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Mundialito de Clubes kicks off with wins for Spartak Moscow, Levante UD, SC Braga and Sporting CP on day one in Moscow
Hosts BSC Spartak Moscow win on day of tantalizingly close matches where precious early points are won and lost.
Featuring the world’s top beach soccer clubs, boasting the world’s best players, who would expect anything less than a glittering spectacle to get the Mundialito de Clubes underway in the Russian capital.
There were hat-tricks for Ze Lucas and Lucao, who featured strongly in their games as Spartak Moscow, Levante UD, SC Braga and Sporting CP picked up points on the opening day.
The tournament started with a close match which saw the world’s best player, Llorenç Gomes, go head to head with his Spanish colleagues…
Levante UD 6-4 BSC Lokomotiv (Group B)
To kick the Mundialito de Clubes off in style were two powerhouses of the beach soccer club world. Spanish champions, Levante UD, return for their third edition of the competition, but this year, BSC Lokomotiv would play the first ever Mundialito de Clubes outside Brazil, on home sand…
The locals also had the recently named Best Player in the world in their ranks, and Llorenç gave the Levante players, many of whom were Spanish selection teammates, a headache almost from kick off.
The number 10 volleyed a rocket home after just two minutes. Viktor Kryshanov then doubled the lead and when Nikolai Kryshanov swept in a tight-angled shot for the third, Levante were falling further behind.
Daniel Pajon converted a freekick to make it 1-3 but then Llorenç struck again, in very similar fashion to his first goal, reestablishing the three-goal advantage to 1-4 at the break.
But the tables turned as the second period got under way, and a sublime Adri Frutos strike, along with a brace from Edu Suarez (scorer of the best goal of 2018), leveled the scoreline up as the third and final period approached.
There was just time for Chiky to squeeze away a tight overhead shot to snatch the lead for the Spaniards before the whistle blew, and Lokomotiv were trailing five goals to four as the third period began.
It may have taken them a while but Levante had found their rhythm, and when Pablo Perez forced in a sixth goal from a difficult position, Ilia Leonov’s men were looking panicked as the minutes ticked on, desperately trying to claw back the advantage they had let slip.
But time ran out and Ángel López Torres’ men held on to clinch the first victory of the Mundialito de Clubes in Moscow.
Levante’s Edu Suarez picked up the award for the game’s Most Valuable Player, and his side will face Portuguese champions Braga in tomorrow’s match. Meanwhile, Lokomotiv will aim to pick up their first points of the tournament against Domusbet Catania.
Goals: 0-1: Llorenç, min. 10 (1); 0-2: Kryshanov V, min. 8 (1); 0-3: Kryshanov, min. 7 (1); 1-3: Pajon, min. 5 (1); 1-4: Llorenç, min. 1 (1); 2-4: Adri Frutos, min. 5 (2); 3-4: Edu, min. 4 (2); 4-4: Edu, min. 3 (2); 5-4: Chiky, min. 0 (2); 6-4: Pablo Perez, min. 6 (3);
SC Braga 6-5 Domusbet Catania *AET (Group B)
The second game of the Mundialito de Clubes in Moscow saw the Italian champions challenge the Portuguese kings. However, SC Braga had another title to their name, having won the Euro Winners Cup in 2018, making them the current holders of the European club crown.
The Portuguese international, Jordan, asserted Braga’s position after just seconds with a low drilled shot to open the scoring. Just two minutes later, he drove home a freekick from an impressive distance to double the lead and when Bokinha made it three, SC Braga were flying and showed no signs of slowing down
The Belarussian star, Bryshtel, dived bravely to beat Padilha to a loose ball, bringing the scores back to 3-1 but receiving a fist in the face for his troubles. Then Lucao converted a set-piece to reduce the difference to just one and Antonio Torres’ side began looking nervous.
Bryshtel chased down a long ball to claim a brace and level the game up just a minute before the first whistle. Having let a three-goal lead slip, Braga began the second period back at square one, with momentum building for the Italian club.
Torres pounced on a loose ball to retake the lead, but a breath-taking shot from Lucao saw the Brazilian brush both the post and the cross-bar as the ball found the corner of the net. The match remained a close affair at 4-4 with both teams looking likely to snatch the lead back at any second.
Sydorenko, having been beaten on several occasions early in the game kept the teams level after he made himself big to shut down constant attacks from Braga, who started to increase the pressure.
However, there was nothing the Ukrainian could do about a Bokinha free-kick, which whistled into the top corner to hand Braga a slim advantage going into the final period…
This is how the score remained until the dying minutes, when Lucao jerked into enough space to force a low shot which rippled the back of the net, drawing the Italians equal just in time.
But in extra time, Brazilian teammate Filipe scored a remarkably similar goal to wrap up the two points for SC Braga with a mere 15 seconds to go!
Finally separated after 11 goals and extra time, the teams now look to tomorrow where Braga face Levante, who won earlier today, and Domusbet Catania will take on BSC Lokomotiv. Lucao deservedly walked away with the MVP of the match award.
Goals: 1-0: Jordan, min. 11 (1); 2-0: Jordan, min. 9 (1); 3-0: Bokinha, min. 7 (1); 3-1: Bryshtel, min. 2 (1); 3-2: Lucao, min. 1 (1); 3-3: Bryshtel, min. 1 (1); 4-3: Torres, min. 10 (2); 4-4: Lucao, min. 10 (2); 5-4: Bokinha, min. 5 (2); 5-5: Lucao, min. 1 (3); 6-5: Filipe, min. 0 (ET);
BSC Spartak Moscow 2-1 CR Flamengo (Group A)
The match between the Russian hosts and the Brazilian heavyweights began at top speed with the players chasing down every ball, offering the other side little opportunity to get a shot away.
As he always does, the Portuguese keeper Andrade played a huge part in keeping his side in the match with some fine saves, as well as building attacks from the back. But he was finally beaten by a long-range Zemskov free-kick which reached the corner of the net to hand the hosts a lead with just minutes of the first period remaining.
Unable to find an equaliser, Flamengo went into the first break a goal behind but they were far from out of this tie. Andrade tried several of his signature long shots but was unable to find the net.
Despite the match being relatively low scoring compared to the previous two, it is impossible to say that it was dull, as the passion from each team was clear with ferocious individual battles flaring up.
Eventually, Makarov stretched a leg beyond two defenders to swing a shot past the outstretched Andrade. The game was half way through and the local side were giving the crowd what they came for, looking more and more comfortable in possession by the minute.
Rodrigo Fernandes Pereira’s men just could not find a way to unlock the Spartak defence, and they began to snatch at shots in desperation, most of which flew high and wide. However, the Moscovites threatened again and again to extend their lead, rattling the woodwork on more than one occasion.
But the minutes ticked and although the pace of the game increased even further, Spartak Moscow did well to hold their guests off and see the game out, claiming three valuable points.
Andrade got his goal in the end with a peach of a volley, but with just ten seconds on the clock it was too little too late and the game ended at 2-1.
The MVP prize was presented to Zemskov who had a particularly impressive game.
Spartak will need to be on their game again tomorrow, as they face Sporting CP, while the other Group A game sees Flamengo challenge Bate Borisov in search of their first points.
Goals: 1-0: Zemskov, min. 4 (1); 2-0: Makarov, min. 6 (2); 2-1: Andrade, min. 0 (3);
FC Bate Borisov 4-5 Sporting CP *AET (Group A)
The first test for the Belarussian side would be a big one. The Portuguese giants, Sporting CP, are no strangers to trophies and with stars such as Madjer, Belchior and Coimbra in the line-up, Bate had a job on their hands…
However, it was Yauheni Haiduk’s men who drew first blood, when Vinogradov superbly controlled a long ball on his chest to drive a volley home for the opener. Both sides hit the post within the opening section of play and the goalkeepers were very involved in the game.
As the period drew on, it looked as if Sporting would go into the first break trailing, but Ze Lucas had other ideas, as he burst down the left flank to drive in an equaliser with just two minutes of play left.
At 1-1, and both teams looking dangerous, it was very hard to choose between the sides going into the second period.
Half-way through the match, Ze Lucas squandered a golden opportunity to put Sporting ahead a clinch a brace for himself, but he hit the ball straight against the post while the net remained invitingly unguarded.
Sporting CP’s experience as a team really began to show as they put together some fast and free-flowing beach soccer, cutting open the Bate Borisov defence on several occasions. The pressure mounted and when Belchior leapt on a long pass to poke past the keeper, José Fonseca’s Sporting side thought they had snatched the lead just before the second whistle.
But just seconds later, Voloshin saw a deflected shot fly high over the Portuguese defence, and stranded goalkeeper, for a lucky leveller.
As the third and final period begun, Bate Borisov struck again when Hapon, totally unmarked at the near post, nodded in a header to make it 3-2. The lead was short lived, however, as Ze Lucas pounded a low shot past Cherasau between the Bate posts, tying the bout up once more.
Hapon showed immense strength to stay on his feet under the pressure of two defenders and squeeze a shot away to reclaim the lead with just minutes of the match left. But, in keeping with the rhythm of the game, an equaliser was just around the corner, when – yet again – Ze Lucas cut in to strike his third of the match.
With nothing to separate the sides after normal time, the match spilled over into the added three minutes. It didn’t take long for the deadlock to be broken though, as Coimbra rose tall to nod in a fifth for Sporting from an Alan corner.
Bate Borisov were looking frantic, with just two minutes left to claw their way back into this thrilling tie. But the Sporting defenders held out and were ultimately rewarded with the two points. Ze Lucas accepted the MVP award, as Sporting take up second place in Group A behind Spartak Moscow, who they will meet tomorrow.
Bate Borisov will face the Brazilian side, CR Flamengo, who also sit on zero points.
Goals: 1-0: Vinogradov, min. 7 (1); 1-1: Ze Lucas, min. 1 (1); 1-2: Belchior, min. 2 (2); 2-2: Voloshin, min. 2 (2); 3-2: Hapon, min. 10 (3); 3-3: Ze Lucas, min. 9 (3); 4-3: Hapon, min. 3 (3); 4-4: Ze Lucas, min. 3 (3); 4-5: Coimbra, min. 2 (ET);
Keep up to date on the Mundialito de Clubes in Moscow on the Beach Soccer Worldwide website, and remember that you can watch all of the games LIVE and FREE at beachsoccer.com/live
