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The thrilling matches on Day 4 in Seychelles keep Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire from booking their tickets to Portugal
Moustapha’s free kick gets Egypt to fight for fifth
The match facing Egypt and Ghana was a terribly fought battle in which the Pharaohs seemed to get easily in control in the first period, only to see the Black Sharks react to tie the score 2 apiece in the second frame to set up a fierce fight for the win. After exchanging strikes, one goal by Moustapha, one minute before the hooter, has Egypt taking on Morocco for the fifth place in this CAF Beach Soccer Championship Seychelles 2015.
Mohammed seemed to get the Egyptian side on the right track with two goals in two minutes midway half first period. The 2-0 had Egypt playing confidently, keeping Ghana under control at every moment. But things would change in the second leg. A laudable collective move led Ghana to pull the first goal back, with Husseini tapping the 2-1 in. Just some minutes afterwards, Adjai found the equalizer for the Black Sharks, with the 2-2.
A tremendous strike by Aziz Kifi, only seconds into the third period, was the perfect start for a crazy last frame, in which five goals were seen in just 100 seconds. After that frenetic stroke exchange, which left the score tied at five, the defences emerged, and blocked the way to the net almost for the remainder of the period. But only almost, because with just one minute to go, Moustapha fired a free kick home for the game’s winner, giving Egypt the chance to battle for th final 5th position in this CAF African Beach Soccer Championship Seychelles 2015.
Goals: 1-0: Mohammed G., min. 5 (1); 2-0: Mohammed G., min. 4 (1); 2-1: Husseini, min. 7 (2); 2-2: Adjai, min. 2 (2); 3-2: Moustapha S. min. 1 (2); 3-3: Kofi, min. 11 (3); 4-3: Eslam, min. 11 (3); 4-4: Adjai, min. 10 (3); 4-5: Kofi, min. 10 (3); 5-5: Ahmed, min. 10 (3); 6-5: Moustapha, min. 1 (3).
Morocco run past Seychelles to fight for 5th
After the big upset of not getting to semifinals, Morocco got to the sand today with the clear objective of not stumbling again, and securing their berth in the fight for the fifth place. And so they did, running past hosts Seychelles to make sure they will take on Egypt with a double objective: forgetting their key defeat in the group stage, one which left them outside of the decider in this CAF Beach Soccer Championship 2015, and clinching the fifth place in this continental showdown.
The Moroccans got things pretty much under control during the first period. The goals by Benmamma and El Ouairry had the Lions of the Atlas commanding the game comfortably. Golakeeper El Ouairry, again, widened the gap with the 3-0, and El Hamidy, with another double practically finished the host’s options to fight for the win.
After that, El Hadaoui’s side slowed down a bit, and saved efforts for tomorrow’s game. Seychelles took advantage of that, and started owning the ball more and more, to finally find the Moroccan nets with Mathiot’s 5-1. That effort was obviously too little and too late for the hosts to dream about a comeback, but it was at least a good way to close the match for them.
Goals: 1-0: Benmamma, min. 6 (1); 2-0: El Ouairry, min. 4 (1); 3-0: El Ouairry, min. 9 (2); 4-0: El Hamidy, min. 6 (2); 5-0: El Hamidy, min. 5 (2); 5-1: Mathiot, min. 2 (3).
Senegal to defend title and head to Portugal after OT thriller
The 4-3 overtime victory for Senegal was as exciting as the score indicates, more exciting than predicted, and nothing more could have been asked of either team. The two rivals gave their all and made this match an instant classic. Both teams deserved to win and despite an up-and-down performance all week, the Senegalese pulled out the win. The Lions of Teranga scored first but the teams exchanged goals and leads until the match headed into overtime. In the intense last three minutes, it was Senegal who found the back of the net. It was the only goal of overtime and it allows Senegal to defend their CAF African Beach Soccer Championship and they will be headed to the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Portugal 2015 in July. The loss was a heartbreaker for the Sand Eagles and they will not be going to Portugal but they will look to rebound on Sunday in the 3rd Place Match.
Nigeria and Senegal is widely considered the best rivalry in African beach soccer as both sides have consistently been at the front of the continents’ best and all the prestigious tournaments and with a spot in the World Cup on the line, this match began very tense. The tension gave way to superb play with three goals coming in the span of less than two minutes to put the score at 2-1 for Nigeria. The familiar foes jockeyed until the final minutes of the frame and Diouf of the Lions of Teranga was awarded a penalty kick and smacked it past the Nigerian keeper to put the score at 2-2. The Sand Eagles had another answer and scored on a direct kick from a very difficult angle to take a 3-2 lead into the first break. The pace could have slowed in the middle period, but with so much at stake, the break neck speed continued, but without any early goals. The first goal of the second 12 minutes came with only three minutes left and it was from Thioune of the Senegalese squad that leveled things at 3 going into the final frame.
If caution dictated the second period, everything changed in the final frame with both teams accepting the tension and caring more about scoring the decisive goals than preventing one. The frames played a huge role in keeping things level early in the period and the score remained 3-3going into the heart of the period. The free flowing offenses were still unable to twist or turn their way into the lead and the tackles flew but the goals did not and in the final minutes of the period, the score held steady at 3-3. The kicks came and so did the saves and blocked shots, and the tension came to a boiling point, however the match headed into an extra frame to decide the winner. The electric pace and physicality continued into overtime but no goals came until the final minute, when Thioune and his Senegal side went into frenzy, after he scored his second of the match, the final two goals for his side, if fact. The final buzzer signaled the 4-3 overtime victory for Senegal.
Goals: 0-1: Fall, min. 9 (1); 1-1: Emeka, min. 9 (1); 2-1: Abu, min 8 (1); 2-2: Diouf, min. 4 (1); 3-2: Olawale, min. 3 (1); 3-3: Thioune, min. 3 (2); 3-4: Thioune, min. 1 (et).
Madagascar to make first ever World Cup appearance after penalties win
The 4(3)-4(2) penalties victory for Madagascar over Cote d’Ivoire was a semi-final for the ages, which would not have disappointed as a final either. The tension and excitement continued to build and there were lead changes and ties that meant there was not a boring moment. The Elephants took a safe two goal lead only to have it dissipate under the mental fortitude of Madagascar. The Barea showed their mettle and fought back and eventually took a slim lead in the final period, but that margin was not enough to stop the Ivory Coast from scoring late to send the game into overtime and eventual penalties. The win puts Madagascar into the CAF African Beach Soccer Championship final and the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Portugal 2015 in July.
Fingertip saves, rasping shots, bouncing shots, and strikes off the woodwork were a common sight in the first period, but going into the middle of the frame, neither side netted the most important goal of the match, the next one, the first one. The two goalies were pushing shots over and around the posts, left and right, and those heroics left the score at 0-0 going into the final minutes of the frame. All that changed when Daniel had his blast saved only to have it just go through the goalies hands and roll over the line for the first goal, leaving the score at 1-0 after the first 12 minutes. Madagascar was down 2-0 in their match against Ghana, and they did not want to have to come back like that again, but in the first minute of the middle frame, it was decided that they would have to try as Dedjed scored on an absolute brilliant direct kick from distance. The Barea were up to the task and Toky scored his teams’ first goal of the match, to put the score at 2-1 for the Ivory Coast. The Elephants were still on their heels when the Madagascans scored again from long range, to level things at 2 going into the middle of the game. The two sides exchanged one more goal each and went into the final frame tied at 3.
As in the first semi-final, both teams were showing exactly why they were in the semi-finals, using defense, offense, transition, and dead ball opportunities to keep things close. Madagascar were pressing matters a little more and the attacks led to the next goal, the score that put them up 4-3 going into the crux of the final period. Daniel would not disappoint his team or the fans and turned a spectacular chance into gold by scoring the equalizer with just over two minutes left. The goal reignited the energy for the Ivory Coast and changed the body of language of the entire team, but the rest of the period was played to a draw and for the second time in two matches, the game went into overtime. The speed of the match was just as fast in the final frame but neither selection scored and the game went into penalties. The penalty kicks were just as thrilling, with saves and solid strikes, and in the end Madagascar came out on top, earning the 4(3)-4(2) penalties win.
Goals: 0-1: Daniel, min. 3 (1); 0-2: Dedjed, min. 11 (2); 1-2: Toky, min. 11 (2); 2-2: Tianasoa, min. 7 (2); 3-2: Ymelda, min. 5 (2); 3-3: Daniel, min. 4 (2); 4-3: Tianasoa, min. 10 (3); 4-4: Daniel, min. 2 (3).
Penalties: Toky, goal; Kouadio, saved; Tianasoa, goal; Diomande, goal; Flavien, saved; Daniel, goal; Ymelda, goal; Aka, miss.
CAF AFRICAN BEACH SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP SEYCHELLES 2015
Results Today:
Saturday 18.04.15
15:00 – Egypt 6-5 Ghana (Play-off for 5th Place)
16:15 – Morocco 5-1 Seychelles (Play-off for 5th Place)
17:30 – Nigeria 3-4 (aet) Senegal (Semi-final)
18:45 – Madagascar 4(3)-4(2) (pen) Cote d’Ivoire (Semi-final)
Upcoming Matches:
Sunday 19.04.15
15:00 – Ghana vs. Seychelles (7th Place Match)
16:15 – Egypt vs. Morocco (5th Place Match)
17:30 – Nigeria vs. Cote d’Ivoire (3rd Place Match)
18:45 – Senegal vs. Madagascar (Final)
