Sand Blast Beach Soccer

New FIFA WC2009 Logo Unveiled

2009-06-04T08:17:00.000-07:00

Hello to all those who love sand, sun and soccer.

With less than 60 days to go until our Toronto event, SANDBLAST BEACH SOCCER TOUR is taking shape...
This year's tournament is looking better than the successful tour we had last year.

Gatorade has once again joined the tour to help quench the beach soccer thirst.

While we are still taking registrations for our BEACH SOCCER TOUR,..

FIFA has presented the official emblem and the official match ball for the World Cup being held in Dubai later this year.
The tournament will take place at the Jumeirah beach area from November 16th to the 22nd.

REGISTER TODAY!

2009-03-04T12:20:00.000-08:00

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN...

Call; 416-466-5493 or register online @ www.soccerworldcentral.ca

early bird for Toronto tournament ends april 30th,2009.

Wasaga beach tournament early bird ends May 31st, 2009.

Click on the links below to see tournament location maps:

Soccerworld Polson Pier (Toronto)

Beach One (Wasaga Beach)

2009 SandBlast Beach Soccer Tour

2009-01-28T13:15:00.000-08:00

....the 2009 SandBlast Beach Tour is coming. We have two installments; first a 2 day tourny July 25-26 at Soccerworld on our 50, 000 square foot sand court that sits lakeside next to Polson Pier. Then another 2 days on August 15-16 at beautiful Wasaga Beach, where the white sand blends with the water and the soccer games take place inbetween.

"We are proud to introduce this world wide game to the city of Toronto. With a city as vibrant, diverse and mulit-cultural as Toronto, Beach Soccer is a game that offers itself to anyone to play, watch and enjoy." Robert Ortali, President at Soccerworld

Soccerworld Staff is currently organizing and getting ready for this summer's tournaments, and you can bet they will be bigger and better than last year! Check back for info on registration, as we will open soon for all Mens, Womens, Co-Ed and Youth teams. Don't miss your chance to spend the day in the sun with friends playing the world's most popular sport :)

2009 SANDBLAST BEACH SOCCER TOUR

2008-12-11T12:18:00.000-08:00

THE SANDBLAST BEACH SOCCER ORGANIZING COMMITTEE has begun preparing for the upcoming 2009 tour.

Sandblast will return to Soccerworld Polson Pier July 25-26th and at Wasaga Beach August 15-16th.

Please stay tuned for more details in the upcoming year.

SEE YOU ON THE SAND in 2009!!!

The Fishermen of La Pirraya

2008-08-29T07:52:00.000-07:00

Here is an interesting article from FIFA.com. La Pirraya has produced more beach soccer players per square kilometre than anywhere else in El Salvador. From the 2008 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, 5 out of the 12 members of the El Salvador team were born on the island.

The wedding was an unforgettable occasion, with guests including dozens of local people from each and every one of the humble districts of San Sebastian island, the bay of Jiquilisco and neighbouring areas. People from Rancho Viejo, Costa del Sol, Chirilagua, California all made their way to La Pirraya in a symbolic show of loyalty.

They then made the 20-minute crossing on boats that tirelessly shuttled between the jetty at Puerto Parada and the island. The groom, Agustin Ruiz, was better known to most people than the bride, Idalia Marvin, but some did not know them at all. All they knew was that it was the wedding day of the man who scored the goals for the El Salvador beach soccer team, one of the heroes of Puerto Vallarta and one of the fishermen who helped take El Salvador to the World Cup. And that was good enough for them.

La Pirraya has produced more successful footballers per square kilometre than anywhere else in El Salvador. Five of the 12 members of the country's beach soccer team were born on the island. This is no ordinary statistic, but then ordinary is not a word you would use to describe anything that has happened in this small patch of earth in the last four years.

It all began in 2004 when Israel Cruz, a representative of the Salvadorean football association (FESFUT) got to know the island as part of a national football development programme. Aware of the beach soccer's potential on the islands of La Pirraya, Rancho Viejo and San Sebastian, the frequency of Cruz's visits to the region increased to up to three times a week. I think how tiring those journeys - more than 100 a year - must have been as the boat taking me to La Pirraya negotiates a mangrove swamp.

"You even see blood on the pitches around here. You play out of love for the game but nobody likes losing. We say 'Don't get angry' because people who get angry lose and we don't let them play," says international defender Medardo Lobos to illustrate the intensity of matches in the area and the typical mentality of the players.

Fishing for a living
With Cruz's assistance, a tournament was soon set up for each island as well as a "best of the best" event for the champions of each district. "After seeing how the people lived, we opted for a more social project that included primary schools, beach soccer, small-sided football and women's football. Then we created a beach soccer team for the department of Usulutan," explained Cruz in an interview in 2006.

When FESFUT asked him to put together a national beach soccer team to take to an invitational tournament in Costa Rica, Cruz did not hesitate to call up the best players from the myriad of recreational tournaments he had organised, even though the association recommended that he rely on first- and second-division players.

After subjecting them to an exhaustive series of tests and ascertaining that the rigours of their daily lives as fisherman had worked wonders for the physical fitness - the players were all above average in terms of musculature and only two players' bodies contained more than ten per cent fat. Cruz then declared his team ready, although in the end the trip fell through due to lack of funds. The coach carried on as before, working for the Usulutan amateur football association.

His chance came just over a year later, in June 2007, when the as yet untried beach soccer team was entered for the CONCACAF qualifying tournament for the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup following a request from FIFA. Cruz was put in charge and he immediately thought of his island proteges. His inexperience counted against him as El Salvador were unsuccessful in their matches against the USA (9-5), Mexico (6-4) and Costa Rica (4-3), but a strong feeling remained that the team had a future.

"Our inexperience worked against us, that's clear; but considering that we had never played an international qualifier before, the difference with respect to teams who had being playing for years was not that great; we clearly improved with each match," recalled Cruz.

His efforts earned him an invitation from the Costa Rica football association to the inauguration of a beach soccer pitch for their national league the following September. This proved to be a gratifying experience, as El Salvador won their first ever beach soccer match and were joined by striker Agustin Ruiz, who had taken part in the preparations for the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup preliminary competition but not the tournament itself.

Seven months later, Ruiz had become one of the team's most veteran players and had also joined the no less heroic ranks of Salvadoreans who are married. Four days before the wedding, we were privy to the rehearsals as well as to the couple's emotions and the aspirations in the run-up to the big event. They are young people just like any others, humble and full of optimism; they have known each other all their lives and come from the local area. During their courtship, Idalia would watch Agustin play at La Canchita, a sandy square on which two sets of goalposts promise either glory or ignominy.

After leaving La Canchita, the couple spoke a lot about the future, in which for the next few months football would not enter into their plans. This was because the national team would not be in action from November to January and as a responsible adult, Ruiz could not think of any other way to earn a living than on board a fishing boat.

No big deal
Other players with similar ideas included Cipriano Hernando, the 17-year-old forward who caused a sensation at the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup qualifiers. For personal reasons he decided to leave Espiritu Santo island and travel to the USA as an illegal immigrant.

Consequently, the team's initial surprise at being called up for training and the novelty of taking part in another FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup preliminary competition, this time in Puerto Vallarta against the same opponents, turned to concern.

First of all, there was a new coach, Rudy Gonzalez; secondly, there were five places to be filled in the side following Hernandez's departure. However, the project was set to work wonders once again. This was largely due to Gonzalez's optimism and positive talking. Indeed, one month before setting off for Puerto Vallarta, he was bold enough to say that "the objective is to secure a ticket to the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup. After what they achieved at the last World Cup, the group is more solid and we are pleased with the performance levels; we are not novices."

The coach's defiant tone soon infected the players. For example, the goalkeeper and only player hailing from the Salvadorean capital, Luis Rodas, a veteran of the previous qualifying campaign, dismissed the threat posed by the Costa Ricans. "Mexico's star players are their goalkeeper and a couple of others players, but they're no big deal," said the 24-year-old, who is a member of the parish of Don Rua.

Even the team's new recruits shared in the group's self-confidence. "Everyone looks down on us because we don't have any experience, but don't rule us out, we will be fighting to the death," said "Ronaldinho", a.k.a. Elias Ramirez, a barnstorming forward who joined the national team purely by chance through a man he met when he was playing in a local side.
"He said he wanted me to join a second-division team and he took me to San Salvador for a time. One day some people from FESFUT came along to watch some players and they asked me if I wanted to go for a trial for the beach soccer team." That was in March.

Ramirez took part in the ambitious training schedule that had begun in February, consisting of three training sessions per week, held alternately in La Pirraya, El Espino island and Costa del Sol.

A sensation
The news spread like wildfire. On the night of 19 April it reached La Pirraya, leaving hundreds of its inhabitants incredulous and glowing with pride: five of their boys - Medardo Lobo, Wilber Hernandez, Tomas Antonio Hernandez, Agustin Ruiz and Roberto Membreno - had played a major part in their country's qualification for the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Marseille 2008, beating Costa Rica 24 hours after a historic victory over former FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup runners-up the USA.

"It was an unbelievable feeling; we were all thrilled, many of us couldn't even speak to the journalists because they were crying," admitted the coach as he described the feelings unleashed by one of the greatest moments in Salvadorean footballing history. "There was even more commotion than when Firpo won the league," said vendor Jose Cortez on recalling the depth of feeling that swept through the area, a happy sense of anticipation that will intensify from 17 July when the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup kicks off in the south of France.

One knock-on effect of this effervescent feeling is that Atletico Balboa, who won the second-division Apertura 2007 championship, have already offered work to Luis Rodas, Elias Ramirez and Agustin Ruiz - not bad for three sons of La Pirraya, California and Espiritu Santo who only used to play football as a pastime when the sea was too rough to go out in.

from fifa.com...

SandBlast Championship Beach Soccer Highlights and Pictures

2008-08-27T11:53:00.000-07:00

The pictures for the Sand Blast Beach Soccer Championship are all up with sand soccer highlights from both Wasaga Beach and Toronto tours.

Click here for the pictures of the Soccerworld Polson Pier tournament in Toronto 2008.

Click here for amazing pictures from the Wasaga Beach tournament 2008.

Thanks to everyone who made it out this year and hope you enjoy looking at some of the amazing pictures and highlights that were captured from the Championships!

2nd Annual Wasaga Beach Soccer Tournament

2008-08-25T13:48:00.000-07:00

The 2nd Annual Wasaga Beach Soccer Tournament went out without a hitch this past Sunday August 24th at Ontario's largest freshwater beach. The day was high energy and action packed, with beautiful sunny weather and warm waters.

For pictures of the event check out: Sand Blast Flickr Album

Soccerworld would like to thank all the staff and sponsors whose hard work made this event a huge success for the second year in a row: Inaria, Rogers Wireless, Soccadelic, Gaterade, Weetabix, and Amino Vital. The SandBlast Beach Soccer Championship looks forward to continuing to grow with the beach soccer sensation and hopes to see everyone out for next years Championships!

Soccadelic

2008-08-21T12:31:00.000-07:00

Soccerworld would like to thank Soccadelic for supplying the official tournament beach soccer balls for our SandBlast tournament this weekend August 24th at Wasaga Beach.

Soccadelic supplies official tournament balls for several huge sand soccer tournaments worldwide. Based in Southern California, Soccadelic is the world's first outfitter devoted to beach soccer. Soccadelic uniquely fuses the SoCal vision of soccer, sun and sand into three distinct lines of beach soccer gear and apparel: Professional, Performance and Lifestyle.

You can check out Soccadelic online.

A video of Marechal Corcovado: World-class juggling ace Marechal on the beaches of Copacabana.

Wasaga Beach Sand Tournament

2008-08-21T10:31:00.000-07:00

Days are counting down til the Wasaga Beach Sand Soccer tournament. This will be part II of the SandBlast Beach Soccer tournament, held this Sunday August 24th at Beach 1, Wasaga Beach. Wasaga Beach is Ontario's largest fresh water beach and hottest summer tourist destination, with beautiful stretching beaches and refreshing Georgian Bay waters.

10 Men's Pro-Am teams and a Women's Division will be facing off starting 10 am on two beach soccer pitches this Sunday, in an exciting end of summer tournament. The first part of the tour held at Soccerworld Polson Pier August 10th was a great success, with exciting and competitive matches. You can check out blog posts below for more info and pictures.

Rogers Wireless will be there giving away free prizes, cell phones and a draw for cash, as well as many other free sponsor giveaways! Things are gearing up for this weekend, so get excited and hope to see you there Sunday!

For more information you can check out Soccerworld Central and for Soccerworlds Indoor Adult Men's, Women's and Co-ed leagues check out Soccerworld Polson Pier for Fall registration today.

Worldwide Beach Soccer Developments

2008-08-21T09:54:00.000-07:00

SandBlast aims to foster and develop beach soccer within Canada through the Soccerworld Beach Soccer tournaments and beach soccer training. Soccer is one of the fastest growing sports enjoyed across borders, with beach soccer not far behind it. Soccerworld is lucky to have use of Wasaga Beach, Ontario's largest fresh water beach for it's tournament as well as two beach pitches on it's own facilty on the waters of Lake Ontario.

For countries who don' t have access to beaches, it presents a road block to the development of the sport. Here is one example of a beach soccer initiative in Bolivia, a landlocked developing country who despite having no sandy beaches, is building the first beach soccer arena in Latin America not on a coastline. Here are some pictures of their development.

What the final project will look like:

The arena in progress:

The construction site:

The arena is still in the building and development phases, where they are trying to fundraise and increase visibility about the project. This arena will make it possible for Bolivia the first time to have it's own national beach soccer team, and host local, national and internal games.

For more information, you can check out their website.

If you have any more questions, you can email the Director General para America Latina, Lic. Rodolfo Perecin Mareno at rpmareno@fondointeramericano.org

For more information about beach soccer initiatives in Canada check out Soccer World Central for Ontario Beach Soccer tournaments and leagues.

If you are free this weekend, be sure to come out to the Sand Blast Wasaga Beach sand soccer tournament. Taking place this August 24th at Wasaga Beach 1, from 10 am til 6pm for Men's Pro Am and Women's games.

Toronto Beach Soccer Tournament A Success!

2008-08-12T07:19:00.000-07:00

The SandBlast Beach Soccer Tournament held last weekend August 9th at Polson Pier turned out to be a great success. Despite the rain records, the tournament went off without a hitch and fun was had by all.

8 Men's Pro Am teams participated in this first of it's kind beach soccer tournament in Toronto, with the Championship match coming down to the Snipers and Serbia. Winning first place at the event was Serbia, who were undefeated throughout the tournament.

Congratulations to all who participated in the tournament. Soccerworld would like to thank all it's sponsors for their support in making this tournament a success: Inaria, Xpeerience Group, Gaterade, Amino Vital, Red Bull and Riceworks.

For pictures of the event be sure to check out our facebook Beach Soccer group and our Flickr account will have all the pictures up shortly.

For all those who missed out on the fun, the second part of the tour continues August 23rd -24th at the sunny Wasaga Beach. Deadline to enter is this Thursday August 14th. Brackets support all levels of play and open to Men's, Women's, Co-ed and Youth. See our poster below for more details and look forward to seeing everyone again soon!

Beach Soccer and Facebook

2008-08-05T13:12:00.000-07:00

Join us on Facebook:

Beach Soccer

Soccerworld Polson Pier

2 Days Left to Register for Toronto Beach Soccer Tournament

2008-07-29T07:22:00.000-07:00

With only two days left, deadline for the Soccerworld at Polson Pier beach soccer tournament is fast approaching. Last day to get your team in is Thursday July 31st, 2008 for the August 9th/10th tournament.

Busy that weekend? Soccerworld is also hosting part II of the SandBlast tournament in sunny Wasaga Beach August 23rd-24th weekend so it's still not too late to get your teams together.

For more information and to register online be sure to check out Soccerworldcentral.ca

Junior Negao: Now I feel complete

2008-07-28T08:40:00.000-07:00

Rarely does a sportsman, regardless of his vocation, retire in the blaze of glory that Junior Negao did in Marseille...

For some of you, when we think of beach soccer, a word appears just in our head: Jr. Negão.

It was the strike that set Brazil en route to hegemony. Fifteen years on from the Seleção's maiden goal in the sport, they have played 314 matches, won 11 Beach Soccer World Championships and three FIFA Beach Soccer World Cups. These figures, inconceivably, also belong to Junior Negao, the scorer of that landmark goal in 1993.

The synonymy between the team and its ever-present No 8 nonetheless took its last step today, when he brought the curtain down on his incomparable playing career. And rarely does a sportsman, regardless of his vocation, retire in the blaze of glory that Junior Negao did in Marseille.

There, fittingly, the defender lifted the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup trophy high above his head after captaining Brazil to a 5-3 defeat of Italy in a memorable final. The result moved Alexandre Soares' side on to 73 games unbeaten, their aura of invincibility indebted to Junior Negao.

"It was the perfect way to go out," enthused the 44-year-old, proudly showing off the trophy. "I'm very emotional, thinking about all the wonderful times I've had with Brazil. But if we hadn't won today, there would have always been that something missing. Now I feel complete."
I'm very happy. I'll never forget this day and I'd like to say thank you to all of my coaches, team-mates and the Brazilian supporters Junior Negao after captaining Brazil to Marseille 2008 glory.

"I feel so privileged to have played with so many great players over the years. Because of my team-mates I've been able to win so many titles. But this one was extra special because it was much harder for us to win the World Cup away from Brazil. I'm very happy. I'll never forget this day and I'd like to say thank you to all of my coaches, team-mates and the Brazilian supporters."
This debt of gratitude will be returned with interest, for Junior Negao has served his country through struggle and pain. Literally.

"I've broken my big toe on a few occasions but I've never even thought about missing a game," he explained. "It's the greatest honour to represent this team and I've loved every minute of it since it all started."

When Brazil's beach soccer adventure began in 1993, Junior Negao was a relative nobody encompassed by celebrities. They included Paulo Sergio, Junior and Jairzinho, and he has since lined up alongside other former FIFA World Cup participants such as Branco, Zico and Romario.

These aforementioned luminaries engaged in exciting holiday romances with Brazil's beach soccer team. Junior Negao, by contrast, has revelled in the most consummate of love affairs with the side. And while he exited the sport on the red carpet today, his legend will remain an infinite symbol of the Seleção.

from fifa.com...

In the spirit of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, Soccerworld Polson Pier will be hosting Canada’s biggest Beach Soccer Championships this coming August. With two tour dates set August 9^th-10^th (Soccerworld, Polson Pier) and August 23^rd-24^th (Wasaga Beach), the tournaments will support all levels of play, from Youth to Co-ed, Womens and Men’s Pro Am.

For more information and to register check out Soccer World Central.

See you in Dubai!

2008-07-28T08:31:00.000-07:00

The United Arab Emirates must improve if they are to provide tough opposition as hosts next year, and the list of teams who need to make major strides ahead of Dubai 2009 ought to be extended to include Cameroon, Iran, Japan, Solomon Islands and El Salvador.

Neutrals may be hoping to see a few more goals when the competition moves to the Middle East, but if Marseille 2008 was the least prolific of the four FIFA Beach Soccer World Cups so far, that had a lot to do with the excellent standard of goalkeeping. Aside from Spain's Roberto Valeiro, winner of the inaugural adidas Golden Glove, Russia's Andrey Bukhlitskiy, Marcelo Salgueiro of Argentina and El Salvador's Luis Rodas all left a memorable impression on the Mediterranean coast.

For all those reasons, the competition's first voyage beyond Brazilian shores must go down as a remarkable success. Little by little, it has forced its way into the reckoning as one of the most significant events in the sporting calendar since its inception four years ago - to that extent that the growing army of beach soccer enthusiasts can hardly wait to watch the world's finest talents reconvene in Dubai a year from now.

Participating teams

Argentina, Brazil, Cameroon, United Arab Emirates, Spain, France, Iran, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Portugal, Russia, Solomon Islands, El Salvador, Senegal, Uruguay

Final standings

1 - Brazil

2 - Italy

3 - Portugal

4 - Spain

Goals

(total) 259

An average of 8.09 per match

Top scorers

Madjer (POR) 13

Amarelle (ESP) 11

Belchior (POR) 10

from fifa.com...

For more information and to register check out Soccer World Central.

Brazil Wins FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2008

2008-07-28T06:39:00.001-07:00

Brazil won its third straight FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup on Sunday with a 5-3 win over Italy in Marseille.

Bruno and Sidney each notched a pair of goals and teammate Andre added another as Brazil stormed out to a 5-0 lead and held on for the win.

"We have achieved our goal," Brazil forward Benjamin said. "We still want to do more and prove to the entire world that we are the best. I think that we can be proud of ourselves."

Early on, it was Italy with the best scoring chance, as Massimiliano Esposito flicked the ball into the air and attempted an overhead kick. It hit the crossbar, however.

Benjamin was equally unlucky in the first period, as he fired a shot just wide of the net before he was foiled by the crossbar on another try.

Brazil finally got on the board in the ninth minute, as Bruno knocked down a chest pass before spinning around to score. He added another in the 15th minute with a shot to the top left corner. Sidney kept things going, making his way around Italian goalkeeper Stefano Spada with a dribble in the 22nd minute to give Brazil a 3-0 lead. He headed in a fourth goal for the squad two minutes later.

Andre notched a goal on a pass from Duda in the 29th, to cap a five goal run by Brazil in the first 30 minutes.

Italy responded by scoring three goals in five minutes, but could not catch up to Brazil. Paolo Palmacci, Roberto Pasquali, and Diego Maradona Jr. each scored in the attempted rally.
"Our initial aim was to reach the quarter-finals," Italy's Esposito said. "So we're pleased to have exceeded our expectations by such a distance. It's a huge performance."

In the third-place match, Madjer scored a hat trick to put Portugal over Spain 5-4.Amarelle won the award for the tournament's best player, the Golden Shoe. He was the top scorer with 13 goals.

from cbcsports.ca...

For more information and to register check out Soccer World Central.

FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2008 Golden Shoe Awards & Highlights

2008-07-28T06:29:00.000-07:00

adidas Golden Shoe Award

The adidas Golden Shoe Award goes to the top goal scorer of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup. Assists serve as a tie-breaker with the FIFA Technical Study Group deciding whether an assist is to be counted as such. The assists will only be counted if two or more players are equal on goals scored.

1. Madjer (POR) 13 Goals
2. Amarelle (ESP)11 Goals
3. Belchior (POR)10 Goals

adidas Golden Ball Award

The adidas Golden Ball is always awarded to the most outstanding player, as voted by the media present at the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Marseille 2008.

1. Amarelle (ESP)
2. Benjamin (BRA)
3. Belchior (POR)

adidas Golden Glove Award

The adidas Golden Glove Award is a brand new award which is being handed out for the first time at the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2008, and which honours the top goalkeeper of the tournament.

1. Roberto Valeiro (ESP)

FIFA Fair Play Award

The FIFA Fair Play award is given to the team with the best record of fair play according to the points system and criteria specified by the Competitions Regulations.
Winner in 2008: Russia
from fifa.com.....

For more information and to register check out Soccer World Central.

Portugal Moves Into the Semis

2008-07-24T09:05:00.000-07:00

from fifa.com...

Portugal delivered a dominant third-period display to see off Uruguay's challenge and march into the semi-finals of Marseille 2008. Ze Miguel's side's 6-3 victory means they will now face the winners of Brazil-Russia for a place in the final.

After a tight opening, the in-form Belchior fired Portugal in front. Beirao Sousa and Madjer extended their advantage, but Fabian and Martin ensured Uruguay went in at the second break only a goal behind.

However, Bilro, a Coco own goal and another from Belchior sent the Portuguese into a 6-2 lead, before Fabian's second of the game reduced the deficit.

Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup Highlights & Overview

2008-07-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup Highlights & Overview

FIRST DAY - THURSDAY, JULY, 17

> Senegal survived a spirited comeback to beat France on penalties after a thrilling 5-5 draw in front of a vociferous crowd in Marseille.

> With goalkeeper Luis Rodas in outstanding form, El Salvador threatened an upset early on, but Portugal turned on the style to win 8-2.

> Uruguay made a positive start to their bid to qualify from Group A, a Ricar hat-trick inspiring them to a comprehensive 6-1 win over Iran.

> Eleven goals provided the crowd with a fitting curtain-raiser to Marseille 2008, Italy scoring seven of them against the brave Solomon Islands.

SECOND DAY - FRIDAY, JULY, 18

> Two goals from Spain’s Amarelle threatened to upset the reigning world champions, but Buru completed a double of his own to snatch Brazil victory.

> United Arab Emirates scored five unanswered goals in the final period to beat Cameroon 10-4 in a match that hung in the balance for so long.

> Trailing 1-0 after two periods, Ricardo Villalobos scored two brave headers to inspire Mexico to a hard-fought 4-3 victory over Japan.

> Federico Hilaire scored twice in the closing stages to complete his hat-trick and help Argentina twice come from behind to beat Russia 5-3.

THIRD DAY - SATURDAY, JULY, 20

> Eric Cantona’s France overcame Iran on penalties following an entertaining 6-6 draw to save themselves from group-stage elimination in front of their own fans.

> Paolo Palmacci scored twice as Italy beat El Salvador 4-1 to march into the quarter-finals and end their opponents’ chances of progression.

> With Madjer, Alan and Belchior in prolific form, Portugal overwhelmed Solmon Islands 13-4 to effectively qualify for the quarter-finals.

> Uruguay edged Senegal 8-7 courtesy of extra-time goals from Pampero and Ricar to leave themselves on the cusp of a place in the quarter-finals.

FOURTH DAY - SUNDAY, JULY, 21

> Brazil beat Japan 8-1 to move on to the brink of a place in the quarter-finals, while the result left the Asians with a mountain to climb.

> Russia scored four times without reply to eliminate Cameroon and ensure the winner of their meeting with United Arab Emirates will advance.

> Marcelo Salgueiro, Federico Hilaire and Cesar Leguizamon starred as Argentina beat United Arab Emirates to move towards the quarter-finals.

> Goals from Amarelle and Antonio reversed an early deficit to earn Spain a 2-1 win over Mexico that left them in a strong position to advance.

FIFTH DAY - MONDAY, JULY, 21

> France sneaked into the quarter-finals as Group A winners courtesy of a 4-3 win over Uruguay; a result which condemned Senegal to elimination.

> Senegal kept their side of the bargain by beating Iran 4-1. France had to beat Uruguay in normal time to pip the Africans to a quarter-final place.

> The irrepressible James Naka scored four times to inspire Solomon Islands to a 6-3 victory over El Salvador in the battle to finish third in Group B.

> Belchior completed his hat-trick in extra time to earn Portugal a 5-4 win over Italy in the battle to go through to the last eight as group winners.

from vmbf at menstennisforums.com...

For more information and to register check out Soccer World Central.

Copa Mundial 2008- El Salvador vs Italy

2008-07-24T08:42:00.000-07:00

FIFA World Cup Beach Soccer 2008

El Salvador vs Italy

Paolo Palmacci scored twice as Italy beat El Salvador 4-1 to march into the quarter-finals and end their opponents’ chances of progression.

Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup Highlights Marseille

2008-07-24T08:14:00.001-07:00

from fifa.com...

Down to the Wire

FIFA sets the scene for what promises to be a thrilling Thursday afternoon as Marseille 2008 reaches the quarter-final stage.

The Big Match- Argentina-Spain, 16.15 (local time)

Given that both sides have never looked stronger, the first FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup meeting between the two could not have come at a better time. Led by the three Hilaires (Santiago, Federico and Ezequiel), all of whom have been in peak form, the Albiceleste proved exceptionally strong in the group phase, not least in goal, where Marcelo Salgueiro is well on the way to becoming one of the best exponents of his art in the world. Narrow 3-2 losers to Brazil in their section, Spain can count on the sublime skills of Amarelle up front and the trademark agility of Roberto Valeiro between the posts, all of which should ensure an open and closely contested tie.

The Other Games

Portugal will start the day's opening game against Uruguay as slight favourites. Not only do Ze Miguel's men have history on their side after defeating the Celeste 5-4 in the group phase at Rio de Janeiro 2006, more importantly they powered their way through Group B. The solid Charrúas are a more potent attacking outfit these days, however, and in Ricar, Martin and Parrillo they have come up with a highly effective attacking trio.

Over the last three years, no side has posed Brazil more problems than Russia did in the first round in 2007, when the two-time world champions needed penalties to prevail. Even so, Nikolai Pisarev and his team can expect a tough afternoon against the defending champions. Goalkeeper Andrey Bukhlitskiy will need to be at his very best if they are to have a hope.

In the final last-eight match-up, France and Italy cross paths for the first time ever in the competition. The hosts will no doubt be drawing inspiration from their last outing against Uruguay as they seek to halt the smoothly functioning Italian machine, and will be counting on prolific duo Jeremy Basquaise and Didier Samoun to blunt the threat posed by Roberto Pasquali and his cohorts.

Player to Watch

Alan (POR) With six goals and four assists to his name, the diminutive Portuguese has been the most incisive player to date at Marseille 2008. Madjer's inseparable attacking partner will need to keep up that form when Portugal come up against Uruguay's well-drilled defence in Thursday's first quarter-final.

The Stat

3 - The number of times Brazil and France have reached the semi-finals of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup. In other words, the two have never lost in the quarter-finals of the competition.

What they said "We know this Russia team well and we know they're going to pose us problems. Our strength is our team play and if we perform at our highest level, we should go through. Only God can stop us (laughs)," Mao, Brazil goalkeeper.

The Full Schedule

Portugal-Uruguay (14.45)

Argentina-Spain (16.15)

Brazil-Russia (17.45)

France vs. Uruguay

2008-07-21T08:39:00.000-07:00

from FIFA.com...

The host nation at Marseille 2008 need to beat Uruguay if they are to spare themselves the ignominy of a first-round exit. Senegal meanwhile will be looking to beat Iran and hope that France do indeed slip up. In Group B, by contrast, first place is all that is left to play for.

The big match

France - Uruguay, 19.15 (local time)

Marseille 2008 without the host nation in the quarter-finals? We may all be forced to get used to this idea rather soon. After a loss and a win on penalties in Group A, France simply have to beat Uruguay if they are to make it through to the last eight. If they win in regulation time then Eric Cantona's men will be through to the quarters. However, if, like their last two matches, it again goes to penalties or even just extra time, they will be reliant on the Senegal-Iran result. Making matters even tougher for Les Bleus is the fact that they have never beaten Uruguay at a FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup. At the semi-final stage in 2006 and in the match for third place in 2007, the Celeste squeezed through on penalties (2-2 aet, 0-1 pso on both occasions).

The other games

There is little left in the way of suspense in Group B with Portugal and Italy having already made it through to the quarter-finals. The pair go head-to-head on Monday to see who tops their section, but, with their opposition in the last eight being one of Uruguay, France and Senegal, the advantage of finishing first as opposed to second could be minimal. Mindful of that, Italy and Portugal's coaches may well use the game for squad rotation - something that might also be the case between El Salvador and Solomon Islands in their consolation match. Finally in Group A, Senegal will have to overcome Iran and hope that Les Bleus succumb to Uruguay. If the Africans win in regulation time and the French only get through after extra time or on penalties (or indeed lose), then Senegal will squeeze past the host nation and into the last eight.

Player to watch

Pape Koukpaki (SEN)

Senegal desperately need a win against Iran to qualify for the quarter-finals while hoping that France do not manage the same result as them. The Lions of Teranga will therefore be counting on their star striker who has already scored six times in their opening two matches.

The stat

0 - The number of times before this year that Italy had reached the quarter-finals of a FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup. The Azzurri have already put an end to this barren streak.

What they said

"Our aim is still to win the World Cup on 27 July, and we are going to do all in our power to achieve that." Portugal forward, Belchior

The full schedule

Portugal - Italy (14.45)

El Salvador - Solomon Islands (16.15)

Senegal - Iran (17.45)

France - Uruguay (19.15)

Copa Mundial De Beach Soccer De La FIFA 2008 Highlights

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I have posted a poll above, who will win the 2008 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup?

Group A

France Iran Senegal Uruguay

Group B

El Salvador Italy Portugal Solomon Islands

Group C

Argentina Cameroon Russia United Arab Emirates

Group D

Brazil Japan Mexico Spain

Highlights so far....

Some quotes from the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2008 so far...

"I'm very pleased with our victory. We now feel good to have qualified for the next phase, but our next game against Potugal will be harder. El Salvador are a good team and we respected them, but we were better today. We will now fight to win our group," Massimiliano Esposito, Italy player.

"It was impossible to win today. We had good tactics but Italy were too good. We're a very young team and today we gained a lot of experience that will hopefully serve us well at the next Beach Soccer World Cup," Tomas Hernandez, Solomon Islands player.

FIFA 2008 Beach Soccer Stats for July 21st

FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Marseille 2008

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For it’s first time, the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup will be leaving the sands of Brazil's Copacobana beach and will be hosted in Marsilles, France. The FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup takes place July 17^th-27^th 2008, with FIFA overseeing the event for the 4^th year now. 16 teams will compete for championships, with the action kicking off in the next two days with France playing their first group stage match against

Senegal

If you are looking for coverage of the games, be sure to check out the tournament’s official website at www.FIFA.com/marseille2008

For more information and to register check out Soccer World Central.

1 Day Left to Save with Early Bird $50 Off Registration

2008-07-07T09:22:00.000-07:00

Deadline Fast Approaching
Only 1 Day Left to Save $50 off Team Registration

The tournaments are filling up fast with limited spots left. Don't miss out on your chance to benefit from the early bird fee of $250 per team, deadline is July 8th and then the price goes up to $300.

Come out and dig your feet into the sand ...

You've just connected with Ontario's first and premier sand soccer Championships. With over 50 teams battling it out on the beach this coming August, the Second Annual Soccerworld Beach Soccer Tour returns to the cities of Toronto and Wasaga Beach.

Never played? Never fear!

Open to all, from beginners who have yet to experience the sand, to multiple youth teams and soccer professionals. Brackets will support all levels of play, with easy to pick up rules and games played on 30 by 40 pitches, 5 vs. 5.

Whether you're a returning veteran or a new comer to the game, the beach soccer craze is coming to the GTA and we look forward to seeing you for the "Battle of the Beach"!

Brackets Support All Levels of Play:
Men's Pro Am - Men's Recreational - Women's - Co Ed - Youth