Team Melli Beach soccer Team defeated Egypt on penalties to win the third place in the 2015 edition of Samsung Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup Dubai. Iran relies on defense and clutch penalties for 3rd Place
The 2(3)-2(2) penalties win for Iran over Egypt was stressful for the fans of each country and the players, but the general population were thrilled with a cracker of a match. Neither team scored in the opening frame, adding to the on the sand drama. To make the match even tastier was the fact that regular time and an extra three minutes could not provide a winner. The victory was breathtaking for the Iranians and heartbreaking for the Egyptians as Egypt led throughout but a last minute goal from Iran sent the game into an extra frame, then the penalty shoot-out went the way of Iran. The triumph puts Iran in 3rd Place after a great Samsung Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup Dubai. Egypt clawed their way to 4th Place and they very well could have earned 3rd or even higher.
The Iranian and Egyptian rivalry goes beyond the pitch but all that was forgotten when the players stepped on the pitch, though the high-energy desire to win did not leave the players’ minds. Egypt began mounting their attacks very early and they had the Lions of the Atlas scared, but the Pharaohs did not get the initial goal or goals they were hoping for, in part because of the stellar play from Hosseini, the Iranian goalkeeper. Things settled for Iran, though not the pace, and they pushed Egypt to the brink of ceding a goal on many ocassions, but the back-and-forth play made for a spectacular viewing experience. The goalies made sure and put on a show for the fans and the score was 0-0 when the clock struck zero, signifying the end of the first frame. The next goal, which would be the first in the match would be a huge advantage for the scoring team but the African side and the Asian side were not able to get that elusive goal in the first minutes of the middle frame. The goal came it was a perfect strike from M. Samir just before the halfway point in the match, and the score sat at 1-0 for the Egyptians going into the final minutes of the period. Iran found their equalizer shortly after the Egyptian goal but the rest of the period went scoreless and the match went into the final period tied at 1-1.
The tension was everywhere as the final frame began with no clear cut winner, not even an advantage for either team, and the fans and players were feeling the tension. The score sat at 1-1 until M. Abdelnabi scored his first on the day and put the African side up 2-1 early in the frame. Egypt was not intimidated by the very established Iranian side, who many of which had selected to win this tournament, and they, Egypt, stuck to their game plans and were able to hold down the Asian team. The score did not shift as the clocked moved towards the middle of the frame and the Egyptians were getting anxious that the number were moving too slow. Egypt needed their keeper to keep Iran off the board again, and in the first half of the period he did a splendid job and kept the score at 2-1 for his team with the end of the match drawing near. All that changed when Iran erupted for their second goal, tying the game at 2 with one minute left. The teams rushed the net on both ends, looking for the deciding goal but the goal did not come and the game went into the three minute extra frame. The rapid extra period went scoreless and the teams headed into a penalty shoot-out.
Goals: 1-0: M. Samir, min. 7 (2); 1-1: A. Akbari, min. 5 (2); 2-1: M. Abdelnabi, min. 10 (3); 2-2: F. Boulokbashi, min. 1 (3).
Penalties: A. Naderi: Make; M. Samir: Make; M. Morshedi: Make; A. Aboserie: Make; A. Akbari; Make; Hassane: Miss.