Russia kicked off their bid for a fifth Euro Beach Soccer League Superfinal title with a solid 4-1 win against near-neighbours Belarus on Thursday.
Despite losing Dmitrii Shisin and Alexey Makarov to injury at the recent domestic cup finale in Varga, the Russians bounced back from a goal down to claim maximum points with the help of a Viktor Kryshanov brace.
Belarus – who have been under impressive form of late and ran Russia close during the Moscow stage in July – led through their talismanic captain Ihar Bryshtsel’s calm finish three minutes in.
However, it proved a shortlived advantage as Kryshanov levelled a minute later before the Russian edged his side in front inside the final minute of the opening frame.
Things remained tense while the sides were separated by just the one goal, but Boris Nikonorov extended the advantage late in the second frame before goalkeeper Maksim Chuzhkov sealed the points with a long-range strike nine minutes from time.
Mikhail Likhachev’s men saw out the win with relative ease, kickstarting their bid for a fifth title in style.
Goals: 1-0 Bryshtel, min. 9 (1); 1-1: Kryshanov. V, min. 8 (1); 1-2: Kryshanov. V, min. 0 (1); 1-3: Nikonorov, min. 4 (2); 1-4: Chuzhkov, min. 9 (3)
EURO BEACH SOCCER LEAGUE SUPERFINAL & PROMOTION FINAL TERRACINA 2017
Thursday 14.09.2017
08:30 – England 2-4(aet) Turkey (Promotion Final, Group Two)
09:45 – Estonia 4-2 Bulgaria (Promotion Final, Group One)
11:00 – Moldova 3-8 Hungary (Promotion Final, Group Two)
12:15 – Romania 4-8 Greece (Promotion Final, Group One)
13:30 – Spain 7-2 Switzerland (Superfinal, Group One)
14:45 – Belarus 1-4 Russia (Superfinal, Group Two)
16:00 – Poland v Portugal (Superfinal, Group One)
17:15 – Italy v Ukraine (Superfinal, Group Two)
Upcoming matches:
Friday 15.09.2017
08:30 – England v Moldova (Promotion Final, Group Two)
09:45 – Estonia v Romania (Promotion Final, Group One)
11:00 – Hungary v Turkey (Promotion Final, Group Two)
12:15 – Greece v Bulgaria (Promotion Final, Group One)
13:30 – Spain v Poland (Superfinal, Group One)
14:45 – Ukraine v Russia (Superfinal, Group Two)
16:00 – Portugal v Switzerland (Superfinal, Group One)
17:15 – Belarus v Italy (Superfinal, Group Two)
(Source: BSWW)