They saw off three-time champions Braga to make history as only the fifth team to win the Euro Winners Cup
– Casa Benfica down Braga in the final
– Luis Henrique named MVP and Andrade Best Goalkeeper
– Filipov finishes as Top Scorer with 17 goals
An historic all-Portuguese final of the Euro Winners Cup marked the tenth edition of the tournament, as Casa Benfica out-played the three-time European champions in Sunday’s final.
Luis Henrique, after shining from the very first match of the tournament, took how the MVP trophy as well as the Euro Winners Cup, while teammate Andrade – who was outstanding in the final – was awarded Best Goalkeeper.
Filip Filipov was the 2022 Euro Winners Cup Top Scorer with a grand total of 17 goals.
Final
The final was a fierce match-up between two teams who know each other well as they are currently leaders the Portuguese league. Casa Benfica and Braga got off to a tantalising start as Paulinho smashed in the opener to put Braga on the back foot.
However, Leo Martins flew in at the back post to nod in the equaliser before the first whistle sounded, his tenth of the tournament. The woodwork denied freekicks from distance at both ends before Casa Benfica went ahead once more in style. Batalha stepped up to calmly fire in a freekick from a long way out to send the bench and gathered fans wild.
Miguel Pintado found himself one on one with Rafa Padilha and slotted in number three, and from then on it was a desperate scramble to keep possession. The man of the match for Casa Benfica was Andrade the goalkeeper, who kept his Portugal national teammates out again and again, meaning that the number 12 also went home with the Best Goalkeeper trophy.
With the final score at 3-1, the final whistle sounded and the entire Casa Benfica teams and staff burst onto the sand. Casa Benfica make history, as only the second Portuguese team to claim the trophy, and the fifth team ever.
Playoffs
Grande Motte and Falfala met to battle for bronze, and Swiss star Ott, along with the world’s Best Player Ozu, stole the show in the first period to nick a two-goal lead. Ott made it four in the second to double the advantage with clinical finishing. Grande Motte showed they had teeth in the last period, but Ott’s 14th of the campaign downed the French team by seven goals to two, claiming the third-place finish for Falfala.
Copenhagen were beaten to fifth place by the Brazilian stars of Rosh Haayin, but take sixth which is by far the best-ever finish in the competition, showing real promise for Danish beach soccer. Levante and Alanya contended the seventh-place finish, and after two initially tight periods, the Turks burst into life in the third to sweep the Spaniards aside. Stankovic netted a hat-trick taking his tally to 13, as Alanya claimed seventh.
Boca Gdansk turned their tight match against Pisa BS around thanks to braces from Pietrasiak and Alejandro to snatch ninth place, and Sporting finished in tenth.
For full details on the Euro Winners Cup, including groups, fixtures, results and standings, head to beachsoccer.com.
