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2015 Caf Beach Soccer Championship - Mouthwatering semifinals today, Seychelles battle in playoffs |18 April 2015

The semifinals of the 2015 Caf Beach Soccer Championship currently being held here will take place today at the National Beach Soccer Stadium at Roche Caïman, while Seychelles will compete in the playoffs.

Defending three-time champions Senegal, two-time champions Nigeria, 2013 runners-up Côte d’Ivoire and surprise package Madagascar are the semifinalists and fans will sure to witness two entertaining matches this afternoon.

At 5.30pm the two most successful sides in the competition will go head-to-head as Nigeria take on Senegal in a repeat of the 2007 final in Morocco. On that occasion it was Senegal who emerged victorious on a 7-4 score, meaning the Nigerians have a score to settle this afternoon as they aim to make their fourth final appearance in the competition.

Senegal meanwhile, having won the competition a record three times will be looking to re-assert their dominance by beating the Nigerians after only narrowly making it to the semifinals on goal difference from group B.

The second semifinal will pit underdogs Madagascar against the experienced Côte d’Ivoire side in a match expected to kick off at 6.45pm. The Malagasies have upset all the odds to make it out of group B, with an unbeaten record in three games and are the locals’ favourites to lift the trophy tomorrow night.  

Côte d’Ivoire have registered unconvincing wins over both Egypt and Seychelles, but will be hoping to make a second successive appearance in the final of the tournament tomorrow with a win over Madagascar.

The highlight of the day for the locals, however, is the playoff match between hosts Seychelles and Morocco. Seychelles are the only winless side after the group stage and will be hoping to finally register a win against the Moroccans who have tasted victory over Ghana. This match will take place at 4.15pm.

The first match scheduled today is between Egypt and Ghana. The winners will do battle for fifth place tomorrow, while the losers will play for seventh place.

Former Trinidad and Tobago international, Brent Rahim, who is in the country to coordinate workshops with the teams told Sport Nation that the competition is of a very high level and that the level of beach football in Africa has really risen in the past years.

“The stadium is also fantastic,” he added. “To have such a facility I think is very good as it can only steer the sport in the right direction.”

He also pointed that although he has not been here since the start of the tournament his general impression is that everything is going along smoothly and according to plan.

Tickets for today’s matches cost R50 and can be used to watch all four games.

S. N.

 

 

 

 

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