Portuguese Campeonato Elite down to the final four teams

The regular stage of the Campeonato Elite has come to an end with some places in the table decided on the last matchday.

With the second place still up for grabs, Sporting and Casa do Benfica de Loures opened Matchday 14 at the Praia do Ouro beach in Sesimbra. While Sporting needed to win by a five-goal difference to finish second, a triumph from the current Euro Winners Cup champions could see them top the table. The Lions from Lisbon ended up winning six goals to five, a result that wasn’t enough to climb to the second place and that meant that Braga would play start their match already knowing the first place was theirs.

The three teams will have the company of ACD “O Sótão” in the semi-finals. For the first time in their history, the team from Nazaré achieved qualification after a three goals to two win against Varzim, who needed to win to go through instead. Benjamin scored a brace, including the winning goal.

In the relegation battle Leixões earned a crucial win by three goals to two against São Domingos that saw them climb out of the relegation spots before Buarcos faced Braga. The team from Figueira da Foz needed a win to stay in the top-tier of Portuguese beach soccer. And they almost did it, as they were leading three goals to one, but the titleholders turned the result around in the second and third period, sending Buarcos to the Campeonato Nacional after two years.

The semi-finals take place Saturday 6th August and will see Braga take on Sótão, while Sporting and CB Loures face each other aiming for a place on the following day’s final.

RESULTS – Matchday 14 – 31st July

CB Loures 5-6 Sporting CP
Leixões SC 3-2 São Domingos
ACD “O Sótão” 3-2 Varzim SC
SC Braga 7-3 AD Buarcos 2017

STANDINGS (after Matchday 14)

1st – SC Braga (32 pts)
2nd – Casa Benfica de Loures (28 pts)
3rd – Sporting CP (28 pts)
4th – ACD Sótão (24 pts)
5th – Varzim SC (18 pts)
6th – Leixões (14 pts)
7th – AD Buarcos (13 pts)
8th – São Domingos (0 pts)