Avoiding the strongest opponents in the first stage of the knockout phase is something worthy enough to fight for until your very last possibilities. And this is exactly what Iran and China has managed, leaving Japan and Bahrain in the second place, in two spectacular and extremely exciting games. Just one goal has given the first place to ones, and the second to others, as the best proof of this sport’s great improvement. No one is an easy enemy today.
In turn, Lebanon has ended their participation in the Asian Beach Games with a victory over Thailand, who were out of the quarterfinals as well. The Lebanese wanted not to farewell the Asian Beach Games with a blank on their records, and jumped onto the field with the strong belief that these points had to end on their hands. Thailand, though, thought not the same and opened the score in the fourth minute of the game, thanks to Chana. Thai’s number 4 was the absolute hero for his team, but his hat-trick was not enough to combat the Arabic blasting last period. It was close, because the score was 4-4in the 7th minute of the last 12, but last spur by Lebanon was too much for them, and Fattal, joining Mehri as a hat-trick scorer, and Al Zein, completing his doublet made the score 4-7.
The Palestine Beach Soccer National Team could leave these II Asian Beach Games with a sweeter taste in their mouths than the one they had so far, after bending Vietnam in their last match in the event. And they managed it with an emphatic win, giving little option, if any, to the Vietnamese squad, with an star performance by Hamada. The Palestinian number 3 has destroyed their opponent resistances with a record 6-goal chart, what becomes the highest so far in the tournament. That had already ended the game in the second period, with Palestine 2-6 up when the horn signaled the break. After such a dominant pace during the first two stages, Hashem’s squad lowered their rpms and the game became more relaxed. That gave way for Vietnam to shorten the distance, but Shbair brushed any doubt away with the seventh goal for his team.
Iran and Japan faced each other with the objective of ending this group stage in the II Asian Beach Games as heads of Group C. It was, everyone knew, a game facing two of the teams in the bets to claim one of the medals, and that could absolutely be felt from the very beginning. None of the teams wanted to concede any chance to their opponents, since any mistake becomes especially expensive when facing such a powerful contender. This, precisely, Japan can tell, since a lack of placement of goalkeeper Tomoya was profited by Hassan to head the opener in from a long distance. After that hit, by mid second period, the score remained untouched again, and thrill and tension grew as the end of the game was getting closer. Things could have become quieter with the second Iranian goal by Boulokbashi, but Japan kept struggling and Uehara shortened the distance. The minute remaining minute was breath tacking, but no other Japanese ball drilled the Persian net, giving Iran the first place of this Group C.
Just one goal decided the first and second places of group D, in the game facing Bahrain and China, with the latter taking the privilege. The two Brazilian-born coaches in the benches assured there was o be Asian Samba on the Al Musannah Beach Soccer Stadium sand. And competition, of course, since everyone knew that both contenders find themselves amongst the most competitive ones at a continental scale. Qui’s head swept China ahead in the second quarter, and a penalty kick slotted in by Chao Wan made the score 0-2. But no one in the Chinese side could take a breath, since Bahrain have the weapons to cause you instant harm at any moment, something they proved a couple of minutes later, with a great free kick by Sadeq that tightened things again. The oriental had to put all their efforts in empowering their defensive mechanics, almost forgetting about Sayed’s goal, but, happily for them, things worked out and they managed Guga’s side far to their net until the final whistle. This way, group D finishes with China up front, and Bahrain right behind them.
Matches for tomorrow:
Match Day Five (13 December 2010)
Match 21 – 15:00 – Qatar vs. Yemen
Match 22 – 16:15 – Kuwait vs. Syria
Match 23 – 17:30 – UAE vs. Uzbekistan
Match 24 – 18:45 – Oman vs. Indonesia
