Russia’s beach soccer team have played, probably, their best ever match, thrashing defending champions Brazil 12-8 in the final of the World Cup in Ravenna, Italy.
Russia grabbed a 3-0 lead right from the start and never let the four-time world champions come back into the game.
The fate of the final was decided in the second 12 minutes, in which the Russians scored six times.
The third period was more of a formality as Mikhail Likhachev’s men cruised to an impressive 12-8 victory.
Dmitry Shishin was Russia’s MVP on the night, scoring a hat-trick for the winners.
Egor Shaykov, Ilya Leonov, Egor Eremeev and Aleksey Makarov each came up with a brace, while Brazil’s Betinho also helped with an own goal.
The South Americans’ top player Andre netted six goals past Russia’s in-form keeper Andrey Bukhlitsky, but the efforts of the lone star weren’t enough to stop the disciplined and very fit Russians.
Russia, the only squad to win all of their games in Ravenna, lifted the Beach Soccer World Cup for the first time in their history.
It’s their second huge success in just two months as Likhachev’s charges also claimed the Euroleague back in August.