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Just one goal separated the gold from the silver in Qatar as Spain come out on top
The inaugural edition of the ANOC World Beach Games has awarded the first beach soccer medals.
Spain held off a late barrage of British attacks to seal the gold, while Brazil edged an equally close game against the European champions Russia, to take bronze.
Gold Medal
Great Britain 2-3 Spain
These sides had face each other on the European stage many times, but there was something different about this golden encounter.
The match for the first ever World Beach Games gold medal was predictably tight, but the British number ten Molly Clark turned away from the defender to slot home the opener in the first period.
But Spain reacted well to the early blow, and a pair of sublime finishes from the Lorena put La Roja in the driver’s seat just two minutes later.
Fresneda hit a low shot past Hannah Haughton to make it three before the first whistle, giving Spain a two-goal cushion at the whistle.
The second period continued in the same way with both sides asking questions but the keepers proved unbeatable until the third and final 12 minutes.
A swiveled shot from Barron found its target off the upright to reduce the deficit to just one and this injected the British with late hope.
They dominated the attacking play and pressed on but the Roja backline held firm through the barrage of offensive play.
The Spaniards were disciplined though, and at the sound of the final whistle the players and staff on the bench rushed onto the sand to join their teammates in wild celebration, while Perry Northeast’s ladies take silver.
Goals: 1-0: Clark, min. 6 (1); 1-1: Lorena, min. 6 (1); 1-2: Lorena, min. 5 (1); 1-3: Fresneda, min. 3 (1); 2-3: Barron, min. 8 (3);
Bronze Medal
Brazil 4-3 Russia
Both sides had suffered bitter defeat by the slimmest of margins the previous day but now all attention was on the bronze medal.
Cherniakova got the two-time, and current, European champions in front with a sizzling strike into the top corner from a freekick.
Brazil rattled the bar but were unable to find the net in the first period. There were only minutes of the second period played when Dos Santos’ side drew level, thanks to an Adriele overhead in the box.
But before long Russia were ahead once more, as Gorshkova was offered too much space in the middle of the pitch and curled a sweet shot into the top corner, brushing both the post and the crossbar on its way in.
A quick-fire double by Lorena, first a fine overhead and then a penalty, pushed Brazil ahead for the first time in the game, and then a totally unmarked Dani headed in from a corner to make it four before the break.
Another fine Gorshkova strike reduced the deficit to just one but the Brazilians did well to control the game and see it out until the final whistle.
In their debut competition, Brazil had sealed a bronze medal. Who knows what the future holds for this squad?
Goals: 0-1: Cherniakova, min. 9 (1); 1-1: Adriele, min. 9 (2); 1-2: Sheva, min. 6 (2); 2-2: Lorena, min. 5 (2); 3-2: Lorena, min. 1 (2); 4-2: Dani, min. 0 (2); 4-3: Sheva, min. 4 (3);
Stay up-to-date on the ANOC World Beach Games Qatar 2019 on the Beach Soccer Worldwide website.
