Mozambique: One goal away from the “quarters” of the Beach Soccer World Cup

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

Mozambique: One goal away from the “quarters” of the Beach Soccer World Cup

7:00 CAT | 24 Aug 2021

Photo: FIFA

Elisio Uamusse

The participation of Mozambique in the Beach Soccer World Cup came to an end on Monday with an 8-7 defeat by Tahiti in the third round of Group B matches in Russia.

In a well-balanced match, in which the result was uncertain from the beginning, the Tahiti team was the first to score with a goal by Tehau after just three minutes.

The same player re-established parity with an own goal a minute later, the ball rebounding off the post onto his legs and from there into goal.

The same minute, Tetauira restored Tahiti’s lead, but Nelson responded, re-establishing the tie at 4-4.

In the 10th minute, Salem broke the tie for the Tahitians, before the first break.

In the second period, the Mozambicans tied again with a goal by Mussa, at 15 minutes. Then came another goal for Tahiti, this time by Salem, before Nelson again scored, restoring the tie in the same minute.

The second period ended with Tahiti leading by two goals, both scored by Salem, in the 19th and 24th minutes.

In the third period, with the score 6-4 in favour of Tahiti, the national team found itself needing only to draw to qualify for the quarter-finals, and went in with everything it had.

Nelson claimed his hat-trick in the 30th minute, reducing the deficit to one goal, but it climbed back to two when Paama scored a minute later.

Shortly thereafter, Nelson was sent off, after the referee Ingilab Mammadov adjudged contact with an opponent too vigorous – a situation well used by the Tahititians, who scored their eighth goal, Raimana Li Fung Kuee profiting from the free kick to give Tahiti a commanding 8-5 advantage.

Faced with possibly the final blow, Abineiro Ussaca’s boys put on their fighting shorts and reduced the difference again, with goals by Dez and Malate in the 35th and 36th minute.

All that lacked was the one magic goal that would have dictated passage to the next stage.

Mozambique’s dream of making history in beach soccer ended with three points, obtained in the 4-2 victory against the United Arab Emirates in the second round, after the 4-8 defeat against Spain.

For the record are the 15 goals scored in Mozambique’s first appearance in a Beach Soccer World Cup, seven of them scored by Figo, five by Nelson and the remaining three by Mussa, Dez and Malate.

For now, the prospect is of the next edition of the African Cup of Nations, which Mozambique will itself host on the beaches of Vilankulo in 2022.

Source: O País