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MY BEACH SOCCER 
Senegal, Nigeria and Morocco get ahead of their groups after their victories in opening of World Cup Africa Qualifier
Koukpaki and Fall, too much beach soccer experience for Algeria
Algeria had a stony awakening in this FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup – Africa Qualifier Cssablanca, being faced to a continental monster: Senegal. One of the big names in the African panorama, Pape Jean Koukpaki, inflicted them a painful beginning into the competition, with three goals that severely showed them the competitiveness Beach Soccer involves. Before first break, Diagne achieved the fourth for goal for Senegal, who wanted to miss no time in setting clear that they wanted to be again in the FIFA Beach Soccer, after been closed the doors of last edition by Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire.
Nothing to do with an easy start for Algeria… But that first break was highly helpful for Belloumi’s team, who started playing their chances to have a say in the game. Zerrouki, first, and Haddou, just a couple of minutes afterwards voiced that they were not thinking of giving up without fighting in their first continental experience. Koukpaki was not for that feeling to grow stronger, and took advantage of a long ball to immediately cut the Algerian rising.
And he did it for good, with Fall taking the baton. If number nine was the source of all Algerian nightmares during first period, number seven took the job in the third, with a hat-trick that finished any chance Algeria could dream of following. Only a long attempt by goalkeeper Haniched found the way to the net, but it was quickly replied by Diakhaté with the 9-3. Mezour’s last effort managed the final 9-4, a quite praiseworthy result in front of one of the African superpowers. Senegal, in turn, accomplished their mission in a great drive in this opening match of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2011 – Africa Qualifier, and place themselves on top of Group C.
Goals: 1-0: Koukpaki, min. 8 (1); 2-0: Koukpaki, min. 7 (1); 1-0: Koukpaki, min. 6 (1); 4-0: Diagné, min. 4 (1); 4-1: Zerrouki, min. 7 (2); 4-2: Haddou, min. 5 (2); 5-2: Koukpaki, min. 4 (2); 6-2: Fall, min. 7 (3); 7-2: Fall, min.5 (3); 8-2: Fall, min. 5 (3); 8-3: Haniched, min. 3 (3); 9-3: Diakhaté, min. 3 (3); 9-4: Mezouar, min. 1 (3)
Nigeria skips the trap in the last period
Nigeria was almost caught by surprise by a dynamic and determined Madagascar. The ‘rookie’ islanders achieved an unexpected advantage thanks to Tiana, and before the Central African had even time to work out what was happening, Anderson struck two new hits to make it 0-3. The menace was real, and now, difficult to beat. The current African champions seemed to be inching towards being left out of the race to the World Cup. And at the hands of Madagascar…
Nigeria needed the break to keep standing up in front of such a surprising and spirited team. After that golden three minutes, the Green Eagles collected themselves and managed to shorten the distance, thanks to Tale and Nagere, both with brilliant personal moves. It was not until the third second of the third period that they could breathe with the equalizer. It was Tale again, with a thundering shot in the very first move after the referee’s whistle. That hit lead both teams to a more conservative mood. Nigeria felt that they had already done the hardest thing, and Madagascar was afraid of seeing the score definitely turn around, and that diminished goal chances.
Anyway, it was the current champions who were heading for the three points more convincingly. They could have seen their plans ruined if Tiana’s ball had chosen the net instead of the post, but it didn’t, and in the very following move, Shehu dived to send a corner kick ball into Dominique’s goal to complete the comeback. In the last seconds, Okemmiri cleared all eventual doubts with the fifth for the current champions, who rose from being almost out of the World Cup to a privileged position in group B.
Goals: 0-1: Tiana, min. 7 (1); 0-2: Anderson, min. 4 (1); 0-3: Anderson, min. 2 (1); 1-3, Tale, min. 8 (2); Najere, min. 5 (3); 3-3: Tale, min. 11 (3); 4-3: Shehu, min. 2 (3); 5-3: Okenmiri, min. 0 (3)
Morocco: Mission accomplished
Morocco achieved a convincing victory against Libya in their first game in the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2011 – Africa Qualifier held in front of their people in Casablanca. The hosts wanted to give their game an undeniable home colour right from the beginning and, pushed by a noisy crowd packing the stadium at the Plage Ain Diab, El Hadaoui’s lads gave the match a high pace, putting the Libyan goal into siege. With this attitude, goals did not last to come. First, it was captain Moukhtari, rocketing the ball in with his left foot, and afterwards, the Libyan goalkeeper, involuntarily deflecting in a shot by Salhi.
That was a comfortable floor for the Moroccans to move over, and they perfectly knew how to keep the advantage safe to get into the first break 2-0 up. The score remained untouched almost until the end of the second period, as well, but, with two minutes to go, Al Edressi completed a good striker move sending the ball in for the 2-1. That made the green’s expectations grow, as well as the Moroccans ghosts, but a blasting first two minutes by home men left things almost decided. Atlassi’s hit and El Hadaoui’s double made it 5-1, practically finishing the game.
Mansour tried to spark something for Libya, but there was too much road to walk for them, only to see Moukhtari repeat for the 6-2 and make it even tougher than it already was. That was not the last slap to suffer for Ben Mustafa’s side, since Atlassi got his double to for the 7-2, what made the match seemingly over. But it was not. In these remaining two minutes Libya managed an amazing, although insufficient, 3-goal run to add excitement to that lat stage of the game. Even though, Morocco had already secured a wide enough advantage to keep the three points that place them on top of group A in this FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2011 – Africa Qualifier they are hosting.
Goals: 1-0 Moukhtari, min. 9 (1); 2-0: El Boudi (o.g.), min. 7 (1); 2-1: Al Edressi, min. 2 (2); 3-1: El Hadaoui, min. 11 (3); 4-1: Atlassi, min. 10 (3); 5-1: El Hadaoui, min. 10 (3); 5-2: Mansour, min. 6 (3); 7-2: Atlassi, min. 2 (3); 7-3: Eisa, min. 1 (3); 7-4: Sertawi, min. 0 (3); 7-5: Al Edressi, min. 0 (3)
