kick hits against which nothing could Gindac do. Again with a comfortable advantage in the score, the Transalpine closed all doors for Romania, and it was soon made clear that little chances were left for Farcas’ side. The final whistle gives Italy the price of becoming the third best team in Europe, a very significant award, specially, to their growth during the season.
Goals: 0-1: Gori, min. 8 (1); 0-2: Leghissa, min. 4 (1); 0-3: Ramacciotti, min. 0 (1); 1-3: I. Poste, min. 2 (2); 1-4: Corosiniti, min. 8 (3); 1-5: Gori, min. 8 (3)
Portugal lets Poland no chance for the 5th place
Portugal farewelled the European season with a merciless victory over Poland, who, after the first hits by Ze Miguel’s side never had real options to the fifth place in this Euro Beach Soccer League Superfinal The Hague 2012. Nine strokes were too much to cope with for Saganowski’s side, whose lesser experience in finals was heavily noticed today against one of the king of the sport. Portugal.
The Iberian took a rather early lead, with the hits by Coimbra and Joao Carlos in the first period, and, despite Baran tried to lecture his teammates into keeping their faith, his voice was immediately silenced again with a devastating 5 goal burst in just 5 minutes by Portugal. Luis Vaz, Marinho, Madjer and Jose Maria, raised the score to 1-7 in that short spell, so little more was left for Poland to say in this match for the fifth place.
Two more goals by Bruno Novo definitely unbalanced things for Portugal, and, despite Baran’s latter hit, rounded a terrific display by the Lusitanians, who might have suffered two heavy strokes in being closed the doors of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2013 and the Euro Beach Soccer Superfinal, but who still bank on an amusing amount of talent and magic with which they will keep spreading the word of the uniqueness of Beach Soccer.
Goals: 0-1: Coimbra, min. 8 (1); 0-2: Joao Carlos, min. 2 (1); 1-2: Baran, min. 11 (2); 1-3: Luis Vaz, min. 11 (2); 1-4: Marinho, min. 11 (2); 1-5: Madjer, min. 8 (2); 1-6: Jose Maria, min. 8 (2); 1-7: José Maria, min. 6 (2); 1-8: Bruno Novo, min. 5 (3); 1-9: Bruno Novo, min. 4 (3); 2-9: Baran, min. 0 (3)
EURO BEACH SOCCER LEAGUE SUPERFINAL & PROMOTION FINAL THE HAGUE 2012
Thu 23.08.12
13:45 – France 5-3 Czech Republic – Division B
15:00 – Germany 3-2 Republic of Belarus – Division B
16:15 – Switzerland vs. Romania – Division A
17:30 – Russia 7-3 Italy – Division A
Fri 24.08.12
10:00 – Portugal 4-5 Romania – Division A
11:15 – Poland 0-6 Italy – Division A
16:15 – Ukraine 2-1 Czech Republic – Division B
17:30 – Netherlands 2-4 Republic of Belarus – Division B
Sat 25.08.12
11:30 – France 2-6 Ukraine
12:45 – Switzerland 7-3 Portugal
14:00 – Russia 6-3 Poland
15:15 – Netherlands 5-3 Germany
Sun 26.08.12
09:45 – Germany 8-3 Czech Republic (5th/6th place – Promotion Final)
11:00 – Belarus 1(1)-1(2) Ukraine (PROMOTION FINAL)
12:15 – Poland 2-9 Portugal (5th/6th place – Superfinal)
13:30 – Romania 1-5 Italy (3rd/4th Superfinal)
14:45 – Netherlands 7-4 France (3rd/4th Promotion Final)
16:00 – Russia 5-6 Switzerland (SUPERFINAL)
Final Standings
EBSL Superfinal
CHAMPIONS: Switzerland
Runner-up: Russia
3rd: Italy
4th: Romania
5th: Portugal
6th: Poland
EBSL Promotion Final
CHAMPIONS: Ukraine*
Runner-ups: Belarus
3rd:Netherlands
4th:France**
5th: Germany
6th: Czech Republic
*Promotes to Division A for next season
**Relegated to Division B for next season
Individual awards:
MVP: Dmitriy Shishin (RUS)
Top Scorer: Dejan Stankovic (SUI)
Best Goalkeeper: Valentin Jäggy (SUI)
