Sporting miss out 8-6 to Barcelona, but secure place in the final-four

Sporting missed out 8-6 to Barcelona on matchday three of the Beach Soccer Mundialito this week, being held in Rio de Janeiro. Despite the defeat, Sporting now move on to the semi-finals, along with Fluminense, Vasco da Gama, Al Ahli and Barcelona.

Barcelona made the better start to the encounter, with Bruno Xavier opening the scoring in the 3rd minute after Tiago Petrony failed to clear a shot from Amarelle. However, the team from Alvalade rallied almost instantly down the other end, winning a corner that Nelito headed in. Barcelona again pushed forward and again took the lead in the 6th minute, courtesy of a fantastic bicycle kick from Datinha. After two efforts which crashed against the woodwork, Rashed again leveled the game from a set piece, before Nico made it 3-2 at the end of the first period.

Datinha gave Barcelona their first solid lead after the break with two strikes (3' and 5'), but Sporting were soon right back in it with a goals from Ricardinho (6') and Nelito. Datinha again found tbe back of the net to make it 6-3, but Nelito wasn't about to give up and struck again to make it 6-5 at the end of the second period. In the third and final period, Ozu and Datinha took the tally to 8-5, before Duarte grabbed a late consolation for Sporting.