Stakes are high in Minsk!

Teams are ready to get the European Games 2019 action started!

After two days of trainings, and a long time of anticipating this moment, the beach soccer action is about to begin at the European Games Minsk 2019. 

Russia, Belarus, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Romania and Ukraine will hit the sand tomorrow as the games begin at the Olympic Sports Complex in the Belarusian capital city. Two days of official training sessions have given all the teams the chance to get acquainted to the sand at the beach soccer venue, and everything is now ready for five unforgettable days in Minsk. 

2015 Bronze medalist Portugal and Switzerland, precisely the opponent they beat in the last edition of the European Games to seize the medal, will kick start the action in Minsk, with the first points at stake in group A.

Defending Gold medalists Russia will follow, facing Spain in a game that will get toghether two of the sides in a better shape in the Old Continent. And only one of them will walk out with the points. 

The owners of the 2015 silver medal and defending European League champions Italy will face Ukraine in their first game (6:00 pm). The Azzurri know that the Ukrainians are capable of upsetting anyone, and they will need to make sure that this anyone is not them in this first matchday in Minsk. Ukraine, in turn, will try to make the most of the fact that they seem not to be amongst the favourites to cause more than one upset, willing to go all the way in these European Games and fly back home with a madel hanging down their necks.  

In the last match of the day, hosts Belarus will take on Romania in fight for the first win in the competition. Both the team and the local supporters have high expectations put in these European Games, and they need to start in the best possible manner to keep having all their options alive in their quest for a medal.