Gamal brace stuns UAE in beach soccer

Dubai - World champions Portugal fight past Mexico at Samsung Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup

When the UAE team management goes through their post match analysis of the first outing, they will be in a difficult position to come to a conclusion as to what caused their defeat at the hands of the Egyptians on Tuesday night.
Led by Mohammed Gamal's two-goal heroics, Egypt registered a stunning 3-2 victory in Group A's opening match of the fifth Samsung Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup at the Dubai International Marine Club premises.
In the opening match of the tournament, newly crowned world champions Portugal had to wait long for clear cut openings to subdue Mexico, the Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup 2015 Concacaf Qualifier, 5-3.Defending champions Russia defeated Argentina in the third match on the opening night.
UAE coach Guga (Gustavo Henrique), said: "I cannot explain the 'how and why' of the match. How we could have played so badly like we did in the final session after leading 2-1 is something I will never forget for a long time. We ran the show including the last period, when we conceded two goals after we fought back from the 0-1 first period deficit."
Egypt captain Mohammed AboSerie, said: "I know we were defending a lot to keep the sharp UAE attacks away but we capitalised on the gaps allowed to us in the first period and in the third, to pin three the hosts' goal."
The third and final period saw both sides approach the issue on a cautious note and like in the earlier sessions, the hosts had the major share of exchanges and opportunities in front of the Egyptian goal.
Walid Mohammed cleverly tapped in a long pass from the versatile UAE playmaker Adel Ali in the 30th minute to give the home supporters a lot to cheer (2-1) initially for the night.
Two minutes from the final hooter, UAE first choice goalie  Mohammed Abdulla  flung himself to his right to stop Mohammed Gamal from scoring but Gamal made amends a minute later (2-2) with a left footer. Gamal was the 'Pharaoh' for the night when he ran in to accept and send home a rocket like shot from a defence splitting pass from the right, to give the visitors the 3-2 win.
The second period closed at 1-1 and it began with a sharp UAE raid on the right flank. A fine feed from reserve keeper Humaid Jamal saw Ali Hassan Karim slam in while on the run (1-1) in the 13th minute.
Egypt very nearly went ahead again when a defensive back pass by the UAE defenders went inches off the UAE goal in the 19th minute. In the 24th minute, Egypt's second goalie Mohammed Fawzy kept his citadel clean with fantastic dive to his right to stop UAE's Qambar Mohammed's right footed stinger. Two minutes later it was UAE goaltender Jamal's turn to keep his end neat when he brought off a flying save from a Hassan Mohammed freekick. Earlier, Egypt's Eslam Ahmed slotted home a beauty to give his side a surprising 1-0 jump, with a long ranger in the last seconds of the first period after the UAE dominated for the full 12 minutes.
In the first period, the UAE began operations in whirlwind fashion though they could not penetrate the solid Egyptian fortress. Crafty Ali sent a sizzling reverse kick into the opponents' danger area in spectacular fashion, but the other UAE forwards failed to read the move in time.
The UAE, semifinalists in the event two seasons ago and Egypt, silver medallists in the Mediterranean Beach Games - Pescara 2015, played a highly technical game till the home side made the crucial defensive mistakes in the final session.
The Portuguese led 1-0 after the first period (12 minutes each) and went ahead by three before the central Americans reduced the margin.
Goals by Learnado Santos, Bruno Torres, Joao Saraiva and a superb pile driver in the third period by Bruno Novo sealed the fate of the fighting Mexicans who had Angel Rodriguez, Geraldo Gomez (2) finding the mark.
moni@khaleejtimes.com