by Michele Bufalino
Once again the Nerazzurri of Lenergy Pisa Beach Soccer lose in the final of the Euro Winners Cup. The Pisan team, at the end of a triumphal ride, has to surrender against the Portuguese battleship of Sporting Braga, the most successful team at European level, strong his four titles, compared to three lost finals.
THE FINAL – The final started off very strong straight away for the Nerazzurri colours. Edson Hulk in fact gives Pisa the lead, but Braga, thanks to the victory against Recreativo Huelva in the semi-final, manages to equalize first with 4′ from the end of the first half with Bokinha, then turns the situation around with Be Martins. We go into the first interval down by a goal. Hulk scores again and the match goes very well for the Nerazzurri, due to Bokinha’s expulsion. Pisa, however, did not make the most of the situation and the Portuguese also managed to find the 3-2 goal at the end of the second period with Leo Martins. The final third saw Braga find the 4-2 goal with Filipe Silva, then Barsotti’s response 6′ from the end gave the Nerazzurri the illusion of a comeback that could lead the match to penalties. 3′ from the end, however, Pedro Mano finally closes the score and Braga are champions for the fourth time.
THE SEMI-FINAL – A real shame considering that in the semi-final an epic sporting victory had arrived for Lenergy Pisa BS, who in the semi-final of the Euro Winners Cup beat the locals of the fearsome ACD O Sótão by three goals and went to penalties with the result of 1-4. The start was favorable to the Portuguese, leading 2-0 after the first half. Down in results but not in morale, the Nerazzurri found the strength to close the gap with Edson Hulk and captain Stefano Marinai. Datinha restores the balance, coolly passing the goalkeeper, scoring into an empty net and then being sent off. In numerical inferiority, Lenergy Pisa holds up and extra time does not award a pass to the final. The team that arrives in better mental conditions wins the penalty shots, all scored by the Nerazzurri Simone Marinai, Hulk, Stefano Marinai and Barsotti. It ends 1-4 amid the liberating screams of the protagonists of a show with few equals in the history of Pisan beach soccer.
THE REST OF THE ROAD – Before that, in the quarter-finals against Real Munster, another feat of 4-3. First goal of the day by Edson Hulk in the first period and Biermann’s own goal from Datinha’s corner kick at the start of the second period. However, the Germans immediately raised their heads, first shortening with Dmais, then equalizing with Hodel, after which Karolak completed Real Münster’s comeback. The usual Hulk thought to avoid the partial German advantage at the second interval, with a goal with 8 seconds to go. The third period is decided by the Brazilian superhero’s hat-trick. In the round of 16 Pisa also beat Catania 5-3 in an all-Italian derby. In the group stage, however, three victories had arrived with the success over the hosts AD Nazaré 2022 by 3-1, the large 9-0 given to the Spanish Roses Platja and the narrow victory over the French Minots de Marseille by 0 -1.
