Brazil and Portugal open with wins
HOSTS UAE GO DOWN FIGHTING TO FORMER EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS IN BEACH SOCCER
orld champions Brazil maintained their unbeaten run, notching up their 43rd consecutive win while the UAE went down against twotime world champions Portugal as the seventh Huawei Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup got under way at the Marasi Business Bay yesterday.
Down by an early goal, the defending world champions from South America came up with a late rally in the third period to outplay African champions Egypt 10-3, while the hosts produced their best before caving in 6-4 against Portugal.
Egypt stunned Brazil with a goal from Ali Rashid Al Hossaini but captain Bruno Xavier brought the world champions right back as the teams finished a tight opening period 1-1. The pressure continued in the second period with Egypt matching Brazil goal for goal as the South Americans finished 4-3 ahead.
The third and final period belonged entirely to Brazil as they showed their class and pedigree — something that fetched them the 2017 Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup held in The Bahamas — as they scored six unanswered goals to nullify the African challenge.
“The first match is always tough as one doesn’t know what exactly to expect of the other team. I think my boys were a bit nervous as well and that showed in our inability to score from easy chances that came our way,” Bruno Xavier told Gulf News.
Brazil’s next opponent today will be Portugal. “For sure every match is like a final for us. There are going to no easy matches here as only the best come to Dubai,” Bruno Xavier said. Brazil Portugal 11 6 Egypt UAE 3 4
“We have to do what we need to do and get our hands on the trophy at the end of the week. For us, the next match is the most important one and we are willing to keep on winning,” he added.
The second match between the UAE and Portugal witnessed two red cards within a minute of the second period. But that failed to dampen the former European champions as they strolled to a spirited 5-4 win against the hosts with Jordan Santos bagging a welldeserved hat-trick.
Goalkeeper gets red card
Leonardo Santos gave Portugal an early lead when he poked from close in the very first minute and Santos made it 2-0 with 1.18 minutes remaining. Ali Mohammad pulled one back with 18.4 seconds left as the UAE trailed 1-2 at the end of the first period.
The second period was not a good sign for the Portuguese as goalkeeper Elinton Andrade got a red card for handling outside the area and then less than a minute later, Bernardo Santos was shown a straight red for a rash foul on Ali Hassan Karim, who scored from the free kick and draw level 2-2.
The UAE tried to cash in on the one-man advantage, but stand-in goalkeeper Tiago Ferreira did well to keep them at bay. Santos scored his second midway through the period, and then added a third in the final period. But the UAE was far from finished as young Hasham Al Muntazer came in as a late substitute to shoot in a brace and tie the score 4-4 with less than four minutes left.
However, the experienced Joao Victor Saraiva [Madjer] made the difference when it mattered as he converted a free kick and Santos came in to poke home with only two seconds remaining to curb the UAE spirit.