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Lebanon-Oman and Iran-Japan will determine the finalists of this FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2015 – AFC Qualifier Qatar, as well as the first two sides securing berth in Espinho
Lebanon to fight for a World Cup ticket!
The Lebanese Beach Soccer National team made a quantum leap today, becoming one of the four teams that will fight in the semi-finals tomorrow for one of the places at the decider of this FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2015 – AFC Qualifier Qatar, thus clinching the ticket to Espinho. Following a stout performance over surprising Uzbekistan, who had got to the quarterfinals as the best team in Group C, even overcoming beach soccer Asian sultans UAE, the Cedars seized their access to the event’s top-four, that is, the doors of glory.
Both teams were closer to the World Cup than what they had ever been, wanting to make the most of this opportunity to join the sport’s main showpiece. But only one could advance to the semi-finals. And this one was Lebanon, who brought on a terrific beach soccer display to secure a place in the most relevant stage of this FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2015 – AFC Qualifier Qatar.
After a first period in which defences seemed to prevail over attacks, the Lebanese, who had opened the score through Merhi, began to get in control of the match. Moghaddam’s men seemed to perfectly know how to do harm on the White Wolves’ resistance, and progressively built an advantage that the Uzbeks could never counteract. With this win, Lebanon will now take on the winner of the Oman-China, third quarter-final today, for a place in the final of this FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2015 – AFC Qualifier Qatar.
Goals: 0-1: Merhi, min. 4 (1); 0-2: Merhi, min. 11 (2); 1-2: Kholmurodov, min. 3 (2); 1-3: Fattal, min. 0 (2); 1-4: M. Choker, min. 10 (2);1-5: Fattal, min. 9 (3); 1-6: Fattal, min. (3)
Brilliant third period sends Iran to the semi-finals
One minute of staying out of full focus is way more than what Iran needs to knock you down and decide a game. This was on full display today in the match between the Princes of Persia, defending Asian champions, and the UAE. After two fiercely combatted first periods, the Iranian side took advantage of some brilliant minutes in the opening of the last frame to storm into semi-finals of this AFC Qualifier, leaving the Emirati out of the next FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Portugal 2015.
UAE stepped into the game fully determined to turn this evening into a bitter memory for the crown holders, and even stepped ahead in the score. Team Melli would immediately equalize, though, and Hosseini, with his second goal of the tournament, would sweep Iran ahead. And here is where things got dark for UAE… Iran is one of those teams that master the art of taking control of the game when they are ahead in the score, managing to dishearten their opponents as minutes go by. After making clear that scoring again was not going to be an easy enterprise for the Emirati, the Princes of Persia definitely took off in the last period.
With a 4-0 run, the Iranian side ended all Emirati options to the semi-finals, and secured a berth for their own in the all-decisive game tomorrow. Akbari, Ahmadzadeh, Naderi and Boulokbashi, from the penalty kick, sealed a consistent win for Marco Octavio’s side, to be combating tomorrow for a slot in the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Portugal 2015.
Goals: 0-1: Ali Karim, min. 7 (1); 1-1: Morshedi, min. (1); 1-2: Hosseini, min. 9 (2); 1-3: Akbari, min. 9 (3); 1-4: Ahmadzadeh, min. 8 (3), 1-5: Naderi, min. 6 (3); 1-6: Boulokbashi, min. 2 (3);
Strong-willed Oman targets the World Cup
The Omani Beach Soccer National Team stormed past China in their quarterfinals clash today in Katara (Doha). The Reds showed strong will in pursuit of the dream of getting to the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup again, after their last and only experience in Ravenna 2011, and gave the Chinese side very little chance today. Right from the beginning, and despite the score count was not too busy at that stage, Oman seemed better positioned, more determined, and with a stronger confidence.
Only two minutes into the game, Hani swept the Omani ahead, but, seconds afterwards, a superb goal by Cai Weiming balanced things back. Both sides tightened up their man-to-man marking, and goal chances got scarce in the following minutes. After that first stage, though, the Reds took over control, and a 4-0 run had them commanding the game pretty comfortably.
Wan Chao pulled one back for the Chinese, but that effort was too little too late to make the Omani team stumble, as K. Oraimi set clear with two more goals to seal his hat-trick, and the victory for his side. Oman will now face Lebanon in the fight for a place in the final of this FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2015 – AFC Qualifier Qatar, and, more importantly, in the upcoming edition of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup.
Goals: 1-0: Hani, min. 9 (1); 1-1: Cai Weiming, min. 9 (1); 2-1: K. Oraimi, min. 0 (1); 3-1: Yahya, min. 9 (2); 4-1: Jalal, min. 4 (2); 5-1: Ghaith, min. 0 (2);
Japan overcome early scare to secure semi-finals
Japan earned the right to fight for a new FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup ticket tomorrow, following a thrilling win over cheeky Bahrain. The Nippon had to come from behind after Rashed pushed the Bahraini in front only a couple of minutes into the game, but with the solidness they have accustomed all beach soccer fans to, the Marcelo Mendes-steered squad got the job done in a pretty incontestable fashion.
The Samurais utilised some sound defence and aimed attacks to turn the score around in the second period, with goals by Oba, in the opening, and Ozu, in the last seconds of the frame. After that, two more hits got Japan in a much more comfortable position.
Bahrain wanted to have their last say in the game, seeing that a three-goal gap is nothing dramatic in beach soccer, but luck seemed to have turned its back on them, and an unfortunate rebound ended up with Salman tapping the ball to the back of his own net. That last stroke seemed like too much for the Bahraini, who saw how Japan had managed to bend their resistance, turning back a score they could not counteract again at such a late stage.
Goals: 0-1: Rashed, min. 10 (1); 1-1 Oba, min. 11 (2); 2-1: Ozu, min. 1 (2); 3-1: Oda, min. 7 (3) 4-1: Makino, min. 6 (3); 4-2: Ayoob, min. 3 (3); 5-2: Salman (og), min. 1 (3);
FIFA BEACH SOCCER WORLD CUP 2015 – AFC QUALIFIER QATAR
Thursday 26.03.15
16:15 – Uzbekistan 1-6 Lebanon (Quarterfinals)
17:30 – Iran 6-1 UAE (Quarterfinals)
18:45 – Oman 7-2 China (Quarterfinals)
20:00 – Japan 5-2 Bahrain (Quarterfinals)
Upcoming Matches:
16:15 – Uzbekistan vs. China (Play-off 5th place)
17:30 –UAE vs Bahrain (Play-off 5th place)
18:45 – Lebanon vs. Oman (Semi-finals)
20:00 – Iran vs. Japan (Semi-finals)
