2005 Euro Beach Soccer League

The 2005 Euro Beach Soccer League, was the eighth edition of the Euro Beach Soccer League (EBSL), originally known as the European Pro Beach Soccer League, the premier beach soccer competition contested between European men's national teams, occurring annually since its establishment in 1998. The league was organised by Beach Soccer Worldwide (BSWW) between July 8 and August 28, 2005 in five different nations across Europe.

2005 Euro Beach Soccer League

Tournament details
Dates	8 July – 28 August
Teams	16 (from 1 confederation)
Venue(s)	6 (in 6 host cities)
Final positions
Champions	Italy (1st title)
Runners-up	Portugal
Third place	France
Fourth place	Switzerland
Tournament statistics
Matches played	48
Goals scored	467 (9.73 per match)
Top scorer(s)	Amarelle
Best player(s)	Cristiano Scalabrelli
Best goalkeeper	Bruno Alves

Tignes

Figueira da Foz

Cervia

Linz

Santa Ponsa

Marsielle

Locations of the events of the 2005 Euro Beach Soccer League
Division A events
Division B events
Division A & C events
Superfinal

Following the preceding season, BSWW continued organising the nations of the EBSL across three divisions (A, B and C), with each team competing in their respective division to try and earn a place in the season-finale event, the Superfinal, in which the league title was then contested directly.[1]

Italy were ultimately crowned champions, coming back from 5–1 down in the last period of the final to win their first European title.[2] France entered the league as defending champions but lost in the Superfinal semi-finals, finishing the league in third place.

Teams

This season 16 nations took part in the Euro Beach Soccer League whom were and were distributed as follows:

Division A (4)  France  Italy  Portugal  Spain

Division B (8)  Austria  England  Germany  Greece  Hungary  Netherlands  Norway  Ukraine

Division C (4)  Belgium  Poland  Russia   Switzerland

Superfinal berths

There were eight berths available in this season's Superfinal. The table summarises in what positions nations needed to finish in their respective divisions in order to qualify to the Superfinal, what round of the Superfinal they would enter finishing in said positions, and the seeding they would receive.

Allocations

Seed	Position in Division	Division	Round entered
1	Winner	A	Semi-finals
2	Runner-up		Quarter-finals
3	Third place
4	Fourth place
5	Winner	B
6	Runner-up
7	Third place		Play-off round
8	Winner	C

• Division A was awarded four Superfinal berths (with only four teams in the division, all teams automatically qualified - the teams played to try and win the division in order to earn the single berth straight into the Superfinal semi-finals and, failing this, attain the best seeding possible)
• Division B received three berths and Division C, one.

Play off round

• Since the Division A winners received a bye in the quarter-finals, this meant one of the four quarter-final ties was to be void. The three other quarter-final matches only had enough spaces to accommodate six of the other seven teams qualified for Superfinal.
• Hence BSWW decided the top five of the remaining seven teams would go straight into the quarters, whilst a play-off round would take place between the two lowest ranked qualifiers (3rd Division B v Winner Division C) to determine who gets the final sixth quarter-final spot. The loser and now leftover seventh nation would have to settle for the consolation matches.

Division A

Division A consisted of four rounds of fixtures known as stages, with one stage hosted in each of the four countries participating as shown. All four teams took part in each. In each stage, the teams played each other once. The nation who earned the most points at the end of the stage was crowned stage winners.

At the end of the four stages all results were tallied up in a final league table.

Stage 1

The first stage took place in Tignes, France. Portugal won the event.

Matches 8 July 2005 France  7–5  Italy Spain  11–4  Portugal 9 July 2005 France  7–4  Spain Italy  6–7  Portugal 10 July 2005 Italy  5–4  Spain France  4–7  Portugal

Final standings Pos Team Pld W W+ L GF GA GD Pts Notes 1  Portugal 3 2 0 1 18 21 –3 6 Stage Winners 2  France 3 2 0 1 18 16 +2 6 3  Italy 3 1 0 2 16 18 −2 3 4  Spain 3 1 0 2 19 16 +3 3

Stage 2

The second stage took place in Figueira da Foz, Portugal. The hosts claimed their second stage win.

Matches 22 July 2005 Portugal  5–2  Italy Spain  6–3  France 23 July 2005 Italy  1–2  Spain Portugal  6–2  France 24 July 2005 Italy  6–3  France Portugal  4–2  Spain

Final standings Pos Team Pld W W+ L GF GA GD Pts Notes 1  Portugal 3 3 0 0 15 6 +9 9 Stage Winners 2  Spain 3 2 0 1 10 8 +2 6 3  Italy 3 1 0 2 9 10 −1 3 4  France 3 0 0 3 8 18 –10 0

Stage 3

The third and penultimate stage took place in Cervia, Italy. The hosts earned their first stage victory. Portugal earned enough points during this stage to secure first place in the final division standings.

Matches 29 July 2005 Italy  3–2  France Portugal  4–3  Spain 30 July 2005 Italy  2–1  Portugal Spain  6–6 (a.e.t.) 2–1 (pens.)  France 31 July 2005 Italy  5–3 (a.e.t.)  Spain Portugal  10–7  France

Final standings Pos Team Pld W W+ L GF GA GD Pts Notes 1  Italy 3 2 1 0 10 6 +4 8 Stage Winners 2  Portugal 3 2 0 1 15 12 +3 6 3  Spain 3 0 1 2 12 15 −3 2 4  France 3 0 0 3 15 19 –4 0

Stage 4

The fourth and final stage took place in Santa Ponsa, Mallorca, Spain. Portugal won their third stage title.

Matches 5 August 2005 Portugal  2–3  France Spain  9–3  Italy 6 August 2005 Spain  2–4  Portugal France  5–3  Italy 7 August 2005 Portugal  6–2  Italy Spain  5–4  France

Final standings Pos Team Pld W W+ L GF GA GD Pts Notes 1  Portugal 3 2 0 1 12 7 +5 6 Stage Winners 2  France 3 2 0 1 12 10 +2 6 3  Spain 3 2 0 1 16 11 +5 6 4  Italy 3 0 0 3 8 20 –12 0

Final Division A table

All four Division A teams automatically qualified to the Superfinal. Finishing top of the division table earned that team a bye straight into the semi-finals of the Superfinal, whilst the final positions of the other three nations determined seedings in the quarter-finals.

Portugal were crowned winners, earning the bye into the Superfinal semi finals. Spain, by finishing second, ensured the next highest seeding meaning they would be drawn against the worst ranked team to make the Superfinal (the play-off winners) in the quarters. On the other hand, France, finishing last, received the lowest seeding in Division A and hence suffered the consequences of having to play next best seed, the winners from Division B.

Pos	Team	Pld	W	W+	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Portugal	12	9	0	3	60	46	+14	27	Advance to Superfinal semi-finals
2	Spain	12	5	1	6	57	50	+7	17	Advance to Superfinal quarter-finals
3	Italy	12	4	1	7	43	54	−11	14
4	France	12	4	0	8	53	63	–10	12

Division B

Results

• Dates: 8–10 July 2005
• Location: Linz, Austria

This season Division B was played as a straight knockout tournament. The eight teams contesting the division started in the quarter-finals, playing one match per round until the final when the winner was crowned. The losers of the quarter-finals played in consolation matches to determine their final division placements.

	5th place match					5th – 8th place play-offs					Quarter-finals					Semi-finals					Final
											Austria		4
											Greece		3
						Greece		5 (0)								Austria		2
						England (pens.)		5 (1)								Germany		4
											Germany		6
											England		2
	England		4																	Germany		4
	Ukraine		10																Hungary		5
											Hungary		7
											Ukraine		3
					Ukraine		6								Hungary		8
	7th place match					Norway		2								Netherlands		4			3rd place match
	Greece		4								Netherlands		3								Austria		5
	Norway		3								Norway		2								Netherlands		4

Final Division B standings

The top two nations qualified straight into the Superfinal quarter-finals alongside the three sides from Division A. The third placed team qualified to the Superfinal play-off round to play the winners of Division C to contest the sixth and final quarter-final spot. The remaining Division B nations exited this season's EBSL.

Hungary won the Division B tournament title, whilst hosts Austria claimed the third and final spot in the Superfinal.

Rank	Team	Qualification
	Hungary	Advance to Superfinal quarter-finals
	Germany
	Austria	Advance to Superfinal play-off round
4	Netherlands
5	Ukraine
6	England
7	Greece
8	Norway

Division C

The nations comprising Division C contested one round of fixtures. The teams played each other once. The nation who earned the most points at the end of the matches was crowned winner the division.

Matches

The fixtures were played in Santa Ponsa, Mallorca, Spain, alongside stage 4 of Division A.

5 August 2005
Belgium	2–5	Russia
Poland	2–2 (a.e.t.) 5–6 (pens.)	Switzerland
6 August 2005
Belgium	1–5	Poland
Switzerland	5–2	Russia
7 August 2005
Poland	3–2	Russia
Switzerland	7–2	Belgium

Final Division C table

The winners of Division C solely qualified to the Superfinal play-off round to play the lowest ranked qualifier from Division B to contest the sixth and final quarter-final spot. The remaining Division C nations exited this season's EBSL.

Switzerland were crowned winners.

Pos	Team	Pld	W	W+	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Switzerland	3	2	1	0	14	6	+8	8	Advance to Superfinal play-off round
2	Poland	3	2	0	1	10	5	+5	6
3	Russia	3	1	0	2	9	10	−1	3
4	Belgium	3	0	0	3	5	17	–12	0

Superfinal

Qualified teams

This is a summary of the teams who qualified for the Superfinal.

Seed	Team	Division	Round entered
1	Portugal	A	Semi-finals
2	Spain		Quarter-finals
3	Italy
4	France
5	Hungary	B
6	Germany
7	Austria		Play-off round
8	Switzerland	C

Results

• Dates: 25–28 August 2005
• Location: Marsielle, France

This season the Superfinal was played as a straight knockout tournament. Six teams contesting the title started in the quarter-finals, with Portugal joining in the semi-finals, playing one match per round until the final when the winner of the 2005 Euro Beach Soccer League was crowned. The losers of the quarter-finals and play-off round played in consolation matches to determine their final league placements.

Firstly, the play-off round took place between the winners of Division C and the lowest ranked qualifiers from Division B for reasons explained earlier. The winners, Switzerland, moved on to the quarter-finals. The losers, Austria, retreated to the consolidation matches.

	Play-off round
	7	Austria	7
	8	Switzerland (a.e.t.)	8

Following the play-off round, the main knockout stages and consolation matches of the Superfinal took place.

	5th place match					5th–8th place playoffs					Quarterfinals					Semifinals					Final
											1	Portugal
												bye
						7	Austria	1								1	Portugal	4
						5	Hungary	6								4	France	2
											4	France (pens.)	5 (2)
											5	Hungary	5 (1)
	5	Hungary	5																		1	Portugal	5 (1)
	2	Spain	7																	3	Italy (pens.)	5 (2)
											3	Italy	6
											6	Germany	4
					6	Germany	4								3	Italy	5
	7th place match					2	Spain	7								8	Switzerland	3			3rd place match
	7	Austria	2								8	Switzerland	4								4	France	6
	6	Germany	5								2	Spain	3								8	Switzerland	2

Championship match details

28 August 2005

18:30

Portugal	5–5 (a.e.t.)	Italy
Hernâni Belchior Alan Barraca	Report	Pasquali Fruzzetti Agostini
Penalties
Alan Madjer	1–2	Fruzzetti Pasquali

Plages du Prado, Marsielle

Winners

2005 Euro Beach Soccer League Champions
Italy First title

Superfinal final standings

Italy beat favourites Portugal in the final on penalties to win their first Euro Beach Soccer League title.

Pos	Team	Notes
1	Italy	EBSL Champions
2	Portugal	Runners-up
3	France	Third place
4	Switzerland
5	Spain
6	Hungary
7	Germany
8	Austria

Sources

1. "Mastercard Euro Beach Soccer League". beachsoccer.com. December 2005. Archived from the original on 2 December 2005. Retrieved 22 February 2017.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
2. "Mastercard Euro Beach Soccer League". beachsoccer.com. May 2006. Archived from the original on 8 May 2006. Retrieved 22 February 2017.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)

• Roonba
• BSWW
• RSSSF