NEWS

The Beach Soccer Japan national team got off to a good start at the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Dubai with a 3-2 win on penalties over last year’s fourth-place finishers Spain following a 5-5 extra-time draw in their first group game on Monday.

Japan goalkeeper Tomoya Ginoza denied Spain’s third kicker Kuman, while all three Japanese kickers were successful in the penalty shootout.
Guided by former Japan international Ruy Ramos, Japan fell behind seven minutes into the game when Hirofumi Oda passed the ball into his own net. Masahito Toma cancelled that out in the 14th minute before Teruki Tabata and Rikarudo Higa helped Japan to a 3-1 lead a quarter of an hour into the game.
Spain replied through Juanma, Javier Torres and Nico, but Japan responded through Tabata to level the scores at 4-4 and send the game into extra time.
Japan went ahead again through Oda, but Spain’s Wayo responded a minute later and the game moved to a penalty shootout.
In the 16-team tournament, Japan will play Ivory Coast on Tuesday and El Salvador on Wednesday in Group B. The top two finishers will advance to the next round.