Victory to order: how Russia defeated Japan and advanced to the playoffs of the home beach soccer World Cup

For the final match of the group stage with Japan, the Russian national team approached with not the greatest points luggage.

It was expected that the wards of Mikhail Likhachev will start the home tournament with confident victories over the inferior USA and Paraguay in class, but the hosts in these meetings unexpectedly faced serious problems.

They managed to beat the Americans only in extra time, and the Latin Americans only in a penalty shootout.

Thus, the team had only three points to its credit and in order to take first place it had to beat the Asians in regular time with the largest possible score.

Moreover, theoretically, the domestic team risked not even leaving the group.

This could happen in the event of a victory of one of the parties in the confrontation between the United States and Paraguay in the main time and the defeat of Russia.

Unfortunately, the desired draw did not happen.

The Latin Americans confidently beat the rival (9: 4) and bypassed the hosts by the goal difference - +2 against +1.

Therefore, the two-time world champions were preparing for the meeting very seriously.

For example, one of the old-timers of the national team Anton Shkarin expressed concern that the fans on Monday "will be harassed."

“We warn you that there will be no nerves left by the end of the championship.

We are such a team: we will drive ourselves into a difficult situation, and then heroically try to get out of it ... Such victories, when you overcome some difficult situations, give you additional emotions, because you understand that until the last second nothing is lost.

Especially if you win, then it’s easier to come out ”, - quotes the words of the footballer Bsrussia.com.

The Japanese, who scored the maximum six points in the first two rounds, were eager not only to complete the group stage with three victories, but also to take revenge on the hosts for the defeat in the match for the bronze medals of the previous world championship.

Then Likhachev's wards prevailed thanks to Fedor Zemskov's hat-trick - 5: 4.

However, this time the fans did not have to be nervous.

On the contrary, they were given an extra charge of positive emotions, which were not given in the first matches of the group stage.

The game started for the Russian national team just fine.

Already at the ninth second, Likhachev's wards opened an account.

After Anton Shkarin's kick, the ball flew into the goal of the Japanese from the opponent's knee.

And from whom - Ozu Moreira himself, the playing coach and captain of the Asians.

However, it was definitely not worth relaxing.

In the meeting with Paraguay, the team also scored a quick goal, but in the end they barely won the penalty shootout.

However, if in that fight the hosts then gave up the initiative to the opponent and relaxed, then this time they did not relieve the pressure for a second.

It was well felt that the domestic players were perfectly tuned in to the decisive confrontation, and the major victory of Paraguay over the United States motivated them additionally.

The fans, who literally drove Our Guys forward, also helped.

The Japanese broke down under such pressure and showed nothing at all in the first period.

Maxim Chuzhkov was left practically without work and did not enter the game often.

It rarely came to blows, because the Russians did not even allow their counterparts to launch attacks, including pressure already on the other side of the site.

But at the other's gates, a lot turned out.

In the third minute, the hosts increased their lead.

The standard position helped.

After entering the ball from out, Artur Paportny dealt a powerful blow to the rally under the crossbar.

Although the projectile was flying almost in the center, the goalkeeper did not have time to react.

And a little over four minutes before the break, Zemskov scored, who had not yet scored at the home championship.

Fedor, in the corporate style, earned the ball and sent it through himself to the far corner.

And again, the legendary Ozu Moreira did not play in the best way - he did not have time to cover the striker's shot.

It is finally clear that the Japanese have nothing to count on, it became at the beginning of the second period, when Chuzhkov struck someone else's gate.

After filing a corner, he successfully played at the exit, and then was the first to bounce and struck from his half of the court.

The ball should have been an easy prey for Yusuke Kawai if it hadn't jumped on a sand slide.

As a result, the projectile, along an intricate trajectory, flew right behind the goalkeeper's collar.

Having achieved a major advantage, the Russians gave up the initiative to their opponent.

However, the guests still did not succeed.

It seemed that in every micro-product the Russians were gaining the upper hand.

It was felt that they were not only perfectly tuned, but also perfectly physically prepared.

As a result, Chuzhkov again had practically no work.

I remember only his save after the shot of Ruyota Tsuboaya.

The response of the national team turned out to be much more dangerous.

Two minutes before the break, Boris Nikanorov, after the transfer of a partner, got ahead of the defender and moved the projectile to the target in touch.

Unfortunately, the barbell saved the Asians in this episode.

Nevertheless, the confidence remained that, if necessary, the hosts are able to add and score more.

This happened at the beginning of the final period.

Only four seconds were enough for Russia to score the fifth goal.

And Ferranotny was cast again.

After Dmitry Shishin's discount, he sent the projectile to the far corner.

After that, the experienced footballer caught a real courage and, a few minutes later, scored a hat-trick.

He also managed to punish Kawai for losing the goal.

Only if the slide helped Chuzhkov to score, then Arthur sent the ball over the goalkeeper in touch, taking advantage of a successful rebound from the opponent.

The DJ at that moment turned on the famous track of the Chaif ​​group "Argentina - Jamaica", urging the fans to chant the slightly changed score - 6: 0.

Such a defeat from the Russian national team after an ambiguous start was not expected.

And absolutely everyone had a great match.

Paportony scored a hat-trick.

Zemskov scored the first goal in the tournament.

And Chuzhkov played to zero and hit the other's goal.

The Japanese, on the other hand, can only score a beautiful overhead goal by Takuya Akaguma.

True, Stanislav Kosharny missed him, and Chuzhkov's statistics remained impeccable.

But the reserve goalkeeper was also marked with a plus sign.

He "bewitched" Akaguma and forced him to hit the crossbar from the penalty spot.

But the last word remained with the winners.

Moments before the final whistle, after the transfer of a partner, Nikanorov still struck an empty net and scored the third goal in the tournament.

Thus, Likhachev's wards not only won a debut victory in regulation time, but also rose to first place in the group. In the quarterfinals, the hosts will face a confrontation with Spain.