STORE 
MY BEACH SOCCER 
The European side will feature in the Bangkok finale on Thursday.
Hungary stand in the way of Japan lifting the Thailand 5s Beach Soccer Championship after both nations ended the group stage with victories in Bangkok on Wednesday.
After Hungary and Thailand drew 1-1 on Tuesday, both nations stood a chance of finishing in the top two and reaching the final.
However, it was Hungary who did enough to leapfrog the hosts thanks to a dominant 6-2 win against Malaysia – who finish the group stage bottom of the pile.
Balazs Rutai and Viktor Fekete scored twice each in a big win that bolstered Hungary’s goal difference sufficiently to take them above Thailand and into second.
The Thais gave Japan and their 100 per cent record a stern test in the second game of the day at the Hua Mak Sports Complex although the group-stage victors proved too strong in a 6-5 success.
Captain Ozu Moreira scored a hat-trick as Japan claimed a third win from as many matches.
A fourth victory against Hungary on Thursday would be enough to secure the title for Marcelo Mendes’ men – a feat that would serve as a major boost ahead of the AFC Beach Soccer Championships in Malaysia next month.
Wednesday results
Hungary 6-2 Malaysia
Thailand 5-6 Japan
Thursday fixtures
Thailand v Malaysia (Play-off for third place)
Japan v Hungary (Final)
