The current champions of the Mundialito de Clubes grab the cup in Manaus after beating Sampaio Correia in the final
Vasco da Gama is building a very prestigious name in Beach Soccer. The ‘Gigante da Colina’, proud winners of the I Mundialito de Clubes, beat yesterday Sampaio Correia to claim the cup in the II Copa Brasil, held in Manaus (Amazonia, Brazil). More than 18.000 spectators sat the final facing the ‘Vascaínos’ and surprising Sampaio Correia, the only team who had lost no single game during the whole competition. Two goals by Mauricinho, awarded as the tournament’s MVP and top scorer, together with Bruno Xavier’s, Rafinha’s and Bueno’s nets secured the gold for the carioca side in front of the ‘Nordestino’ side’s tinier booty (Daniel and Dinei).
In turn, Flamengo snatched the third place, after bending Cruzeiro in the 3rd/4th place final. The ‘Rubro-Negro’, surprised by Sampaio Correia in the semifinals after having achieved the first place in group A, even beating champions Vasco da Gama in last league stage match, could get even with the bad taste in their mouth, at least partially. Diego, Juninho and Moska’s hits were worth the bronze for Fla, whose crowd was one of the most spectacular in the Centro Cultural Povos da Amazônia.
Just as it was last year, the Copa Brasil was a huge party, with a crazy 30.000-people atmosphere, packed, colourful stands, a noisy crowd and, above everything, the irrefutable demonstration that beach soccer is much more than a sport: it is a strong feeling, something worth experiencing.
Together with Vasco da Gama and the sport, another of the unmistakable winners in the tournament was the village of Boca do Acre, who received two tons of non-perishable aliments in a initiative raised in order to help the affected of the overflow of the Rio Branco.
Picture: Antonio Lima and Marcus Melgar
Final standings:
Champions: VASCO DA GAMA
Runner-ups: SAMPAIO CORREIA
Third place: FLAMENGO
Individual awards:
MVP: Mauricinho (Vasco da Gama)
Top Scorer: Mauricinho (Vasco da Gama) and Diego (Flamengo) – 6 goals
Best Goalkeeper: Cesinha (Vasco da Gama)
Group distribution
Group A – Vasco da Gama (RJ), Flamengo (RJ), Sport Recife (PE) and Suíça
Group B – Sampaio Correa (MA), Manaus FC (AM) and Zico 10 (RJ)
Group C – Botafogo (RJ), Cruzeiro (MG) and Rio Branco (ES)
Results and Match Schedule:
Wednesday, March 7th, 2012
18h – Zico 10 4×5 Manaus – match 01 (Group B)
19h – Botafogo 5(1)x5(0) Rio Branco – match 02 (Group C)
20h – Vasco da Gama 4×3 Sport Recife – match 03 (Group A)
21h – Flamengo 4×2 Switzerland – match 04 (Group A)
Thursday, March 8th, 2012
18h – Sampaio Correa 4×2 Zico 10 – match 05 (Group B)
19h – Cruzeiro 3(1)x 3(0)Rio Branco – match 06 (Group C)
20h – Flamengo 4 x6 Sport Recife – match 07 (Group A)
21h – Vasco da Gama 4(1)x4(0) Switzerland – match 08 (Group A)
Friday, March 9th, 2012
19h – Botafogo 2 (1)x 2 (0)Cruzeiro – match 11 (Group A)
20h – Flamengo 4 x 3 Vasco da Gama – match 12 (Group A)
21h – Switzerland 4 x 3 Sport Recife – match 10 (Group C)
22h – Sampaio Correa 3 x 1 Manaus – match 09 (Group B)
Saturday, March 10th, 2012
Semifinals
18h – Cruzeiro 0 x 3 Vasco da Gama – match 13
19h – Flamengo 1 x 4 Sampaio Correia – match 14
Sunday, March 11th, 2012
3rd/4th place
09h – Cruzeiro 1 x 3 Flamengo
Final
10h – Vasco da Gama 5 x 2 Sampaio Correia
