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 Americas & Beyond | April 2008 
Buenos Aires Showdown Ready for Kick-Off
 BeachSoccer.com
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| | Ezequiel Hilaire during last year's FBSWC in Rio. (FIFA/foto-net) | | |
The first matchday of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2008 Qualifier Buenos Aires has all the elements to raise mixed feelings among the participating teams. Each of the three matchups features specific characteristics that are sure to catch the eye of the crowd at the Obras Sanitarias stadium this Wednesday, April 23.
Being the opening match of the tournament is not the only freshness present at the Chile vs. Peru face-off. A traditional football powerhouse within South America, the Chileans are only getting started at beach soccer and will play their first-ever official tournament. To overcome the lack of familiarity with the sand, head coach Miguel Ángel Gamboa – a former Chilean international in football – brought in the experience of first division players such as Esteban Valencia (Universidad de Chile, Colo-Colo and Argentinean Colón).
“This was our strategy: after four national tournaments where I scouted the players, we had 45 days to prepare for this maiden challenge. I figured it made more sense to try to adapt experienced football players to the surface and the specificities of the game”, said Gamboa. “Truth is, with strength and tactical cohesiveness you can face just about any beach soccer team in the globe apart from Brazil. That is the way I want the boys to think.”
From newcomers Chile facing developing Peru, we head to what was no less than the final match of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in 2006: old-time rivals Brazil and Uruguay will kick-off Group B action in style. “It is even better to start off against our toughest opponent: this will get the boys going”, said two-time world champions head coach Alexandre Soares. “We have been regularly facing Uruguay for years now, and we have eye-witnessed their development. Both teams know each other well and know what it takes.”
The hosts will close out the opening matchday of the Buenos Aires continental showdown as they face Venezuela. “It is way too special for us to play in front of our home crowd, of our families. We have been in this business for a long time now and never had the chance to do it”, said Argentinean captain Ezequiel Hilaire.
The match schedule is set like this:
Wed 23.04.08
3:15pm - Chile vs. Peru
4:30pm - Brazil vs. Uruguay
Followed by - Argentina vs. Venezuela
Thu 24.04.08
3:15pm Venezuela vs. Chile
4:30pm Paraguay vs. Brazil
Followed by - Peru vs. Argentina
Fri 25.04.08
3:15pm - Venezuela vs. Peru
4:30pm - Uruguay vs. Paraguay
Followed by - Argentina vs. Chile
The teams play round robin within their pools and the top two of each advance to the semifinals:
Semi-finals*
Sat 26.04.08*
4:30pm - 1st of Group B vs. 2nd of Group A
Followed by - 1st of Group A vs. 2nd of Group B
*the order of Semi-finals and kick-off times may be altered by the Organizing Committee
Sun 27.04.08**
Noon - Loser M10 vs. Loser M11 (Play-off 3rd/4th)
Followed by - Winner M10 vs. Winner M11 (Final)
** The two finalists and the winner of the 3rd place play-off will join France (host country); Cameroon and Senegal (CAF) and El Salvador and Mexico to be the South American representatives at the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup.
 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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