Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Espinho: Japan kept their 2015 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup hopes well and truly alive on Saturday thanks to an enthralling 4-3 win over Argentina.
After Thursday’s 4-2 loss to Portugal, Japan’s victory – and Senegal’s 6-5 defeat of Portugal earlier in the day - means all four Group A teams have three points going into Monday's finale when Marcelo Mendes’s side will take on Senegal and host nation Portugal will tackle Argentina.
In what would prove to be a pulsating encounter, Federico Hilaire gave Argentina a second minute lead, before Takasuke Goto and Naoya Matsuo put Japan in front with 16 minutes gone.
Federico Costas drew the South Americans level in the 21st minute, a state of affairs that would, however, only last four seconds thanks to Goto’s second of the game which put Japan 3-2 up.
Takaaki Oba stretched Japan’s advantage further with a goal at the end of the second period to move the two-time Asian champions to within touching distance of a three-point haul.
With time running out, Rodrigo Lopez scored to ensure a nervy end for Japan who, nevertheless, held on to secure the win which keeps them on track for a place in the quarter-finals ahead of Monday’s crucial encounter with Senegal.
Photo: FIFA / Getty Images