Gold medal to be contested between Switzerland and Italy

A hard-fought thrilling semi-finals day ended with a verdict: Switzerland and Italy have booked their place in the final of the European Games. The Swiss took it to the penalty shoot-out against Portugal, while the Italians beat Spain after extra-time.

Shoot-out goes Swiss way

In a reedition of last year’s Euro Beach Soccer League final, Switzerland won 4-3 in the penalty shoot-out after a four-goal draw in regular time against Portugal.

Four minutes into the match Jordan Santos fired a powerful direct free-kick into the back of the Swiss net. The game would go levelled into the second period after Spacca found himself free of marking on the far post to equalise in the last minute of the first period.

Portugal would go ahead again by Miguel Pintado, who was quick to show up on the far post to reply with an accurate finish to a throw-in. One minute later, Pintado would have another shot at goal, which Eliott Mounoud wasn’t able to hold and on the rebound Rodrigo Pinhal made it 3-1.

But half-a-minute before the break, Michael Rodrigues cut the distance back to one goal with a well-placed bicycle kick.

The third period opened with Portugal scoring their fourth goal through Léo Martins, but the Swiss reacted and equalised with a free-kick from Steinemann and a poweful shot by goalkeeper Eliott Mounoud that found the back of Andrade’s net, sending the match to extra-time.

Without any goals in the complementary three minutes, the match went to penalties, and Stankovic claimed Switzerland’s place in the final after Portugal had missed to shots by Coimbra and Bê Martins, even though Andrade saved a penalty from Spacca.

Italy win it in extra-time

The first period was packed with action, with Marco Giordani opening the score with only eight seconds played, chipping the ball over Dona. The Spanish equalised through a well-placed free-kick by Chiky Ardil one minute later, but Sciacca would put the Azzurri ahead again three minutes later.

Spain reacted through a brace from Oliver, the second of the goals a perfectly executed bicycle kick with 17 seconds to go in the first period.

Christian Méndez’s team would extend the lead in the second period with goals from Chiky and Domi, making it 5-2 halfway through the period, but Sciacca reignited Italy’s hopes cutting the distance to only two goals before the third period.

The Italians kept on fighting and Remedi set the difference between both teams to only one goal with six minutes to play. In the following minute, an own-goal by Domi meant the equaliser and the match went into extra-time.

It was then, when with a minute to go, a shot by Casapieri was deflected into the back of Spain’s net, putting Italy through to the final.

Click here for complete scorers, stats and standings from the men’s competition!

Results
Semi-finals
Portugal (3)4-4(4) Switzerland
Spain 6-7* Italy 

5th-8th place play-off
Poland 6-8 Moldova
Azerbaijan *7-6 Ukraine