STORE 
MY BEACH SOCCER 
The Japanese side beat the locals in the day’s final game to see both teams into the next round
Lokomotiv and Tokyo Verdy join Spartak Moscow and SC Braga in the Mundialito de Clubes semi-finals.
There were surprises and upsets on day three at the Mundialito de Clubes in Moscow, as the group stages came to a dramatic conclusion.
Levante took their first win to momentarily level things up in Group A, while Braga suffered their first ever defeat in the competition, and new boys Tokyo Verde overturned two-time winners Lokomotiv.
Spartak Moscow remain the only team yet to be beaten.
Levante (ESP) 12-5 Alanya Belediyespor (TUR)
Their win over Tokyo Verdy on Thursday meant that Alanya opened Group A up, gifting themselves and Levante a precious lifeline in their quest to make the knockout stages.
Levante hadn’t won a game so far, but Chiky put away the opener after just a minute, but Baris responded soon after with his third of the tournament. Stankovic redirected a long shot to take the lead for the Turkish team, but in the second period, Chiky was there again to arrow a freekick past Peyman Hosseini.
Javi Torres chested in a third for the Spanish champions, but the Turkish talisman Cem Keskin powered an overhead in to level up. Antonio, no stranger to stunning goals, sent a supreme strike into the top corner to retake the lead and then Rafinha volleyed in two identical goals within seconds of each other to make it 6-3.
Goals either side of the second break for Chiky saw him take his tally for the day to four, while Baris and Javi Torres bagged a second each, but when Dmais, and Sanfilippo joined the Levante scoring, there was no going back for Alanya, as the Spaniards ended the match with an incredible 12 goals.
The teams now sat on three points apiece and had to wait for the outcome of the day’s final game to see who would make the next round…
Goals: 1-0: Chiky, min. 11 (1); 1-1: Baris, min. 8 (1); 1-2: Stankovic, min. 4 (1); 2-2: Chiky, min. 8 (2); 3-2: Javi Torres, min. 7 (2); 3-3: Cem Keskin, min. 7 (2); 4-3: Antonio, min. 5 (2); 5-3: Rafinha, min. 3 (2); 6-3: Rafinha, min. 3 (2); 7-3: Chiky, min. 1 (2); 8-3: Chiky, min. 10 (3); 9-3: Javi Torres, min. 8 (3); 9-4: Baris, min. 7 (3); 10-4: Dmais, min. 5 (3); 10-5: Brendo, min. 5 (3); 11-5: Sanfilippo, min. 5 (3); 12-5: Sanfilippo, min. 3 (3);
BSC Lokomotiv (RUS) 3-6 Tokyo Verdy (JPN)
The teams heading to the knockout stage from Group A depended on this meeting between the two-time champions and the newcomers…
The leading scorer in the competition, and winner of the top scorer award in the previous edition, Lucao netted first for Lokomotiv, and when Nikonorov doubled the lead it looked as if it would be another decisive win for the Railwaymen…
Voloshin made it three in the second period but Mauricinho put away his first of the competition to spark an inspired comeback, as Shusei Yamauchi blasted in a freekick and then Ryota turned in from close range to level the scores in the blink of an eye!
The momentum didn’t stop there, as Mauricinho took a second goal and Mateusinho pushed the Tokyo advantage to 5-3 early in the third period, and the final nail in the coffin came from a net-breaking penalty from the captain Ozu.
The heroics of the debutants Japanese means that both teams will now battle in the semi-finals, where Tokyo’s next challenge is against the defending champions, SC Braga.
Goals: 1-0: Lucao, min. 10 (1); 2-0: Nikonrov, min. 3 (1); 3-0: Voloshin, min. 8 (2); 3-1: Mauricinho, min. 4 (2); 3-2: Jose, min. 3 (2); 3-3: Ryota, min. 1 (2); 3-4: Mauricinho, min. 1 (2); 3-5: Mateusinho, min. 9 (3); 3-6: Ozu, min. 4 (3);
Spartak Moscow (RUS) 6-4 SC Braga (POR)
Someone’s unbeaten run would inevitably come to an end when SC Braga met Spartak Moscow in first place versus second in Group B, but both teams went into the tie safe in the knowledge that they had secure semi-final spots.
It was a first goal of the tournament for Kotov when he got the hosts off the mark midway through the first period, but the world’s best player Jordan tucked away an equalizer minutes later and then Andre, making up for his own goal the day before, snatched the lead just after the first break.
This slim advantage remained intact all the way into the third period, where Zemskov nodded in an equalizing goal and moments later Pavlenko fired in number three to put the Russian side back in front.
That goal seemed to break the deadlock and the hosts snapped into action as Makarov smashed in a freekick, then Antonio and Zemskov added to the tally to make it 6-2. Leo Martins and Bruno Xavier grabbed two late goals back for the floundering Braga but time eventually ran out.
SC Braga may be through to the next round, but they suffered their first ever defeat in the Mundialito de Clubes, while Spartak remain undefeated going into the knockout stages.
Goals: 1-0: Kotov, min. 4 (1); 1-1: Jordan, min. 3(1); 1-2: Andre, min. 11 (2); 2-2: Zemskov, min. 11 (3); 3-2: Pavlenko, min. 10 (3); 4-2: Makarov, min. 7 (3); 5-2: Antonio, min. 7 (3); 6-2: Zemskov, min. 5 (3); 6-3: Leo Martins, min. 4 (3); 6-4: Bruno Xavier, min. 4 (3);
CR Flamengo (BRA) 5-4 Grasshopper CZ (SUI)
Having lost their opening two games, neither Flamengo and Grasshopper Zurich could make it to the next round, but the reward of a win in their final group match was enough to make the match an intense one.
It didn’t take long for Thanger to thump in the opener which took a fortunate bounce off the sand to deceive Sydorenko, but straight from the kick off, the Swiss hit back through captain Bernardo.
In an action-packed minute, Rodrigo pounced on a rebounded shot to retake the lead, but in the rest of the period the action subsided and Grasshopper were unable to find an equlaiser, and Flamengo struggled to extend the lead.
The second period passed with no more goals. Then, in the final third, Rodrigo burst into life to inspire his team, netting twice in a minute to put Flamengo into a 4-1 lead. However, before long the Swiss star Glen Hodel replied with a quick-fire brace of his own to pull it back to 4-3.
Alejandro bagged a final killer goal for the Brazilians, and even Voitok’s final-second effort couldn’t force extra time as Grasshopper Zurich end the group stage without a win.
Goals: 1-0: Thanger, min. 10 (1); 1-1: Bernardo, min. 10 (1); 2-1: Rodrigo, min. 9 (1); 3-1: Rodrigo, min. 11 (3); 4-1: Rodrigo, min. 10 (3); 4-2: Hodel, min. 10 (3); 4-3: Hodel, min. 7 (3); 5-3: Alejandro, min. 4 (3); 5-4: Voitok, min. 0 (3);
For more information on the Mundialito de Clubes, including Saturday’s semi-final fixtures, click here.
