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The Portuguese side proved too strong for their Ukrainian opponents in Nazare.
Braga crowned Euro Winners Cup champions
SC Braga battled from behind to claim the Euro Winners Cup 8-5 against an Artur Music side who fell at the final hurdle for the second year running.
The Portuguese side were roared on by a vocal home crowd in Nazare but were caught cold by their Ukrainian opponents, who led 4-2 at the interval thanks to goals from Ivan Glutskyi, Deiwerson and an Oleg Zborovskyi brace.
That seemed to spur Braga into action however and the second frame belonged to them as Bruno Xavier and Be Martins grabbed one apiece to level matters. Bokinha then put Braga in front for the first time before grabbing a second in the third along with MVP Mauricinho.
Oleg Zborovskyi’s second gave his side a glimmer of hope but Jordan Santos’ second ultimately killed the game off as Braga added the continental crown to their domestic title.
Vitalii Sydorenko’s Artur Music will hope next year is third time lucky in the Euro Winners Cup final, although the Ukrainian goalkeeper and captain did pick up the Best Goalkeeper award.
Lokomotiv clinch third-place play-off
BSC Lokomotiv won the third-place play-off against fellow Preliminary Round entrants FC Delta but were pushed all the way in their 5-4 victory.
Half a minute in Igor opened the scoring when he brought the ball down, controlled expertly and fired home although Fernando levelled matters 90 seconds before the interval as the sides matched one another early on.
And the comeback was complete when Daniel bagged Lokomotiv’s second with Egor Shaikov hammering in from close range to extend the advantage midway through the second period.
Andrei Pankratov reduced the arrears with a fine strike into the top corner but the goals continued to flow as Boris Nikonorov sent a fierce effort past before Aleksey Makarov made it 5-2 before the break with a calm sidefoot finish.
Quickfire goals in the space of a minute from Igor and Bryan gave Delta hope of taking the contest into extra time but Lokomotiv stood firm as they ensured a podium spot.
Former champions Kristall finish in fifth
BSC Kristall tied up fifth place in the Euro Winners Cup after a 5-1 win against fellow Russians BSC Spartak Moscow.
Spartak led at the first interval after Svetoslav Federov broke the deadlock eight minutes in, but from then it was one-way traffic.
Aleksei Ilinskii levelled five minutes into the second period before Dejan Stankovic and Yury Krasheninnikov helped put Kristall in control.
The 2015 champions edged further in front when Krash notched three seconds after the restart before Rodrigo capped a comfortable win.
Sporting claim seventh spot
Sporting CP left it late but deservedly won out in their 6-3 play-off success against CD Bala Azul in Nazare. In a slow-burner of a contest, it was Sporting goalkeeper Tiago Petrony who broke the deadlock five minutes in with the only goal of the opening period.
Tomas Sanchez and Chiky Ardil turned the tables and looked to be heading into the final frame ahead, only for Antonio Hernandez to respond with nine second left of the second frame.
With the goals starting to flow more freely for both teams, Sporting pulled clear and did much of the damage in the final 12 minutes as Noel Ott scored twice along with team-mates Rui Coimbra and Madjer.
Chiky grabbed a second in the final minute but the writing was already on the wall as the Portuguese club bowed out with a win that ensures seventh place.
Former champions Viareggio end in ninth
Two goals apiece from Ozu Moreira and Dario Ramacciotti ensured former champions Viareggio ended their 2017 campaign with a 4-2 win against Cadiz CF Sotelo.
The Italians surrendered their title on penalties to Artur Music in the round of 16 but ensured a ninth place finish after a close-fought game in which Ramacciotti’s late brace proved the difference.
Japan international Ozu and Spain’s Juanma sent the sides in level at the break before an Ozu overhead kick sent Viareggio back front midway through the second frame. Juanma’s second levelled matters ahead of the final frame but Italy international Ramacciotti then timed it right to grab two late goals and take the wind out of Cadiz sails.
First he hammered in a set-piece to send momentum back in Viareggio’s direction before his goalbound header was unwittingly helped on its way by Daniel Pajon 34 seconds from time.
CSKA tie up 11th place with Batumi success
CSKA ended their Euro Winners Cup campaign with a 6-3 win against Dinamo Batumi to ensure 11th place.
Rafael Silva and Alexey Kolborov put CSKA 2-0 to the good after eight minutes of play on the opening game of the final day in Nazare, with Christian Martinez Garcia halving the deficit going into the second frame.
Adrian Frutos briefly levelled five seconds after the restart although Valentin Mikhailov and Anderson gave CSKA 4-3 lead with 12 minutes to play, after goalkeeper Mounoud Elliott added a third for Batumi.
However, Pavel Maslennikov and Kolborov put the result beyond doubt midway through the third period as CSKA signed off with a win.
Grembach Lodz sign off with victory
Grembach Lodz eased past BSC Griffin and ended their Euro Winners Cup with a 3-1 win, ensuring 13th place in the process.
Czech international Jiri Baran opened the scoring late in the first period with a clever finish into the far bottom corner, with Mitchell Day doubling the lead before the interval.
Poland’s Witold Ziober made it three midway through the second frame and, while Viktor Aranovskyi pulled one back for the Ukrainian champions, they failed to add to their tally in the remainder of the contest as Lodz saw out the win.
Sotao avoid bottom spot with penalty shootout success
Nazare representatives ACD O Sotao gave their home fans something to cheer as they came through a thrilling penalty shootout to beat Seferhisar Cittaslow 6-5.
In a 15th-place play-off played out in front of a packed stadium, Volkan Yesilirmak’s strike broke the deadlock before a Pombinha own-goal gave Sotao a difficult task to overcome.
Two second-period goals from Fabinho gave the home side hope but Baris Terzioglu and Erkan Anzafioglu found the net as things looked ominous for Sotao going into the final 12 minutes.
However, Fabinho completed his hat-trick early in the third period before Afonso Santos grabbed a late equaliser 14 seconds from time.
A captivating shootout followed a goalless extra-time period and, after both sides missed two spot-kicks each, goalkeeper Kivanc Emre faltered to give Sotao a 15th-place finish.
Euro Winners Cup Results/Fixtures
Sunday, June 4th
09:00 – Dinamo Batumi 3-6 CSKA (11th-place play-off)
10:15 – Cadiz CF Sotelo 2-4 Viareggio (ninth-place play-off)
11:30 – Sporting CP 6-3 CD Bala Azul (seventh-place play-off)
12:45 – Kristall 5-1 Spartak (fifth-place play-off)
15:15 – Lokomotiv 5-4 FC Delta (third-place play-off)
16:30 – BSC Grembach Lodz v BSC Griffin (13th-place play-off)
17:45 – ACD O Sotao (6) 4-4 (5) Seferhisar Cittaslow (15th-place play-off)
19:00 – SC Braga v Artur Music (final)
Standings
1st – SC Braga
2nd – Artur Music
3rd – BSC Lokomotiv
4th – FC Delta
5th – BSC Kristall
6th – BSC Spartak Moscow
7th – Sporting CP
8th – CD Bala Azul
9th – Viareggio
10th – Cadiz CF Sotelo
11th – CSKA
12th – FC DInamo Batumi
13th – BSC Grembach Lodz
14th – BSC Griffin
15th – ACD O Sotao
16th – Seferhisar Cittaslow
Individual Awards
Best Goalkeeper: Vitalii Sydorenko (Artur Music)
MVP: Mauricinho (SC Braga)
Top Scorer: Gabriele Gori (Viareggio BS)
