Russia won its third beach soccer world title today by defeating Japan (5-2) in the final in a game that the Slavs dominated from the first minutes.
There was no room for surprise. The hosts came out for the game from the first minutes and, unlike against the Swiss, they were not surprised by the Japanese team, a semi-finalist two years ago.
In the first quarter, Zemskov’s goal was enough after four minutes (1-0). The Asians tied at the beginning of the second period through Akaguma through the legendary Ozu Moreira. But the Russians regained the initiative in the game and on the scoreboard with two direct free-kick goals from Krashenninikov and Novikov.
Akaguma cut distances from the penalty spot at 17 minutes putting the heart into a fist to the local parish, but Paporotniy put things in their place two minutes later. Thus ended the second set (4-2).
The Japanese tried in part three, but were the Russians who re-scored through Krashenninikov. The result would no longer move. (5-2)
In this way, the Russians brilliantly conquered their third wound after those achieved consecutively in 2011 and 2013. Meanwhile, the Japanese climb a notch after fourth place in 2019, although the world title is resisting them.
The third place on the podium went to Switzerland, the revelation team of the tournament, which defeated Senegal (9-7). This meeting was even more exciting and entertaining than the grand finale.
It was a give and take in which the Swiss had the advantage of having an inspired Hodel, who scored four goals and became the tournament’s top scorer (12 goals) ahead of his compatriot Stankovic and Japan’s Akaguma, with ten goals each.
Senegal, who had never gone this far, had to settle for the fourth place despite giving the big surprise in the semifinals by eliminating Brazil.
The current champion, Portugal, was felled in the first phase. Spain fell in quarters against the Russians (4-2) and Uruguay was crushed in the same phase for Switzerland (10-1). El Salvador and Paraguay did not pass the group stage.
The World Cup was played in the Festival Square, which is located in front of the Luzhnikà Olympic Stadium, where the final of the 2018 World Cup in Russia was played.