Goal rush expected at Beach Soccer World Cup
A total of 970 scored in four editions
Dubai: This month's Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup to be held at the picturesque Umm Suqeim beach in Dubai promises a goal fest going by the number scored in the previous four editions of the tournament.
After tournaments in Rio de Janeiro and Marseille, a total of 970 goals have been scored, giving an indication of what is to be expected during the competition in Dubai from November 16-22.
The inaugural tournament in 2005 at the famed Copacabana Beach in Rio saw a total of 164 goals scored for an average of 8.2 per team.
The following year, however, things got even better as players found the net an astonishing 286 times or an aggregate of 8.9 goals per team. However, these numbers dipped significantly in 2007 with a total of 261 goals scored for an average of 8.2 per team.
Last year too in Marseille, there was a slight decline in the number of goals scored — a total of 259 for an average of 8.09 per team.
The slight decline in the number of goals scored in the last two editions can be attributed to the fact that goal-keeping and defence standards have risen significantly over the years, making it rather difficult for strikers to find the net.
Of the 16 teams, Brazil stands out with a total of 168 goals to its credit in all four competitions so far for an average of 42 goals per tournament.
The South Americans top scored in 2005 with 39 goals, netted a stunning 52 in 2006, another 43 in 2007 but slipped to second place on the chart in 2008 with 34 goals against top-scorer Portugal's 41.
Participants
The UAE, as the host country, have automatically qualified for the seven-day tournament which also boasts teams from six zones representing 16 nations — Côte d'Ivoire and Nigeria (Africa), Italy, Portugal, Russia, Spain and Switzerland (Europe), Costa Rica and El Salvador (North, Central American and the Caribbean), Solomon Islands (Oceania), Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay (South America) and another two countries which will be known after the eight-team Asian qualifiers conclude on November 11.
