Hungary and Greece eventually head groups

Estonia and Turkey earn wins, too, as EBSL Promotional Final kick starts in Terracina

Hungary flex muscles in Promotion Final debut

Two hat tricks, by Fekete and Patocs, had Hungary dismantle the mighty Moldovan National Team. Despite Moldova tried to challenge the Magyar, Ughy’s side ended up fielding their wider experience to bag a convincing victory. 

Nicolaiciuc pushed Moldova ahead only three minutes into the game, and it took Hungary a while to find the way to the Moldovan nets. Fekete and Patocs turned the score around, only to find, though, Ignat’s equalizer for the 2-2 only a couple of minutes afterwards. 

But in the second half of the match, the game got an unmistakable Hungarian-red colour. A 6-0 run changed things drastically, giving Hungary not only the points but the eventual head of the table in this Group 1 of the Euro Beach Soccer Promotional Final Terracina 2017. 

Goals: 1-0: Nicolaiciuc, min. 8 (1); 1-1: Fekete, min. 3 (1); 1-2: Patocs, min. 8 (2); 2-2: Ignat, min. 6 (2); 2-3: Fekete, min. 2 (2); 2-4: Patocs, min. 2 (2); 2-5: Fekete, min. 0 (2); 2-6: Patocs, min. 11 (3); 2-7: Fekete, min. 9 (3); 2-8: Rutai, min. 3 (3); 3-8: Iordachi, min. 1 (3)

Greece takes off in the third period

Greece began their Division A spot defence with a stout win over Romania. The Hellenic used a magnificent third period to secure a victory that was not that clear-cut during the first stages of the game. Konstantinos Papastathopoulos, with three goals in that final 12 minutes, became the key man for the Mediterranean. 

Flengas, with the first of his two goals today, opened the hostilities, with Romania immediately reacting for the 1-1. The stroke exchange then began, with Greece hitting first, and Romania replying to keep the score tight at all times. 

But everything changed in the third period. In the first three minutes of that last leg, a 3-0 run by the Carpathian side had them 3-6 ahead. The Hellenic would know how to manage that advantage in the remaining minutes, and despite the Romanian attempts, two more goals would secure this first win at the Euro Beach Soccer League Promotion Final Terracina 2017. 

Goals: 0-1: Flengas, min. 4 (1); 1-1: Jimmy, min. 10 (2); 1-2: Papaefstratiou, min. 6 (2); 1-3: Flengas, min. 4 (2); 2-3: Ravi, min. 0 (2); 3-3: Boata, min. 0 (3); 3-4: Papastathopoulos, min11 (3); 3-5: Thomas, min. 11 (3); 3-6: Gk ritzalis, min. 11 (3); 4-6: I. Poste, min. 10 (3); 4-7: Papastathopoulos, min. 9 (3); 4-8: Papastathopoulos, min. 5 (3)

Turkey capture win over England on extra time

Turkey snatched the first two points at stake at this Euro Beach Soccer League Promotion Final, following a hard-fought, extra-time win over England. The game facing the Three Lions and the Crescent Stars was a tightly balanced fight all throughout, and the regular time was not enough to discern a winner. 

Yasin hit first for the Turkish side, but the English reacted to turn score around, with Clarke making the most of a set pieces strategy move in a corner kick, and O’Rourke firing a lost ball home. 

Things were going exactly as England wanted them to go, until the Turkish captain Seyit Ahmet sent a missile from 30 meters away straight to Humm’s back of the net with 3 minutes to go. 

Things could have got worse for Jones’s side, though, as Baris had two clear goal chances in the last seconds of the game. None of them was converted, though, and the match flew into extra time. 

But during the additional three minutes, Baris did accomplish what he could not in the last stage of the game, sweeping Turkey ahead, with less than one minute to go. Yasin, with his second hit of the day, sealed the win for the Crescent Stars.  

Goals: 0-1: Yasin, min. 7 (1); 1-1: Clarke, min. 0 (2); 2-1: O’Rourke, min. 6 (3); 2-2: S. Ahmet; 2-3, min. 0 (et); 2-4: Yasin, min. 0 (et); 

Estonia resist Bulgaria’s late reaction to secure win 

Estonia got on top of the table in Group 1 of the Promotion Final following a consistent win over Bulgaria. Despite the Bulgarian late reaction, the 4-0 advantage built by the Estonian had them prevail in the game. 

A 3-0 run in the first period, with goals by Munskind and Raku (2), had things pretty much under control for Estonia. Goalkeeper Lukk added on to the Estonian advantage from the distance, with the 4-0. 

Bulgaria tried to react in the last stage of the game, but even despite the involuntary contribution by Minlibajev, Hristov’s lads could not find the energy to swipe the Estonian advantage away.  

Goals: 1-0: Munskind, min. 11 (1); 2-0: Raku, min. 2 (1); 3-0: Raku, min. 0 (1); 4-0: Lukk, min. 9 (3); 4-1: Tsevtkov, min. 7 (3); 4-2: Minlibajev (og), min. 4 (3)

For other results, stats and standings, please click here.