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WOMEN’S INTERCONTINENTAL CUP
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Ahuge leap in the development of women’s beach soccer was made with the first edition of the Women’s Intercontinental Cup in 2021
A concept that had long been a dream for many was made a reality in 2021, as the Women’s Intercontinental Beach Soccer Cup was added to the beach soccer calendar.
The event took place at the Luzhniki Park in Moscow in August, in the very same incredible stadium which held the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup just a week after.
Brazil claimed the monumental first trophy, with victories over USA and Spain being enough to overshadow the loss to the Russian hosts on the final day. La Roja took second with a victory over the United States.
Day 1 saw Dani Barboza boss the Spaniards to gift the women in yellow an opening victory, the first-ever points won at the Women’s Intercontinental Cup. The defending World Beach Games managed to neutralize the 2-0 disadvantage, but Barbara Colodetti rocketed the winner to give the Brazilians the point. What a beginning to the competition it was…
Later in the day, the hosts needed extra time to down a United States team who had only played two events previously, but showed that they were clearly competing in the same league as the world’s top teams, denying Russia all three points.
The Stars & Stripes then put three past Brazil on the second day to build an early lead, but they were outgunned in the end as a late comeback saw Lele Villar’s brace make all the difference. In the last game of that second matchdtay, things would get even more dramatic. Spain edged Russia in extra time to paradoxically confirm Brazil as the winners with a day of matches still to play.
The Russian side seemed to be comfortably cruising to a second win, leading the score 3-1 late into the second period with a brace by the tournament’s top scorer Anna Cherniakova.
But a 3-0 run by La Roja in the last half of the game changed things around and made Brazil the champions of the competition.
The first Women’s Intercontinental Cup trophy was already heading back to Brazil, but in one last bout for points, the champions went up against their hosts…
Colodetti was named the MVP of the event. Akylbaeva, Best Goalkeeper, and Cherniakova, Top scorer
On the last matchday, the European champions played their best game in Moscow, beating Brazil by four goals to one. It was too little too late though, and had the locals managed to beat Spain the day before, they would have won the tournament.
Akylbaeva, Zubilova, Bazhanova and Cherniakova scored in the game to make Lele Villa’s goal just meaningless. But the trophy was already at Brazilian hands. and a winless – but undoubtedly competitive and ever-developing - USA came fourth. One of the nominees for the Women’s Best Player of the Year, Andrea Mirón, became the Americans’ worst nightmare in Moscow.
After Spain’s opening 3-0, USA reacted to make things really tight. But when they were trying everything to level the score, putting the Spaniards’ goal under siege, Mirón finished their expectations with the final 4-2.
The Brazilians were worthy winners, and Barbara Colodetti was named tournament MVP, while the host’s keeper Anna Akylbaeva won the award for Best Goalkeeper. Anna Cherniakova, after netting her fourth goal in the final match, took the Top Scorer award.
An historic title for the Verde-Amarela, a solid performance from Russia on home sand (as well as two of the three Individual Awards) and overall, a hugely successful start to the story of the Women’s Intercontinental Beach Soccer Cup.
Beyond this great achievement for the Brazilian Side, what we all experienced in Moscow this August is a victory for the whole beach soccer world. It was the demonstration that the sport keeps growing strong, healthy and stable. It is also the demonstration that more and more countries are ready to make one or two steps forward in the projection of Women’s beach soccer.
This time, only four teams took part in the event, but the Women’s Intercontinental Beach Soccer Cup is here to stay, and it can be, and will always be, considered the seed of a future World Cup. The talent is there, the will is there, and the stage is set. Big things will keep coming.
Mundialito de Clubes Moscow 2021
Edition number eight of the Mundialito de Clubes sees hosts end SC Braga domination
The Mundialito de Clubes Moscow hosts claimed a milestone victory in the 2021 season by downing the Portuguese champions in the final.
In its eighth edition, the battle between the world’s top clubs was forced to be cut short due to emergency Covid-19 restrictions that came into force suddenly in Moscow. The competition was therefore played over two days, 26 and 27 October. BSC Lokomotiv (RUS), BSC Spartak (RUS), SC Braga (POR), Vasco da Gama (BRA), Dinamo Minsk (BLR), Levante (ESP), Tokyo Verdy (JPN) and CD Nacional (PAR).
First ever Mundialito champions Vasco da Gama were back in the competition
On Day 1, victories for Vasco, Lokomotiv, Dinamo Minsk and Braga saw the four clubs reach the semi-finals where Braga and Lokomotiv came out on top to secure a place in the final.
Up to this point, both sides had won both of the two finals they had appeared in, but that record had to end.
The Final
Captain Torres got Braga off the mark after less than two minutes, Zemskov volleyed in a corner soon after, but Lucao was given too much space and time in the middle of the pitch to smash in a bicycle kick.
The event was held for the first time at the magnificent CSKA Arena
Kosharnyi, nominated in the top three goalkeepers in the world, showed his attacking value too when he blasted in an equaliser.
Boris Nikonorov, fresh from winning the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup with Russia, took the game by the horns and smashed in three brilliant goals to see hosts Lokomotiv leading at the second break, despite strikes from both Martins brothers. Borer netted his second of the campaign to push the advantage to two.
Try as they might, the minutes became seconds for the defending champions as their title slipped away, and at the final whistle there was only one winner.
Man of the Moment
Boris Nikonorov was the star of the show, as the Muscovites defeated SC Braga, who have held the title since 2019, in a tense final on the final day in Moscow. In a true representation of how much of a part he played in his team’s success, Nikonorov took home both the Top Scorer award, with eight goals, and the tournament MVP award, while the Best Goalkeeper was awarded to Braga’s Brazilian, Rafa Padilha, a regular face in the Individual Awards. Indeed, the Brazilian goalie was also named as the best in his position in the last edition of the tournament.
Three Mundialito de Clubes finals, three trophies – BSC Lokomotiv make history.
Portugal still on top in Europe as the women return to the sand
Euro Beach Soccer League Superfinal and Promotion Final Figueira da Foz 2021
Host boss European league at home as Estonia win historic promotion to Division A.
The 2021 Euro Beach Soccer League season was full of drama, delight, disappointment and domination. Portugal continued their reign in the men’s division, while the women enjoyed their maiden edition of one of the oldest beach soccer competitions in the world.
In Division B, Moldova impressed by winning their Regular Phase, but Estonia went all the way to securing their first-ever promotion to the continent’s elite division.
Meanwhile, Portugal’s women returned to the sand after a five-year absence and impressed on their comeback.
The season culminated in Figueria da Foz in Portugal in September, where the European champions were named, and two sides exchanged Division A and Division B status…
Three in a row
Portugal may have suffered a disappointing campaign in the 2021 World Cup, due in part to the injuries they suffered earlier in the season, but the season was far from a failure for the 2019 world champions.
Mario Narciso’s men shone in the Regular Stage of the Division A Euro Beach Soccer League, seeing off Azerbaijan, Germany and Ukraine to top their group and convincingly earn a place at the Superfinal.
The team of The Quinas is the most decorated side, with eight titles
Once there, there were drawn alongside Ukraine once more and defeated them more comfortably this time, by 7-5. T
he hosts then edged Switzerland 3-2 and finally downed Italy, the 2018 European champions, 6-3 to remain undefeated. This was enough to see them into the final where they took on Nico Alvarado’s Belarus, who had also not lost in Figueria da Foz. 2019 Best Player Jordan Santos and Leo Martins, nominated among the world’s top three players this season, ran the show to bring home a third consecutive EBSL title as Portugal won 7-4.
Leo Martins won the MVP award, while Russia’s Boris Nikonorov scored ten goal to finish the tournament as Top Scorer and Kanstantsin Mahaletski made sure that one trophy at least returned to Belarus, winning the Best Goalkeeper award.
Russia run riot in Superfinal
In the women’s category, Russia retained the European title that they’ve held since 2018, and won the first-ever Women’s Euro Beach Soccer League.
Eight of Europe’s top nations had made it to Figueira da Foz but two stood out as superior. England and Russia downed
Leo Martins (POR), was named MVP of the competition once again.
Russia beat England to clinch the first ever Women’s EBSL.
opponent after opponent, while Portugal looked impressive on their return to international beach soccer, and gave England a nervy game just losing 3-2, and the hosts went on to beat Czech Republic, scoring some of the tournament’s most impressive goals in the process.
This edition was all about Russia though, who beat England by an imperious eight goals to two in the final after cruising through the group stages. The Lionesses had beaten Russia in the Regular Stage and had been undefeated until the final. They were, however, unprepared for Leonov’s side in the final showdown.
Russia also claimed the MVP, which went to Iana Zubilova, as well as the Best Goalkeeper which was won by Anna Akylbaeva. England’s Molly Clark, scoring seven goals in four games, took home the Top Scorer trophy. nish positions, Spain left it very late to edge Switzerland and take third, while Portugal marked their return to European beach soccer with a win over Ukraine.
Estonia earn place at the elite After such a dominant performance in the Regular Stage, many people’s money was on Moldova to earn promotion to the European elite league, but Estonia, who had also impressed in Chisinau, showed extra reserve in Portugal to mark an
historic achievement in the country’s beach soccer history.
The final of the Regular Stage in Moldova saw the hosts go up against Estonia, where they dealt them a 4-1 defeat, but when the teams met again in Portugal months later, in the all-important final game of the group stage, the Estonians held their nerve to edge the match by four goals to three.
This won them a place in the Promotion Final against the lowest-ranked Division A side, Turkey.
Russia extended their reign after two WEBSC crowns
Turkey had suffered in their campaign in Figueira though, losing their first match to Lithuania. They managed to turn their form around enough to reach the Promotion Final but, on the day, Estonia wanted it more. It was another tight affair, but an own goal and strikes from captain Marmor, Lepik and Alavali were enough to nose past Turkey 4-3 and to earn a place in Division A.
With preparation already in place for the 2022 Euro Beach Soccer League season, the beach soccer world is itching to see how Estonia will fair among the big boys, and whether anyone can prize the European titles from the hands of Portugal’s men and Russia’s women.
