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Portugal will defend its title in the European futsal after once again becoming the executioner of Spain (3-2), as happened in the previous edition of the tournament or in the World Cup a year ago in Lithuania. The worst streak of the Spanish team, without climbing to the top of a podium since 2016, is lengthened.
What seemed like an overwhelming Spanish start, with a goal at 17 seconds, ended up becoming an exercise in suffering for Fede Vidal’s team. the goal of Raul Gomez Sergio Lozano’s pass showed the hunger with which the Spanish team came to the duel, but stung Portugal in its pride. The current champion of Europe and the world launched himself in pursuit of Didac’s goal and caused two great scares.
The first was saved by the goal and the second by the post. Spain, forced to play hard in defence, quickly charged with fouls, reaching the bonus when there were still almost nine minutes of the first act to play. Things did not look good for the seven-time European champion, which only managed to release some discontinuous lashes.
Then one of the strengths of the Spanish team appeared, the strategy. In one of the first fouls that the referees whistled on the Spanish side, Mellado took out so that Chino achieved the 0-2 with his powerful shot. A goal that was a real breath of fresh air for a Spain that was unable to shake off Portuguese dominance, and which was joined by a new saving post that prevented Tomás Paço from reducing distances almost immediately. The final stretch of the first act became a fight without quarter for trying to get to the break with that advantage on the Spanish side, defending each play as if it were worth the championship, and for at least getting closer to the scoreboard on the Portuguese side.
A Portuguese rush was expected at the restart but Spain avoided it from the start with serenity, possession and several serious warnings about André Sousa’s goal. It took minutes for the defending champion to seize the initiative, but when he did, he ended up drawing. first with a penalty scored by Bruno Coelho and then with a goal Zicky Tea. The same author of the goal who, less than a minute and a half from the end, finished punishing Spain with a new elimination.
Unprecedented final against Russia
Portugal will face Russia on Sunday, who beat Ukraine 3-2 to play their seventh continental final and try to add the second title in their history, the same goal as the Portuguese. The Russians were soon ahead and Ukraine was always in tow. With 72 seconds to go he was able to equalize from a penalty, but captain Shoturma was unable to beat Putilov.
The duel, which had aroused much expectation for facing two countries in a tense pre-war climate, left no noteworthy incidents. Only the gesture of the Ukrainian fans, the most numerous, turning their backs on the Russian anthem and singing political slogans for which they were warned. On the track, the tension only went beyond sports at the time of the greetings, since they did not exist before or after the meeting.
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