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 News from Around Banderas Bay | April 2008 
Mexico and El Salvador Qualify For the World Cup
 Hans Vandamme & Bob Cohen - PVNN
 BanderasNews is very fortunate to have Beach Soccer Press Manager Hans Vandamme of Belgium and now residing in Barcelona, Spain assist us in reporting daily match results, photos and quotes from coaches and players. Hans will also be keeping our readers updated on all the qualifiers around the globe until the final 16 teams reach the finals in Marseilles, France. It is great to have Hans on board the BanderasNews team. To access more information about the growing sport, visit BeachSoccer.com.
Aztecas Reach Continental Glory in Puerto Vallarta
Although Mexico had a commanding lead heading into the final match day, nothing was settled until El Salvador defeated winless Costa Rica 4-3 in the 3 minute overtime period. Costa Rica, who played uninspired soccer and outscored 14-2 by the United States and Mexico, was still alive in the tournament until the teams went into the extra period. Only 2 points were granted to the winner, there fore eliminating Costa Rica and allowing Mexico to clinch their spot before playing their rival U.S. team in the tournament's final match.
El Salvador, who upset the American team 6-5 in Friday's thriller came out and played much more conservatively than the day before as opposed to Costa Rica, who came out with aggressive and almost desperate play. Throughout the three day round robin event, each team that played aggressively and sometimes even with reckless abandon won their matches, as conservative and calculating strategy was surely not the key to success this weekend.
The final game had a huge implication for two teams, the U.S. team that held destiny in its own hands, needing a victory over Mexico to advance to the World Cup and El Salvador, who had 5 points due to earning only 2 points in their overtime victory. A U.S. victory in regulation play would give them 6 points, one more than El Salvador.
The most anticipated and final match of the highly successful event pitted unbeaten and dominant Mexico against the American team that came into the qualifier as a favorite to advance, but Friday's shocking loss to El Salvador forced them into a needed victory over Mexico. The seats were full hours before the final match with enthusiastic Mexican fans. About 3,000 people that arrived after the stadium was full watched outside on big screen televisions set up for the Mexico-U.S. match.
The Americans and Mexican teams both played deliberate soccer for the first 10 minutes of the game before Mexico scored a goal in the last minute of the period to take a 1-0 lead into the 1st intermission. The U.S. team tied the game with a quick goal opening the 2nd period at 1-1 as competition became extremely intense. Mexico answered and took the lead at 2-1 on a free kick five minutes after the U.S. goal, ending the scoring going into the final 12 minutes of play.
The United States team had many great shots on goal but three consecutive spectacular saves by the Mexican goalie kept the Americans off the scoreboard and appeared to provide the impetus for the Mexican team to hold on to the slim 2-1 lead. As time expired Team Mexico celebrated in front of their frenzied fans as the U.S. team left the field with the realization that just inches kept them from advancing to the World Cup in France this July.
Congratulations to Mexico and El Salvador for outstanding play and we will follow World Cup action hoping that a team from the Puerto Vallarta qualifier will bring home the trophy this year.
2008 World Cup Beach Soccer Qualifying Results:
April 20 - click here for report
Mexico 5 x All Stars 2
April 19
El Salvador 4 x Costa Rica 3
Mexico 2 - USA 1
April 18 - click here for report
El Salvador 6 x USA 5
Mexico 7 - Costa Rica 0
April 17 - click here for report
USA 7 x Costa Rica 2
Mexico 4 - El Salvador 2
 Click here for the complete third matchday report (PDF)
The play has quite different rules than traditional soccer. The games are played in three 12 minute periods and if won in regulation the winner receives 3 points. If the game is tied and goes to overtime and the extra period is only 3 minutes. If still tied, it goes to a shootout until a winner is determined. An overtime victory is worth only 2 points. The top two teams in the Puerto Vallarta qualifier will play for the championship in France in July.
There will be 16 qualifying teams that reach the championship and will be divided into four groups that will play round robin games; the same system utilized in Puerto Vallarta. The top two teams in each division will reach the quarterfinals, leaving 8 teams remaining. These teams will play only one game to determine who advances to the semifinals. The winners will play in the finals for the world championship. In 2007, in Rio De Janeiro Brazil defeated Mexico in the finals. The U.S.A. team finished 13th.
 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2008
Follow the competition from Durban, to Puerto Vallarta, Buenos Aires, Dubai, and Benidorm on the road leading up to the final championship matches in Marseille, France, the host country for the 2008 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup. |
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