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France and Turkey get the first points in the EBSL Promotion Final after edging Netherlands and Belarus.
Italy captures win in last 10 seconds
The Euro Beach Soccer League Superfinal is a competition which only the best have access to. Only the fittest in Europe get the chance to prove who is best, and among these teams, little things make the difference. Italy and Switzerland gave the best instance of what it means in the opening game of this EBSL Superfinal Moscow 2011, fielding a thrilling, goal-packed match only decided with just eight seconds to the final horn. It is impossible to imagine a better take off for the Continental decision…
Although they had not an easy beginning to the match, being faced to a 0-2 by the Italians in the early stages, Switzerland managed to turn the score around yet in that frenetic first period, reaching the firs horn 4-3 ahead. From then on, the Alpine managed to keep their advantage more or less safe, making it 5-3 and replying any hit the Italians may throw to cut the distance. But although managing the 6-4 by mid last period, the Swiss could not prevent the success of the final Azzurri push, which managed to equalize the score soon afterwards.
The clock was ticking down in the last minute of the match, and everyone seemed to begin thinking on how to plan the strategy for the extra time, but, all of a sudden, Soria was sent a long ball in a counterattack, faced Valentin to dribble him past, and sent the ball in amid the Swiss surprise for the first three points for Italy in Group B.
Goals: 0-1: Spada, min. 9 (1); 0-2: Soria, min. 6 (1); 1-2: Mo, min. 4 (1); 2-2: Stankovic, min. 3 (1); 2-3: Palmacci, min. 2 (1); 3-3: Leu, min. 1 (1); 4-3: Kaspar, min. 1 (1); 5-3: Spacca, min. 7 (2); 5-4: Corosiniti, min. 2 (3); 6-4: Meier, min. 7 (3); 6-5: Soria, min. 6 (3); 6-6: Corosiniti, min. 4 (3); 6-7: Soria, min. 0 (3)
Turkey makes first step
Turkey started off their defense of the Division A license on the right track, thanks to their last period victory to Belarus, who got to the Promotion Final as the best second of the four stages in the current Euro Beach Soccer League 2011. Just the two hits by Tamer in the last stage could unbalance a tight fixture.
It was hard for both teams to get started, as they knew that there were meny things at stake. Turkey could not afford any single mistake after an unfortunate season has led them to the battle to skip relegation, and Belarus, on their side, knew that the entity of a Division A team forces you to keep your eyes wide open as they can do harm at any moment.
It was not until the second period that Baris managed the opener for the Ottoman side, only to find, though, Miranovich to tie things again with a free kick from the halfway line and reach the break 1-1. Seeing things get tougher than expected, Tamer brandished stripes to unlevel the score again in the opening of third period, and to finish the game in the 10 minute.
Goals: 1-0: Bariç, min. 2 (2); 1-1: Miranovich, min. 0 (2); 2-1: Turkey, min. 11 (3); 3-1: Tamer, min. 1 (3)
One-goal victory for France to keep dreaming
The road back to Division A is long, tough and full of dangers… Just one mistake in the Promotion Final can spoil the expectations of anyone willing to get into the top-flight group of teams if it things are not quickly amended. This is why wining the opening game in the competition has a double value, and all teams put a great stress on it. Seeking their way back to the elite, France faced the enthusiastic Netherlands in their debut in this EBSL Promotional Final 2011, and the Orange made them fear the worst denouement in this first act…
Holland never turned their back to the game, and even managed to be the ones to hit, regardless they were facing a FIFA World Cup Champion. François lead the first French reaction to the 1-2, but Kokmeijer’s team turned that advantage around with three new goals to make the score 4-2. The road was uphill for Les Bleus, but, fortunately for them, Basquaise massaged the gap down after the second break, and helped his team see things sweetly.
There was a lot of stuff to do, though, as Holland have absolutely proved their talent and their capacities in their latter performances. But France has the expertise to solve these kind of situations, and Soares first, and Samoun, four minutes afterwards, swilled the Dutch advantage out and turned it on their favour to clinch the first three points in group B.
Goals: 1-0: Ax, min. 7 (1); 1-1: François, min. 5 (1) ; 1-2 : François, min. 3 (1) ; 2-2 : Van Der Gaauw, min. 3 (2) ; 3-2 : Ax, min. 3 (2) ; 4-2 : Koswal, min. 2 (2) ; 4-3 : Basquaise, min. 1 (2) ; 4-4 : Soares, min. 8 (3) ; 4-5 : Samoun, min. 4 (3)
Russia sets main objective clear
Russia left little room for doubt to those who may thing that they are not ready for big occasions. After performing in a sublime way in their last matches, exception made for their last defeat against Portugal in The Hague, Likhachev’s side has strongly stepped into this Euro Beach Soccer League Superfinal they are hosting in Moscow. Just as they love to do in their presentation, they punished Romania mercilessly to give al opponents their visiting card and make them loudly hear their message: We want to be the Kings of Europe.
Indeed, Russia needed just three minutes to make the score 2-0, and force Romania to swim against the current. And this was a heavy flow to fight against… Almost without time to breath outside the water, Eremeev scored the 3-0, to reach the first horn in clear advantage.
The roller did not stop after the break, and although the Russians drilled just once again the Romanian nets in the second period, their feast went on in the third. M. Poste’s hit was little more than trying to slap a tank, and Shishin punished again this impudence with two new hits that closed the loud win (8-1) through which Russia opened their Superfinal.
Goals : 1-0 : Leonov, min. 10 (1) ; 2-0 : Makarov, min. 9 (1) ; 3-0: Eremeev, min. 3 (1); 4-0: Shishin, min. 8 (2); 5-0: Shkarin, min. 10 (3); 6-0: Eremeev, min. 9 (3); 6-1: M. Poste, min. 9 (3); 7-1: Shishin, min. 2 (3); 8-1: Shishin, min. 0 (3)
EURO BEACH SOCCER LEAGUE 2011 – SUPERFINAL & PROMOTION FINAL MOSCOW
Game results
Thursday, August 4th
Switzerland 6 – 7 Italy
Turkey 3 – 1 Belarus
Netherlands 4 – 5 France
Russia 8 – 1 Romania
Matches for tomorrow:
Friday, August 5th
13:30 – Israel vs. France
14:45 – Czech Rep. vs. Belarus
16:00 – Portugal vs. Italy
17:15h – Russia vs. Spain
