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Vasco, Fluminense and Al Ahli clinch convincing victories, as FC Barcelona uses extra time to keep expectations intact
Rodrigo fuels Al-Ahli in opening win
The 6-4 win for Al-Ahli did not disappoint the fans with its exciting offense and defense, a comeback, and drama. The Al-Ahli side was able to push forward first and score quickly, as they built a comfortable lead before Sporting Clube de Portugal mounted their march back. The Dubai club had to hold them off and they did, just barely as they were forced to hang on for the victory, which they were able to do thanks in part to four goals from Rodrigo, three in the second period alone. The win gives Al-Ahli their first win of the event and the opening triumph of the week. The three points will be needed in the tough Group B or International Group, as they hope to advance to the semi-finals. Al-Ahli will next play FC Barcelona on Thursday. Sporting will look for redemption against Levante UD in the opening match on Thursday.
Al-Ahli was firing on all cylinders, literally and figuratively as they took aim at the net and forced the Sporting goalie to earn his keep. The Portuguese club was able to keep the score at 0-0 until Rodrigo flicked a shot in for the club from the UAE. The 1-0 score held until the final minutes when Madjer doubled the advantage for the Red Knights, putting the score at 2-0. But barely a minute later, Sporting got their first goal on a brilliant set-piece, finished with a header to leave the score at 2-1 for Al-Ahli going into the first break. The second period began with another bang for the UAE club as Rodrigo scored his second, third, and fourth goals to push the lead up to four goals, at 5-1, with just over two minutes gone in the second period. The Sporting side solidified their defense and were able to cut off Al-Ahli after the early outpouring of goals, and the middle frame ended with the Red Knights up 5-1.
The Lions knew they needed a spark and they got one from Marinho, who netted his sides’ second goal of the match, inching the Portuguese club that much closer at 5-2. The momentum shift was slight but noticeable as Al-Ahli was reeling, forced to tighten up their defense. Bicycles kicks fuel beach soccer excitement and Nelito decided to add some fire to the flames as he used a powerful and precise overhead to get Sporting to within 5-3 with just under half of the period left. Sporting was not finished there and Nelito scored his third on the day, to put the score at 5-4 for Al-Ahli, but the Red Knights were more than capable of holding on, securing themselves the 6-4 win.
Goals: 0-1: Rodrigo, min. 9 (1); 0-2: Madjer, min. 4 (1); 1-2: Nelito, min. 1 (1); 1-3: Rodrigo, min. 11 (2); 1-4: Rodrigo, min. 10 (2); 1-5: Rodrigo, min. 9 (2); 2-5: Marinho, min. 10 (3); 3-5: Nelito, min. 5 (3); 4-5: Nelito, min. 2 (3); 4-6: Jordan, min. 0 (3).
Barcelona inches past Levante in OT
The 3-2 OT win for Barcelona was very difficult, and was in doubt for 38 minutes of action. Barcleona, looking like the better team on paper, naturally scored first, but Levante quickly replied. If Barça were taking things lightly, that changed and they knew they were in a dog-fight and they took the lead again, only to see the Valencia side claw back again and send the game into a rapid three minute extra frame. In the extra time, Llorenç answered the call and scored the final goal. The victory gives Barcelona two points, not the three allotted for a regular time win, and they will look to take down Al-Ahli FC on Thursday. Levante has much to take away from this match, as they showed enough heart to win, but they will need to do a little more against Sporting Clube de Portugal on Thursday.
The two sides started the match with a plethora of shots but none of the superstars on the sand could find the back of the net until one of the many stars for Barça, Bruno Xavier, scored on a brilliant shot in the final minute of the frame to give his side the 1-0 lead. Another late push from Barcelona almost yielded a second goal, but instead Levante held strong and the game went into the second with the score 1-0 for the Catalan side. Levante was doing well to keep the score at only 1-0 for Barcelona, but Barça continued to knock on the door, getting one goal called back, striking the posts, and unbelievable saves from Levante, leaving them wanting but getting closer and closer. Trying to flip the game on its head, Levante closed the gap when Perez scored his teams’ first goal, putting the score at 1-1 late in the middle frame. The Levante side frustrated the Barcelona squad for the remainder of the frame and the middle 12 minutes ended with the score tied at 1-1.
The compelling action continued into the final frame and it looked like Levante UD had the actual momentum but that can be so quickly snatched from you in this sport and Barcelona may have been hard done all match, but Nico took advantage of a slight opening, with a little over six minutes left, to restore the slim one-goal advantage, at 2-1 this time around. Levante had been forced to come from behind before and they made matters even more dramatic on their second goal, as it was in the final minute and it tied the game at 2. The Levante side nearly scored again in the final seconds to earn the win in regular time but Barcelona held strong and forced the overtime. Stars come to shine when it matters most and Llorenç, renowned for his scoring ability, nailed home the deciding goal, giving the Culés the 3-2 OT win.
Goals: 1-0: Bruno Xavier, min. 4 (1); 1-1: Perez, min. 6 (2); 1-2: Nico, min. 6 (3); 2-2: Perez, min. 0 (3); 2-3: Llorenç, min. 1 (et).
Surprising Fluminense runs past defending champions Corinthians
Predicting the final outcome of the match facing Fluminense, in their first participation in the Mundialito de Clubes, and Corinthians, defending winners and loaded with experienced talent, was somewhere close to unimaginable… But history will say that the newcomers caught the defending champions by surprise, and fielded some pretty unstoppable beach soccer to end up with a loud 7-2 win…
After a goalless first period, André had things starting the way they were supposed to, with his opener three minutes into the second frame. Immediately afterwards, though, one of the main protagonists of the game, Fernando DDI, turned the score around with two goals that had ‘Flu’ ahead for a little while. Not for long, though, as Antonio Junior balanced things back for the paulista side.
That goal did not scare Fluminense, who had seen the way to do real harm on their opponents and fought back with all their energy. Bernardo’s 3-2 before the second period was over was just the beginning…
In the last stage, the Tricolor, geared up and kept punishing Corinthians. Fernando DDI, with his hat-trick and Bernardo, adding his second for the 5-2, widened the gap and left the Timão with no option already. Filipi wanted to join the party, and had his name noted twice on the scorer’s chart today, thus rounding a loud 7-2 win that has Fluminense atop of group A in this Mundialito de Clubes Beach Soccer 2015.
Goals: 0-1: André, min. 8 (2); 1-1: DDI, min. 6 (2); 2-1: DDI, min. 5 (2); 2-2: Antonio Jr., min. 4 (2); 3-2: Botelho, min. 3 (2); 4-2: DDI, min. 11 (3); 5-2: Bernardo, min. 9 (3); 6-2: Filipi, min. 7 (3); 7-2: Filipi, min. 1 (3);
Vasco da Gama upset Flamengo to top group A
Things seem to be going to be pretty tight in Group A of this Mundialito de Clubes Beach Soccer. With any team having legitimate options to the title, any single mistake can get you out of the race, at the time that one victory can get you back there. This is precisely what Flamengo will be longing for, after their defeat today to Vasco da Gama in their debut in the competition. 2013 runner-ups have still everything in their hands, but they will need to find the winning track again if they want to earn a place between the best four.
Immediately after the kick-off, Dmais tried to rocket the rubronegro in the game, and things seemed to work quite well for Fla, as they stayed ahead all through the first period, knowing how to content Vasco’s efforts. But in the blink of an eye, things drastically changed right as second leg began. Catarino, in just ten seconds, turned the score around for a 2-1 lead for the Gigante da Colina.
Flamengo could still manage to react to that blunt stroke, and after taking some time to pull themselves together, Fred’s effort merited the equalizer, midway half the second frame. Vasco da Gama, champions in the maiden edition of the Mundialito de Clubes, would not stop fighting after that, and Rafinha swept the vascaínos ahead once again…and for good.
Lucão confirmed that Vasco were feeling good today, and the 2-4 had Flamengo swimming against the tide from then on. After much swimming, Fred pulled one back, but Bokinha immediately tapped a free kick home to restore the two-goal lead for the Gigante da Colina.
1-0: Dmais, min. 11 (1); 1-1: Catarino, min. 11 (2); 1-2: Catarino, min. 11 (2); 2-2: Fred, min. 4 (2); 2-3: Rafinha, min. 3 (2); 2-4: Lucão, min. 10 (3); 2-5: 3-5: Bokinha, min. 1 (3)
MUNDIALITO DE CLUBES BEACH SOCCER 2015
Matches today:
Wednesday 09.12.15
12.00 – Sporting Clube Portugal 4-6 Al Ahli FC
13.15 – Levante UD 2-3 (aet) FC Barcelona (Group B)
14.30 – Fluminense FC 7-2 SC Corinthians (Group A)
15.45 – CR Flamengo 3-5 CR Vasco da Gama (Group A)
Upcoming matches:
Thursday 10.12.15
12.00 – Sporting Clube Portugal vs Levante UD (Group B)
13.15 – FC Barcelona vs Al-Ahli Club (Group B)
14.30 – SC Corinthians vs CR Vasco da Gama (Group A)
15.45 – CR Flamengo vs Fluminense FC (Group A)
