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After twenty-five years, the FIFA Futsal World Cup in Europe has come to an end. On the last day of the tournament, two matches were played, after which it was revealed that for the first time in history, the new champions were the futsal players from Portugal.
Portugal, after an impressive battle, defeated the former world champion Argentina. Equally intriguing was the battle for third place. Here, the Brazilian team, trailing twice, defeated Kazakhstan.
RESULTS
Brazil - Kazakhstan 4:2; Argentina - Portugal 1:2;
GOLDEN BOOT
The top scorer of the championship was Brazilian Ferrao. In the bronze medal battle, he scored his ninth goal and that was enough for him to surpass the eight-time goal scorer Pany from Portugal in the list of top scorers. The latter scored a double in the final.
It should be noted that in 2016, Ricardinho, the top scorer, scored twelve goals.
SMALL FINAL
The match between Brazil and Kazakhstan did not resemble either the semifinal or quarterfinal stages, as here the focus was on attacking. Although players from both teams talked about the importance of winning, the scene was more like a celebration for the audience.
The first goal was scored halfway through the first half, but numerous scoring opportunities were created before that. The Kazakhs opened the scoring after a beautiful combination, forcing the Brazilian goalkeeper Guitta to score a goal in his own net.
Then the Kazakhs had a chance to double the lead, but the defenders cleared the ball from the goal line. This was followed by a classic football moment - you miss one, I'll score. However, in this case, it was the Kazakhs who scored in a very clumsy manner.
The last ten minutes of the match were extremely tense. Initially, the Brazilians scored a goal, but after a review, the referees disallowed it. Less than a minute later, the Kazakhs took the lead, but within four minutes, they conceded three goals, resulting in the bronze medal for Brazil.
FINAL
Even before the match between Argentina and Portugal began, it was clear that these would be the last games for the legendary Ricardinho in the national team. One of the best futsal players of all time had announced it before the championship started.
It can be said that Ricardinho played a very significant role in the final as well. With the game tied, Christian Borruto struck him in the chest and received a red card. With a numerical advantage, the Portuguese (specifically Ricardinho) scored moments later. Shortly thereafter, Pany did not repeat his mistakes, and Portugal took the lead.
After the goal, the game remained unchanged. The tension, opportunities, and drama continued. Finally, after a corner kick, Pany doubled the lead with a secure shot.
Argentina quickly reduced their deficit with a fantastic strike. The last twelve minutes became the highlight of the championship.
With four minutes remaining, Argentina replaced their goalkeeper with a fifth player, and a few moments later, they almost scored a penalty shot against the Portuguese goal. With just four seconds left in the game, the Argentine team created their last chance.
Portugal held on, and they are the new world champions.
