Ukraine, Switzerland, Portugal and Russia secure World Cup presence

After today’s quarterfinal matches in this FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Qualifier, four teams have earned a place in the big tournament taking place next year. Ukraine, Switzerland and Russia have sidelined Romania, Hungary and Spain, respectively, thanks to convincing victories, and Portugal have needed the penalty shootout to get their tickets.

Besides, tournament goes on tomorrow here in Bibione, with the final four contender trying to get into the final. The first semifinal will be played between Ukraine and Switzerland (17:45), and the second one will face Portugal and Russia (19:00)

Ukraine exhibition merits World Cup ticket (6-3)

Ukraine have got the first ticket to World Cup after winning Romania in a match that got really difficult for them in the first stages. But the Ukrainians did a great job to turn the score upside down and give then no options for the Romanian to fight back.

Maci’s magic brought the first goal of the match, when straight snatching a corner kick in. Romanians were strongly determined to get their place in the World Cup, and they could not find a better way to field it. After this great beginning and far from making any step backwards, the Carpathian side kept on with the ball control, preventing any danger from the Ukrainian side.  Andrii Borsuk almost got the equalizer in one of the chef’s specialties, mid-range free kick, but the ball hit the post. It was the Romanian, instead, the ones to drill again their opponents’ goal, thanks to a nice attempt by Raj. Nazarenko finally managed to get his team one goal down again, but along came Romanian’s finest again to make it 3-1 with an amazing bicycle kick. Last breath for the blue ones was prized with the 3-2 by Zborovskyi, what got them back close on the pursuit.

Things changed after the break. Ukraine began looking intensely towards Romanian end, and in the fourth minute of this second period they got the equalizer, when a shot by Korniychuk was decisively deflected by Dobre towards his own net. It was not enough for Kucherenkov’s side, who kept on with the siege on their contender’s goal. Little afterwards, Igor Borsuk put his side ahead in the score for the first time in the whole game.

The match had got precisely into what the Ukrainian squad wanted it to be, seeming absolutely comfortable with this new role they had earned. It was Romania now who had to fight back for a ticket to World Cup, needless to say, a really worthy prize. But they did not find the way. Ukraine remained solid and took advantage of their only two chances to make the score 6-3, thanks to last-minute hits by Nazarenko and Igor Borsuk.

Goals: 0-1: Maci, min. 11 (1). 0-2: Raj, min. 3 (1); 1-2: Nazarenko, min. 2 (1); 1-3: Maci, min.2 (1); 2-3: Zborovskyi, min. 1 (1); 3-3: Dobren (o.g.), min. 7 (2); 4-3: A. Borsuk, min. 5 (2); Nazarenko, min. 1 (3); I. Borsuk, min. 1 (3)

Magyar goal wakes Swiss up to the World Cup

Current champions of last Euro Beach Soccer League stage in Lignano have secured they are not missing the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup taking place next year. They have had to work it hard though, after being surprised by dynamic Hungarians, who even got ahead in the score in a really hard fought game.

First minutes of this exciting fixture became a blow exchange between both squads, with goalkeepers doing the best of jobs for their teams. None of them, though, managed to get in command of the scoreboard in a really tight match. The spectacle was also leveled on the stands, thanks to the noisy crowds of both sides that brought a great atmosphere to the stadium again.

Goals were not to come until the second half. It was the Magyar the ones to strike first, Ughy being the man. The cold water bucket necessarily awakened the Swiss, who, being one of the favourites, were out of the World Cup at that moment. The Alpine reaction did not take long to come, when Spacca’s volley hit the Hungarian net. No time to lose for Switzerland, who wanted to get among the greatest the sooner the better.

But it was not until the last time that they could secure their classification to FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2011. In a matter of two minutes, Schirinzi’s header and Leu’s acrobatic shot after a post refusal to one of Stankovic’s missiles turned things redder that ever. Besenyei raised the Magyar one goal down, but experimented Swiss side was not to let Hungary surprise them again.

Goals: 0-1: Ughy, min. 9 (2); 1-1: Spacca, min. 6 (2); 2-1: Schirinzi, min. 8 (3); 3-1, Leu, min. 6 (3); 3-2: Besenyei, min. 3 (3)  

Penalty shootout way in for Portugal

Portugal have had to gain their ticket to the next FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup from the 9-meter spot, after amazing Poland have scored the 5-5 in the very last breath of the game. Madjer’s team has seen how their opponent leveled the score every single time they got ahead, and have had to earn their ticket with his captain’s well aimed shot at the shootout.

The Portuguese quickly put the match at their side, with another of Madjer’s charm offerings. But this time Portugal’s finest saw his goal immediately neutralized by Widzicki’s missile for the 1-1. Now, it was the turn for the other bomber to come to the rescue. And he did not miss at. Belchior, in an individual move, dribbled his marker and sent a low shot that the Polish goalkeeper could not save. After such busy minutes, the game’s pace lowered a bit, and the scoreboard did not move again in this first period.

Host Italia’s banes were not to surrender that early, and Kubiak got another equalizer for his team after a perfectly executed free kick. The stroke exchange became a little unleveled there, thanks to the goals by Alan and Birlo, getting a two-goal rent for Portugal. But Poland have already shown that they are not of the giving-up kind, and how… So they kept on struggling and managed to shorten the score before the end of the second period, thanks to a smart move by Ziober, who tapped in a lost ball from a free kick.

Everything was to be decided in the third period, precisely the one in which Poland left Italy out in an incredible comeback yesterday. And this is just what they got into the way of doing, thanks to Waleszczyk, although this time Belchior would immediately awake them with a powerful shot from the half of the pitch. But the amazing Polish did a new miracle, and with the time almost finished, Widzicki headed the ball in after a corner kick, making the large Polish crowd explode in cheers.

After three minutes of Extra time, the scoreboard remained untouched, and this exciting quarterfinals qualifying showdown headed so for the penalty shootout, which would finally determine the team to get among the privileged World Cup contenders. Things could not get more exciting…

The penalty shootout meant the end of Poland’s adventure. After Jarosiewicz missed the first attempt for the Slavs, it was Madjer the one to take Portugal’s. And this is quite a life insurance for the Iberians. Left footed sorcerer made the goalie think the ball was going to his left, just to send the ball into the opposite direction. Portugal will have their ball in the World Cup pot.

Goals: 0-1: Madjer, min. 8 (1); 1-1: Widzicki, min. 7 (1); -2: Belchior, min. 6 (1); 2-2: Kubiack, min. 9 (2); 2-3, Alan, min. 7 (2); 2-4: Birlo, min. 2 (2); 3-4: Ziober, min. 2 (2); 4-4: Waleszczyck, min. 6 (3); 4-5: Belchior, min. 5. (3), 5-5: Widzicki, min. 1 (3)

Russia knocks Spain out of the World Cup

Russia and Spain have showed why they found themselves among the favourites, not only for this competition but of any the take part in. Both teams had offered a real strength, skill and power display in this last match of the quarterfinals, but the Russian have been better and they had made their way to the semifinals, and, most important, to next FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup.

The Russian squad began the match making things really difficult for the Spaniards yet in the first minutes. Zaikhin and Leonov put the score into 2-0, proving again the excellent shot that have made them the tournament’s top scorers so far. Juanma cut the distance in the last minute of the first period, and began the Spanish escalade that would put La Roja 2-4 ahead by the beginning of the third period. Fourth Spaniard goal was a real piece of art, carried out by twins Cristian and Javi Torres, with the first lifting for the latter bicycle kick right into Russian goalmouth.

But, although Spaniards expected the best for this match, Russia was to crash any illusion with a new landside power exhibition, scoring up to eight goals before the final horn, and changing that 2-4 of the beginning of the period into a hierarchy-empowering 8-4 at the end. In their run towards the trophy, once classification is safe, the Russian will face Portugal tomorrow, in a match that promises a new spectacular clash for a place in the final.

Goals: 1-0: Zaikhin, min. 10 (1); 2-0: Leonov, min. 9 (1); 2-1: Juanma, min. 1 (1); 2-2: Miguel Beiro, min. 6 (2); 2-3: Juanma, min. 1 (2); 2-4: Javi Torres, min. 11 (3); 3-4: Gorchinskiy, min. 8 (3); 4-4: Krasheninnikov, min. 5 (3); 5-4: Leonov, min. 3 (3); 6-4: Gorchinskiy, min. 2 (3); 7-4: Shishin, min. 1(3); 8-4: Shishin, min. 1(3);

These are the complete results and fixtures for tomorrow: