Brazil: Argentinean Indoor Soccer Blind Team Wins World Championship
From: Luis Fernando Astorga Gatjens, IID (lferag@racsa.co.cr)/UIT Information from: Solidaridad Digital
The B1 Indoor Soccer Team of Blind Persons of Argentina won the World Championship with a score of 4-2 against Spain. Spain was the favorite after wining over Brazil at the semi finals.
The Brazilian team had won the previous world Championships of 1998 in Brazil and 2002 in Jerez.
The III World Championship of Indoor Soccer for the Blind was held in Rio de Janeiro, November 30 to December 8.
During the first phase, Argentina won over Brazil 2-0 and became the leader of group A, during the first phase. Spain had won its three games in group B. The national team had won over England 4-0, with points from Alfredo Cuadrado, José López, Carmelo Garrido y Marcelo Rosado. The last two were penalties.
The grand finale
Argentina and Spain were the only teams capable of winning over the world leader, Brazil, In the Meet for the final match. The team of Argentina was able to come out victoriously, among other factors, thanks to its main player, Silvio Velo.
The game was a tie, and the match went to extra time, and the winner was resolved through penalties. Though Spain had rather dominated with its control of the ball, the game was resolved by penalties in extra time, according to regulation, with the decision that Argentina won 3-2 over Spain.
Velo, from Argentina, was chosen the best player of the competition, and Carlos Alvares was the best goal catcher.
Both of these teams go directly to the next Paralympic Games, to be held in Athens in the year 2004. It will be the first time that Indoor Soccer for Totally Blind (B1) will be accepted in the history of Paraolympic Games. The Indoor Soccer for the Partially Blind (B2) is still not included in the international paraolympic sports.
|
