Euro Winners Challenge 2024 – Day 1 round-up

The Euro Winners Challenge 2024 got underway in Nazaré, as teams looked to secure their first points of the competition…

WATCH ALL MATCHES LIVE ON BEACHSOCCERTV.COM – SIGN UP HERE!

Group A
Double digits for GD Sesimbra
GD Sesimbra win 11-4 against CF Chelas.

Club Chelas started the game off and from kick off had a cracking shot whistle just past the post of Sesimbra’s goal. The first goal of the game came in the third minute Chelas Goalkeeper João Nuno scores from a free kick at a distance, fired into the bottom right of the goal, the opposing goalkeeper had no chance of saving it. Two seconds later and first chance of the game for Sesimbra and Diogo Bernardo strikes the ball past the chelas keeper from kick off.

In the 6th minute, Chelas retake the lead through a header by Tiago Filipe to round off the first period a goal by B of Sesimbra in the 10th minute levelled the game going into the second period.

Into the second period and B near the corner of the pitch performed a spectacular bicycle kick which lobbed the keeper and nestled into the far corner of the goal. The goalkeeper threw the ball out for Mantorras to chest it and volley it into the net making it 2-4 with a couple minutes left of the second period.

Goal for Sesimbra as straight from a free kick Gonçalo Loureiro struck the ball sweetly past the goalkeeper. This concluded the second period with Sesimbra taking a 2-5 lead into the final period of the game.
The third period saw an early goal from Dmytro for Chelas however an onslaught of goals came for chelas by Diogo Bernardo, Kiko and Castelino to make the score 3-8 to Sesimbra. Rodrigo pulled a goal back for Chelas but more goals went into Chelas’ net scored by Simão, Gustavo and Kiko for the game to end 4-11 to Sesimbra.

AO Kefallinia edge past Naxos
AO Kefallinia defeat Naxos BS 3-2.

The game kicked off for the first period with Naxos having the first chance however it was Kefallinia who took their chances early as they sailed into the lead by Faros as a ball was passed into him who took the ball past his opponent and slots the ball into the far corner.
The second period was kicked off by Kefallinia.

The opening stages were very even just like the first period and fine margins separate this game. In the 5th minute of the second period Villani scores to equalise after calmly slotting the ball past the goalkeeper. Going into the final period the game edges the way of Kefallinia who take a narrow 2-1 lead into the last 12 minutes of the game with the goal scored by Triantafyllidis.

An early goal went the way of Kefallinia and their number Faros who performed a beautiful bicycle kick into the top right-hand corner of the goal and passed the outstretched goal keeper who could do nothing to save it. Naxos struck in the fifth minute as Villani Latched onto a cross to narrow Kefallinia’s lead to only one goal with it all to play for in the final seven minutes of the match. Naxos tried their best however couldn’t equalise and the game ended 3-2 in favour of Kefallinia.

Group B
Macau’s double clinches three points for GD União Ericeirense
GD União Ericeirense beat GD Alfarim 4-3.

After a goalless first period, it was GD Alfarim who broke the deadlock as Dias hit home with less than two minutes played. Justino doubled the lead with less than four minutes remaining, but strikes from Guilherme and Vitinho for GD União Ericeirense meant that scores were level with 12 minutes to play.

Galvão restored the Alfarim advantage in the third period, but Macau’s brace completed the comeback for GD União Ericeirense to take all three points.

Opening day triumph for ACD O Sótão B
ACD O Sótão B win 5-3 against Armia Tbilisi.

Sótão Kicked off the final game of the first day. Tbilisi had the first chance of the game by Gogsadze which struck the bar in the first minute. The first nine minutes of the first period has been evenly matched and no team looked like making a breakthrough until a great pass into Francisco of Sótão’s feet where he struck the ball into the bottom left hand side of the goal. After the first period it ended 0-1 to O Sótão B.
Tbilisi kicked off the second period with work to do. It didn’t start well for Tbilisi as they conceded within the first minute from a bicycle kick by Bruno from halfway which past the keeper like a flash. Less than a minute later, O Sótão B score their third of the game to make it 0-3 through Duarte.

Tbilisi got their goal and it came through Beraia’s strike which took a deflection and went into Sótão’s goal to make the game 1-3. Penalty to Tbilisi as number 21 got fouled in the 6th minute. no Kokhreidze steps up and sends the goalkeeper the other way to make it 2-3. The end of the second period ends 2-3 with the score in favour of O Sótão B.

The third period kicked off with Sótão having the better of the chances and throughout the whole period have been on top. A 4th goal comes from a free kick by Francisco of Sótão which dented hopes of added time for Tbilisi. However, Beraia of Tbilisi gained and scored a penalty after a foul was given. The goalkeeper dived the other way. Duarte scored Sótão’s 5th and final goal of the game through a free kick from close range. The game ended with O Sótão B winning by 5-3.

Group C
Penalties win for RFC Perwez
RFC Perwez win 3-1 on penalties Casa Benfica Viseu, after a 3-3 draw in the match.

The first period got underway with RFC Perwez of Belgium kicking off. After an even 6 minutes, the first goal came from a penalty. The penalty was given after Gonstas shoots and it takes a deflection off a defender’s hand. The penalty was taken cooly by Sagas as he put down to the goalkeepers right and it goes under his body and into the net. Shortly after, a long shot by Dochain sails past the goalkeeper.

Into the second period and again, it was an even half however, a foul given away by Perwez. Pereira stepped up and strikes the ball from a free kick and the ball cannons in off the post for Casa Benfica to go in front again. The second period ends with the score 1-2 to Casa Benfica.

The third period of the game started in the favour of Casa Benfica which gave them a chance to gain lead by 2 goals. Casa Benfica had a penalty saved by the keeper. Moments later the game was level in the 2nd minute, a throw in found the head of Gonstas who calmly heads the ball past Casa Benfica’s keeper. Seconds after the game was level, Casa Benfica retake the lead straight from kick off with a thunderous effort that sailed into the net by Milton in the fifth minute, a Corner was taken and Vungbo was unmarked and headed the ball past the goal keeper who had no chance of saving it. This concluded the third period with the game going into overtime. There was no decider in overtime, so the game went to penalties and Casa Benfica won the penalty shootout 1-3 which saw them take a valuable point away from the game.

Leixões SC relentless on Day 1
Leixões SC defeat CR Pinheiros 11-3.

Three early goals by Matheus, Trivelas and Rúben given Leixões a 3-0 lead before Santo Pereira scored to reduce the deficit to 3-1 as the first period concluded.

Matheus grabbed a hat trick to make it 5-1 to Leixões before Telmo, Pedrinho and Trivelas added to the goals. Going into the 3rd period, Leixões have an 8-1 advantage with just 12 minutes of the match remaining.

Miguel Junior scored a brace and Ramalho scored as Leixões scored 11 in their first game of the tournament. Goals from Carlos Dinis and Simões reduce the lead, however it was too little too late for Pinheiros.

Group D
Porto Mendo complete comeback
Porto Mendo win 6-4 against São Domingos.

São Domingos started the game with a great first shot which was saved by Miguel in Porto Mendo’s goal. Very quickly after Frazao had a great chance to make it 1-0 very early on however, he didn’t connect with the ball, and it went out for a goal kick.
The first goal of the match in the 4th minute came from Frazao of São Domingos, a great curling shot from the midway point of the pitch into the top right-hand corner. The goalkeeper had no chance to stop it.

Porto Mendo equalised very quickly after they conceded through Caçula in the 5th minute. São Domingos retook the lead right from kick off as Andrews scores an arrowing shot past the goalkeeper. A minute later Goncalo scores to make it 3-1 to Sao Domingos with a shot that sent the keeper the wrong way. The last bit of action in the first period saw Frazao score from a rebound after a shot which the keeper saved.

The second period kicked off through Porto Mendo and they scored the first goal to halve the deficit and keep the game alive. The goal came through Caçula and throughout the second period, Porto Mendo had the better chances with a shot that struck off the bar and post which stayed out of São Domingos net. The last minute saw a volleyed goal from Evora to narrow the scoreline down to a single goal.

Porto Mendo kicked off the final period and came close to scoring from the kick off however the São Domingos keeper saved a thundering shot to keep them ahead. An equalising goal came in the third minute by Cantigas. A real poacher’s goal saw him at the back post ready to tap in the equalising goal. At the end of the third period, it ends as 4-4 so another 3 minutes is to be played. Extra time saws a goal by Porto Mendo’s Rui O, a cushioned volley with the ball bouncing over the goalkeeper and into the net which took them into the lead with the score 5-4 to Porto Mendo. In the dying seconds the São Domingos keeper threw the ball out and it fell to Caçula who hit it on the volley from near his own goal into the back of São Domingos’ net. A 1-4 comeback in added time from Porto Mendo to win the game 6-4.

Winning start for FC Genappe
FC Genappe defeat SM Jalles 2-1.

The game kicked off with Saint Médard en Jalles as they fired the ball into a Genappe player. The early stages of the first period were closely contested with a great long range shot in the 3rd minute by Saint Médard en Jalles’ goalkeeper had a long range shot which was saved by Genappe’s number one. The first goal of the game went to Genappe after the ball kept bouncing and fell kindly to Be Saraiva who struck the ball into the back of the net.

The closing moments of the first period saw 2 players challenge for the ball and crashed into each other which caused the game to stop for a short period of time.

The second period got underway through Genappe and almost scored shortly after kick off with a free kick from Kevin however D’Oliveira got down to his right hand side and palmed it away for a corner. 2 minutes into the second period Darracq of Saint Médard en Jalles set himself up for a bicycle kick which finds the bottom left-hand side of the goal. FC Genappe retook the lead through Be Saraiva as he scored a brace.

In the third period it went from bad to worse for Saint Médard en Jalles as they lost Leblanc to a straight red card. FC Genappe held on to win 2-1

Group E
Dominant victory for Vila Flor SC
Vila Flor SC win 7-1 against AD Pastéis.

As the game got underway, it was one way traffic with Vila Flor SC who had the best chances of the first period. 2 shots off the bar from Toni in the second minute and another shot cannoning off the bar by Fabricio.
In the 9th minute of the first period a hand ball by ADP’s Sampaio. Andre stepped up and slotted the ball to the left of the goalkeeper making it 1-0 to Vila Flor.

The second period started off strongly again for Vila Flor and within the opening minute, it was Andre who scored once again, placing the ball into the far corner of the goal to make it 2-0 to Vila Flor. Another goal coming by Fabio for Vila Flor in the 6th of the second period with a volley into far corner past the keeper who didn’t attempt to save it. One minute later the 4th goal went past the Bento of ADP’s goalkeeper as Vila Flor’s Hugo chips the ball over the keeper and into the back of the net.

The final period started off very well for ADP as they managed to cut the scoreline down to three goals. An early goal by Andre which came through a mistake by the goalkeeper of Vila Flor. 2 back-to-back goals by Vila Flor’s Andre saw the scoreline 6-1 in their favour. ADP had a great chance through a penalty however it was brilliantly saved by the goalkeeper who got down to his left and saved it comfortably. With the game closing out, Vila Flor managed to get the final goal of the game and their 7th through Andre.

Cevennes’ late goals secure all three points
Cevennes beat Portsmouth BS 6-3.

French side Cevennes took on English side Portsmouth BS in Group E, as both sides looked to get points on the board on the opening day.

An exciting first period saw five goals scored. A Bettayeb brace and a strike from Delamontagne meant that Cevennes had a 3-2 lead by the end of the opening 12 minutes. Meanwhile, Portsmouth’s goals came courtesy of Henderson and Werneck.

The only goal of the second phase of play saw O’Rourke find the equaliser for the English club with less than five minutes on the clock, leaving the match up for grabs for both teams with one period to play.

It was one-way traffic in the third and final period, as Cervennes scored three times without a response from their opponents. Laurent struck twice, as Bettayeb completed his hat-trick with two seconds remaining.

WATCH ALL MATCHES LIVE ON BEACHSOCCERTV.COM – SIGN UP HERE!

Results
Group A
CF Chelas 4-11 GD Sesimbra
AO Kefallinia 3-2 Naxos BS

Group B
GD União Ericeirense 4-3 GD Alfarim
Armia Tbilisi 3-5 ACD O Sótão B

Group C
RFC Perwez BS 3-3 Casa Benfica Viseu (Casa Benfica Viseu win 3-1 on penalties)
CR Pinheiros 3-11 Leixões SC

Group D
Porto Mendo 6-4 São Domingos
SM Jalles 1-2 FC Genappe

Group E
AD Pastéis 1-7 Vila Flor SC
Cevennes 6-3 Portsmouth BS

To find out more about the Euro Winners Challenge Nazaré 2024 make sure to visit beachsoccer.com!