Kristall top first stage of Russian league

The St Petersburg side remained the only unbeaten team as the first stage ends in Moscow 

After five days of top-level beach soccer, the opening phase of the Russian beach soccer league has come to a close in Moscow.

The defending champions, BSC Kristall, managed to remain unbeaten throughout the tournament to keep hopes of title-retention very much alive, dropping only one point when they were forced into extra time by a strong Delta team.

Lokomotiv suffered two defeats, including a final day 4-2 loss against Kristall. As a result, the Muscovites sit on nine points, along with city rivals Spartak Moscow and the Samara-based, Krylia Sovetov.

Making up places five to seven are BSC Delta, City and Elmont, who all have six points.

Bringing up the rear is the third side from the Russian capital, CSKA Moscow, who are yet to pick up points in the 2019 Russian Championship.

The best player of the stage was the goalkeeper from Kristall Ivan Ostrovsky. In the race for the Top Scorer, there are three front runners at the end of the first stage: 

Brazilians Lucao (Krylya Sovetov) and Rodrigo (Kristall), and also Russian Boris Nikonorov (Lokomotiv), who all scored six goals.

But the league is not over yet, as the second stage of the regular phase of the championship will be held from July 30th to August 4th in St. Petersburg. The third stage will then take place between the 13th and 18th August in Saratov. 

The Superfinal will begin on August 28th and the new kings of Russian beach soccer will be crowned on September 1st in Samara.

FINAL STANDINGS 

1 – BSC Kristall (14)

2 – Spartak Moscow (9)

3 – Lokomotiv (9)

4 – Krylia Sovetov (9)

5 – BSC Delta (6)

6 – City (6)

7 – ELMONT (6)

8 – CSKA (0)

DAY 1 (22/05)

Elmond 3 – 9 BSC Kristall

City 5 – 4 CSKA Moscow

Krylia Sovetov 0 – 3 Spartak Moscow

Delta 2 – 4 Lokomotiv 

DAY 2 (23/05)

City 3 – 6 Elmond

BSC Kristall 7 – 1 Krylia Sovetov

Spartak Moscow 2 – 3 Delta

CSKA Moscow 3 – 10 Lokomotiv 

DAY 3 (24/05)

Krylia Sovetov 3-2 City

Elmond 4-2 CSKA Moscow

Delta 2-4 BSC Kristall *AET

Lokomotiv 0-2 Spartak Moscow

DAY 4 (25/05)

Delta 9-2 Elmont

Lokomotiv 4-1 City

Krylia Sovetov 5-1 CSKA Moscow

Spartak Moscow 1-4 BSC Kristall

DAY 5 (26/05)

City 6-5 Delta

Elmont 3-5 Krylia Sovetov 

BSC Kristall 4-2 Lokomotiv 

CSKA Moscow 1-4 Spartak Moscow

Follow the Russia Beach Soccer Championship on the Russia Beach Soccer website.