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Israel was facing Greece for an advantage in the lead of Group B in the first event of this exciting European Beach Soccer League. Group B participants are only playing in one preliminary event of the League and only performing in two matches… So a win today was crucial.
Israel starting leading the way with a spectacular Iloz scoring a total of 5 goals in the match, 2 of them in the first minutes of the game. Israelis started aggressive but only managed to finish the first period with a 3-2 lead. It looked like Greeks were coming back into the match in the second period, but even with the own goal from Israel’s #17, Fartok, they were unable to tie the game. Iloz was again the man of the period scoring 3 more goals in only 5 minutes of this second third. Last period had only Israel’s color, to finish the game 5 – 9. First victory and first three points for Iloz’s boys.
Second match of the day corresponding to the first match of Division A: Italy vs. Poland. What a game. Lots of goals (13), hilarious third time which led to a last-minute extra time, Italian captain, Pasquali, who proved once again why he is one of the most relevant forwards in Europe… Total score: 7 – 6 for the azzuri. Match started very good for Poland, who managed to score twice in the first five minutes. But FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Marseille 2008 runner-up Italy hadn’t said it all in this period and managed to score 2 again, one with some fortune due to Widzicki’s own goal. Second period and similar story: Poland took a small advantage, 2-3, but Italy scored again, this time twice, to lead the score for first time in the match and end the second third 4-3. And then the magic came. What a period. Beach soccer lovers will say this is the period to remember. Poland’s #7, Ziober, scored first, accomplishing his first hat trick and tying the game 4-4. Soon Poland led again 6-4, with only 3 minutes left… But that is an eternity in this sport. Pasquali took the lead of the Italian squad and scored twice in only 18 seconds, the first of them with a fabulous bicycle kick. 6-6 and no more time for more. First extra time of European League 2010. One minute left for penalty shootout fortune… And there he was again. Italy’s captain scored again to give the first 2 points to his team.
It was finally the turn to hosts Russia to play in front of their home crowd. Despite the cloudy (not showery anymore) weather, around 2,000 fans attended the win of the national team against Romania. It was in the pools… and they didn’t miss. 2009 European champions managed to defeat recently ascended Romania by 9-3. It was an easy match for the locals, who never had to worry for the defeat. Pisarev’s pupils played a serious match, with very few mistakes. The image the team left to the crowd was far from the one seen in the last FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Dubai 2009 – round of 16 match against Switzerland, where the whole squad was very nervous and impatient. The first period summarized the whole match: ended 4-1, and the match was over. Enough advantage for the Russians, who conceived two goals in seconds period, and that was it. Last third was a two-nil for hosts, who will play defeated Poland tomorrow. Sunday’s match between Italy and hosts looks like a big battle for the title in Moscow.
Friday, May 28th:
Greece 5 vs. 9 Israel (Division B)
Italy 7vs. 6 (a.e.t.) Poland (Division A)
Romania 3 vs. 9 Russia (Division A)
Saturday, May 29th:
14h15: Germany vs. Israel (Division B)
15h30: Italy vs. Romania (Division A)
16h45: Russia vs. Poland (Division A)
Sunday, May 30th:
14h00: Greece vs. Germany (Division B)
15h15: Poland vs. Romania (Division A)
16h30: Russia vs. Italy (Division A)
European Beach Soccer League
As it was already done last year, the League is divided in two divisions: Division A (whose participants play in 2 of the 4 events of European League Regular Phase), which includes top 8 teams in Europe, and division B, with the ones ranked from 9th on. 4 of Division A teams are participating in this event in Moscow: Italy, Poland, Romania and Russia. They will all play against each other in a Round Robin format, two matches a day during three days. Each winning team will get 3 points for the League (2 if the win is in overtime or penalty shootout) and 0 if they are defeated. The team with more points will win the event in Moscow but, the team with more points after the 4 events of the League will automatically qualify to the Superfinal in Portugal (26-29 August). Only 6 of the 8 teams of Division A will make it through to the Superfinal, while 8th team will need to battle against Division B winners to maintain his category.
In Division B, the winner of each tournament plus the best second team will qualify to the Superfinal (each team participates in just one event of the Regular Phase), and only the winner in Portugal will have the honor to raise category in the 2011 League and became a Division A team, as Romania did last year.
Euro Beach Soccer League calendar:
Euro Beach Soccer League stage 1 – Moscow, Russia: May 28-30
Euro Beach Soccer League stage 2 – Marseille, France: June 25-27
Euro Beach Soccer League stage 3 – Lignano, Italy: July 2-4
Euro Beach Soccer League stage 4 – Castellon, Spain: July 30-August 1
Euro Beach Soccer League Superfinal – Portugal: August 26-29
