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MY BEACH SOCCER 
The Vietnamese join the Asian elite as they knock Oman down to earn place in semifinals together with continent giants
UAE earn semifinals after retaining Uzbekistan’s reaction
UAE will be in the fight for the medals of this Asian Beach Games Phuket 2014, following their 6-4 win over one of the most surprising teams of the competition: Uzbekistan. Despite facing one of Asian giants, and being forced to fight a wide score, the cheeky Uzbeks never lost face to the game, and managed to cut the distance off until the final 6-4.
This first quarterfinals fixture began in a pretty busy fashion, with both teams finding the opposite nets in the first three minutes. Salem opened the score for UAE, but Sharipov rapidly replied for Uzbekistan, leaving the score one apiece. The Emirati, playing their favourite role, counteracted again and hit up to four times before the period was over to build a consistent lead. The momentum was not over for the Guga-coached side after the break, as Adel added to The White’s advantage in the first minute of the second period to make it 6-1. Before the end of the second leg, though, Abdurazzakov, pulled one back for the Uzbeks. That goal would light up their spirit, and they who would try to accomplish the comeback during the last period, only to see their reaction fall two goals short, due to the brilliant defensive job by UAE, first semifinalists of this Asian Beach Games Phuket 2014.
Goals: 1-0: Salem, min. 11 (1); 1-1: Sharipov, min. 9 (1); 2-1: Alhammadi, min. 8 (1); 3-1: Ali Karim, min. 6 (1); 4-1: Salem,min. 1 (1); 5-1: Aljasmi, min. 0 (1); 6-1: Adel, min. 11 (1); 6-2: Abdurazzakov, min. 5 (2); 6-3: Sharipov, min. 5 (3); 6-4: Sharipov, min. 3 (3)
Japan joins best-four after brilliant third period
The Japanese National Team will stay in the fight for the medals after an exhausting combat against China, decided thanks to a brilliant 4-0 run in the last six minutes in the game. The battle between the Nippon and the Dragons was fairly balanced during the first two stages, but after the last break, Japan took off, destination semifinals.
China set it clear that they would be a very uncomfortable opponent for Japan, and Wen, just two minutes into the game, put his team ahead. Japan’s reaction was blunt: three goals that turned the score around for the 1-3. The Chinese side reacted again, bouncing back to level the score again, with one goal before the break and the equalizer immediately after it. That 3-3 was the unmistakable sign that, if Japan wanted to fight for the medals, they would need to work really hard for it. And so they did, with four goals in six minutes that sealed their go-through to the semifinals, where they will take on Vietnam for a place in the final.
Goals: 1-0: Wen, min. 10 (1); 1-1: Akaguma, min. 7 (1); 1-2: Oba, min. 8 (2); 1-3: Goto, min. 5 (2); 2-3: Chen, min. 4 (2); 3-3: Cai, min. 11 (3); 3-4: Ozu, min. 6 (3); 3-5: Akaguma, min. 4 (3); 3-6: Oda, min. 1 (3); 3-7: Matsuo, min. 0 (3)
Penalty kick thriller sends Vietnam to semifinals
The Vietnamese National Beach Soccer team made history today, after accessing the semifinals of the Asian Beach Games Phuket 2014. The Tuyen edged the 2010 runner-ups, Oman, in a terrifically balanced match in which both teams scored one goal in each of the periods, and only the penalty shootout would make the difference.
After two goals were scored rather quickly during first stage, the pace of the game settled down a bit, and the score remained untouched for almost two periods. By the end of the second leg, Oman wanted to take control, but that will was immediately contested by Vietnam’s Bui, who would not let his team go to the second break down in the score. Things would not change in the third period, either, with both contenders trying to hit without being hit, and one goal falling at each end. No more goals were seen in the extra time, so only the penalty kick roulette could determine who joined the best-four pack. The shootout was as thrilling as the rest of the game, and after 11 shots, Tran Vinh sent his attempt in to write a glorious page in the history of Vietnam’s Beach Soccer.
Goals: 0-1: Tran, min. 10 (1); 1-1: Yaqoub, min. 4 (1); 2-1: Abdullah, min. 1 (2); 2-2: Bui, min. 0 (1); 2-3: Al Oraimi, min. 10 (3); 3-3: Bui, min. 8 (3);
Penalty kick shootout: Al Raimi, in; Le, in; Al Sauti, saved; Bui, in; Yaqoub, in; Tran, saved; Al Farsi, in; Huynh, in; Yahya, in; Phung, in; Abdullah, out; Tran Vinh, in.
Iran finishes the Thai dream
The Iran National Team beat Thailand in the fight for the last berth for semifinals. The defending champions had to face a tough and spirited side, playing passionately in front of their people, but the Persian were successful, mainly thanks to their greater international experience.
The Iranian team wanted job done the sooner the better. Akbari and Abdollahi opened the score and had the Asian kings comfortably ahead. Thailand tried to react, first, by denying any attempt their opponents might take, and, second, targeting the opposite goal, to finally strike by the end of the second stage. Seeing how the Elephants had grown within the match, and heading to the end of the game, Iran needed to secure that the mighty Thais would not cause them a major upset, and geared up in search of one more goal to seal their victory and their ticket to semifinals. After a couple of chances, Akbari found the back of the Thai net for the second time, and ended the host’s dream to fight for the medals in the Asian Beach Games they are playing at home soil, in front of a crowd that was sensational today again.
Goals: 0-1: Akbari, min. 7 (1); 0-2: Abdollahi, min. 5 (1); 1-2: Songpiew, min. 2 (2); 1-3: Akbari, min. 3 (3);
ASIAN BEACH GAMES PHUKET 2014
Results today:
Wednesday, 19th of November
11:00 – UAE 6-4 Uzbekistan
12:15 – China 3-7 Japan
13:30 – Oman 3(4)-3(5) Vietnam
14:45 – Thailand 1-3 Iran
Matches for tomorrow:
Thursday, 20th of November
11:00 – Oman vs China – Play-off for 5th place
12:15 – Thailand vs Uzbekistan – Play-off for 5th place
13:30 – Vietnam vs Japan – Semifinal 1
14:45 – UAE vs Iran – Semifinal 2
