The Portuguese women’s beach soccer team was relegated to the discussion for the bronze medal at the European Games on Friday, after losing 3-1 to Ukraine in the semifinal in Tarnow, Poland.
After Thursday’s happy 2-1 victory over Poland, consummated at the last second, and which earned them first place in Group A, the corner formation was not able to fight on equal terms with Ukraine, with older physique. capacity and that he always did more to reach the final.
Portugal will now discuss the bronze medal against the team defeated in the clash between Poland and Spain.
The first half was difficult for the Portuguese, unable to shoot from set pieces, limiting themselves to annoying with two direct free kicks, from midfield, but to no avail.
The Ukrainians threatened in the third minute with a shot from Yuliia Kostiuk to the crossbar, ending up scoring in the next minute, with an unstoppable shot from Iryna Dubytska to the left top corner.
Alan Cavalcanti’s men were a little more daring in the second half and Cristiana Costa equalized, at 14, with a free kick from the right.
The game now had a bland tone until goalkeeper Jamila Marreiros hit the post, a minute before facilitating the defense and losing the ball, controlled, before the audacity of Yuliia Kostiuk, who took advantage of the mistake and pushed into an empty goal.
A numerical advantage of two minutes was wasted, with the selection little objective in that period.
The Portuguese did not have lungs to make a dent and it was Iryna Vasyliuk who, at 28, threw the ball to the post.
Five minutes from the end, with a direct free kick in the front area, Mariia Tykhonova, with a strong shot, made it 3-1, ending the game.
Even this Friday, the men’s team will play the semifinal against Switzerland.
Portugal has 13 podiums in Krakow 2023, namely three golds, seven silvers and three bronzes.
The third edition of the European Games takes place until Sunday in Krakow and in the Polish region of Malopolska, with 30 sports on the program and 48 participating countries, including Portugal, which has a delegation of more than two hundred athletes.
Source: TSF
