Russia lifted the 10th Intercontinental Beach Soccer Cup Dubai title after a tense win over Iran 3-2 at the Kite Beach.
The Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup champions have now become the most successful team in the Intercontinental Cup with a fourth title.
Russia‘s Boris Nikonorov was awarded the MVP award and Chiky from Spain, with nine goals, claimed the top scorer trophy. Hamid Behzadpour of Iran won the best goalkeeper award.
The final was a replay of the last Group B game just days before, where the Russians overcame Iran 4-3.
The two nations had met twice before in the Intercontinental Cup final – Iran winning on both occasions.
This time, Boris Nikonorov was the star for Russia. He put his side in front in the first period. Nikonorov then headed the second to double the lead in the next and completed the hat-trick with a spectacular bicycle kick.
Mohammadali Mokthari pulled one back for Iran shortly before the second period and fired in his second to close the gap, but that was as close Iran got in the game.
Meanwhile, Senegal outplayed Portugal in the playoff for third, while the UAE went down 8-3 to Paraguay to finish in last place.
“The last game was a bit of a disappointment but overall we did pretty well even though the results don’t reflect it,” Waleed Beshr, the UAE defender, said of his team’s performance in the competition.
“We won against Spain and Senegal in the group phase and they were the high points of our campaign. We were very unlucky not to qualify for the semi-finals. We pushed Japan and Spain in the playoffs before going down fighting.
“The last game wasn’t the way we wanted to round off the tournament. Maybe we were a bit tired. Nevertheless, we can take a lot of positives from the tournament.”
Playoff results
Paraguay beat UAE 8-3 (for 7th place)
Japan beat Spain 5-4 (5th place)
Senegal beat Portugal 7-4 (3rd place)
Normcore explained
Something of a fashion anomaly, normcore is essentially a celebration of the unremarkable. The term was first popularised by an article in New York magazine in 2014 and has been dubbed “ugly”, “bland’ and "anti-style" by fashion writers. It’s hallmarks are comfort, a lack of pretentiousness and neutrality – it is a trend for those who would rather not stand out from the crowd. For the most part, the style is unisex, favouring loose silhouettes, thrift-shop threads, baseball caps and boyish trainers. It is important to note that normcore is not synonymous with cheapness or low quality; there are high-fashion brands, including Parisian label Vetements, that specialise in this style. Embraced by fashion-forward street-style stars around the globe, it’s uptake in the UAE has been relatively slow.
THE BIO
Favourite car: Koenigsegg Agera RS or Renault Trezor concept car.
Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.
Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.
Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.
The specs: 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor
Price, base / as tested Dh220,000 / Dh320,000
Engine 3.5L V6
Transmission 10-speed automatic
Power 421hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 678Nm @ 3,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 14.1L / 100km
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 1 (Fernandes pen 2') Tottenham Hotspur 6 (Ndombele 4', Son 7' & 37' Kane (30' & pen 79, Aurier 51')
Man of the match Son Heung-min (Tottenham)
Tips to avoid getting scammed
1) Beware of cheques presented late on Thursday
2) Visit an RTA centre to change registration only after receiving payment
3) Be aware of people asking to test drive the car alone
4) Try not to close the sale at night
5) Don't be rushed into a sale
6) Call 901 if you see any suspicious behaviour
New schools in Dubai
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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WORLD CUP SEMI-FINALS
England v New Zealand
(Saturday, 12pm UAE)
Wales v South Africa
(Sunday, 12pm, UAE)
Match info
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Liverpool v Porto, Tuesday, 11pm (UAE)
Matches can be watched on BeIN Sports
