The final four that was decided on gameday 2 now know their semi-final opponents
Team GB will meet Brazil in the first day of knockout games while Spain beat the Canarinha to earn a tie against Russia.
The match will see the final of the European championships replayed, and the prize a place in the battle for a gold medal at the inaugural World Beach Games.
A surprisingly one-sided affair saw Great Britain down their old rivals Russia to top the group, while Spain found an extra gear to beat Brazil in the final third.
Group B
Great Britain 4-1 Russia
They may be here in Qatar under a different flag, but Team GB were familiar foes to the Russians, and this was a classic beach soccer battle.
Both sides were already in the semi-finals ahead of this tie, but finishing in the arguably favourable topspot of Group B was the prize for victory in the today’s match.
The deadlock was eventually broken when a wayward overhead from Katie James was redirected past Silina by Bazan from close range. Then captain Kempson went on a blistering run to pound in number two and less than a minute later, Hillier hit number three.
The balanced had suddenly tipped in an initially tight match and Leonov’s ladies were overwhelmed. Petrova tucked away a opener from Russia after the restart but a rocket from Wendy Martin restored the three-goal lead.
As much as the continental champions pushed, they were resigned to potshots from distance which flew uncharacteristically high and wide.
Great Britain controlled the play as the clock ticked on and saw the game out effectively, bagging three points and topping the group in the process.
Goals: 1-0: Bazan, min. 4 (1); 2-0: Kempson, min. 4 (1); 3-0: Hillier, min. 3 (1); 3-1: Petrova, min. 10 (1); 4-1: Martin, min. 6 (1);
USA 3-2 Paraguay
The USA women’s beach soccer team picked up their first points at the World Beach Games after a hard-fought win against the women of Paraguay. Sam Witteman’s brace helped her nation come back to catch, and then go ahead of, their South-American counterparts after a tense encounter in what will be their last game at these Games.
The same can be said for Paraguay, who suffer exiting pointless from the group.
Leslie opened the scoring, finishing at the near post on the slide. Three seconds of playing time elapsed before they conceded themselves. In truth, there was little to be done about the goal. Alonso’s left-footed volley from Godoy’s flick was a thing of savage beauty. Swerving unreachably away from the keeper, it cracked the crossbar and bounced down into the mouth of the goal.
Mora added a second for Paraguay only for Witteman to claim her first. The equality came briefly under threat, when Yount, gingerly stepping out to clear a slack ball forward, hesitated nervously, before driving the ball into the face of her captain, Wharton. The ball rebounded back behind her only to hold up in the sand to avoid a potentially embarrassing end to an exciting first period.
The second was goalless. The ball trickled onto the Paraguay post, Gonzalez and Rolon might have done better with their efforts, while Godoy went close after cleverly carving space for herself.
Witteman’s deciding intervention came with four minutes left of the final period. Mora drove a free kick over the bar before a pair of USA corners, the second of which was powerfully placed in to the net on the run by Witteman to complete her brace.
Jara saved two long range free kicks thereafter but it was not enough for Paraguay, who finish bottom of the group.
Goals: 1-0: Leslie, min. 8 (1); 1-1: Alonso, min. 8 (1); 1-2: Mora, min. 6 (1); 2-2: Witteman, min. 4 (1); 3-2: Witteman, min. 4 (3)
Group A
Spain 6-3 Brazil
Both sides had already qualified for the semi-finals but top of Group A at the first ever World Beach Games was no prize to be sniffed at.
Andrea Miron got the match underway with a fine hit in the eighth minute of play and despite the best efforts of the debuting Brazilians, La Roja led at the break.
However, Fabricio dos Santos ladies took just seconds to turn the match on its head, with Dani volleying home straight from the kick off, closely followed by an incredible solo goal from Barbara, who looped a long shot over the keeper, dropping the ball into the top corner.
Lorena extended the lead to 1-3 and it looked as if Brazil would run away with this match until Mellado hit an unstoppable penalty before the second break.
In the final third, Mendez’s ladies flew onto the sand and Freseneda scored a nice hit, then set pieces from Carol Glez and Mellado pushed Spain into a two-goal lead.
A sublime backheel set Freseneda up for the final nail in the coffin for Brazil, but both teams will fight again on Tuesday in the semi-final.
Goals: 1-0: Andrea Miron, min. 4 (1); 1-1: Dani, min. 11 (2); 1-2: Barbara, min. 11 (2); 1-3: Lorena, min. 2 (2); 2-3: Mellado, min. 1 (2); 3-3: Freseneda, min. 9 (3); 4-3: Carol Glez, min. 6 (3); 5-3: Mellado, min. 5 (3); 6-3: Freseneda, min. 0 (3);
Cape Verde 6-7 Mexico *AET
A hat-trick from Vanda was not enough to give the African islanders the win against Mexico, despite leading for much of the game.
They went behind very early to Rosario, before briefly holding a three-goal cushion in the second period, which by the end of said period was a 5-3 lead, partly due to an unfortunate own goal from Perez just before the interval.
Much later however, Perez would make amends. With just over a minute of play left in extra time, she appeared to score the winner which at one stage seemed so improbable.
Prior to that, Mexico had undergone an impressive renaissance. Ramos tapped in a looping header which left the Cape Verde ‘keeper stranded to make it 5-4 at the start of the third period.
Djoyce then regained the two-goal lead for her team, before Luna scored to make it 6-5. Sanchez scored a sizzling solo strike to force the game to extra time, where Perez pounced.
Despite brilliant performances Cape Verde go winless in Qatar as Mexico finish the group in third.
Goals: 0-1: Rosario, min. 11 (1); 1-1: Vanda, min. 10 (2); 2-1: Vanda, min. 9 (2); 3-1: Vanda, min. 6 (2); 3-2: Luna, min. 4 (2); 3-3: Ramos, min. 4 (2); 4-3: Kelissa, min. 3 (2); 5-3: Perez (og), min. 1 (2); 5-4: Ramos, min. 11 (3); 6-4: Djoyce, min.11 (3); 6-5: Luna, min. 9 (3); 6-6: Sanchez, min. 2 (3); 6-7: Perez, min. 1 (ET)
FIXTURES – 15.10.2019
16:00 – Great Britain v Brazil (Women Semi-finals)
19:00 – Spain v Russia (Women Semi-finals)
Stay up-to-date on the ANOC World Beach Games Qatar 2019 on the Beach Soccer Worldwide website.
