2009 Euro Beach Soccer League

The 2009 Euro Beach Soccer League, was the twelfth edition of the Euro Beach Soccer League (EBSL), 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 10 and August 23, 2009.

2009 Euro Beach Soccer League
Tournament details
Host countriesItaly
England
France
Portugal
Dates10 July – 23 August
Teams18 (from 1 confederation)
Venue(s)5 (in 5 host cities)
Final positions
Champions Russia (1st title)
Runners-up Portugal
Third place Italy
Fourth place Spain
Tournament statistics
Matches played51
Goals scored411 (8.06 per match)
The EBSL underwent major format changes in 2009 and as such underwent graphical rebranding too, including the introduction of a new logo shown above. This logo continued to be used for another six seasons until its last use in 2015.

In 2009, BSWW introduced major changes to the EBSL.[1] This included the reintroduction of Divisions A and B to the league, and making the Superfinal a Division A only event; the opportunity for Division B teams to qualify for the Superfinal was replaced with having the nations of the second division aim to qualify for a new additional post season event instead, the Promotion Final, in which nations would compete to try and earn promotion to Division A, as well as other changes explained later.

Portugal were the defending champions but fell short in the championship match of the Superfinal, losing to Russia who claimed their first European title.[2] Meanwhile, in Division B, Romania were promoted after winning the inaugural edition of the Promotion Final, with Norway relegated from Division A in return.[3]

Format changes

2009 saw the introduction of major changes to the format of this and future seasons of the EBSL which have remained almost unchanged to date (2017). The following decisions were made:[1]

Restructure of stages and divisions
  • The concept of Divisions A and B were reintroduced after they were scrapped in 2008.
  • Division A and B fixtures will take place simultaneously throughout the regular season (rather than teams in Division B starting and completing all of their scheduled fixtures before the nations of Division A even begin their season as was the case in 2006 and 2007).
  • Between 2002 and 2007, Divisions A and B hosted their own stages separately, taking place in different locations and during different dates. This format was discarded. It was decided from now on, each stage that is organised will host both Division A and Division B fixtures together, in the same place and during the same dates.
  • Historically, each season BSWW allocated teams to Division A and B at the start each season, with teams often being moved back and forth between divisions, year on year, without going through an official promotion or relegation process. It was decided the same nations would now take part in each division season after season (barring promoted and relegated teams as explained below).

Introduction of the Promotion Final
  • Teams in Division A will compete to earn enough points for the regular season league table to qualify for the Superfinal season-finale event in which the league title is then to be contested directly (just as has been the Superfinal's purpose since its introduction to the EBSL in 2001).
  • Unlike Division B's last incarnation between 2002 and 2007, from now on, teams from Division B can no longer qualify for the Superfinal – the Superfinal is now exclusively for Division A teams.
  • Teams in Division B will now compete to earn enough points for the regular season league table to qualify for a new postseason event – the Promotion Final.
  • The Division B team which wins the Promotion Final will be promoted into Division A the following season (except for in the scenario below).
  • The team bottom of the Division A regular season table will also take part in the Promotion Final to try and defend their place. If they win the event, they will retain their Division A status for the next season and so no Division B team will be promoted that year.

Schedule
Stage Dates Country City Div. A Div. B
110–12 July ItalyLignano Sabbiadoro
217–19 July EnglandMinehead
329–31 July FranceBéziers
411–13 August ItalyOstia
Sf120–23 August PortugalVila Real de Santo António
PF1
1. Superfinal (Sf) and Promotion Final (PF)

Teams
Division A (8) Division B (10)
 France  Italy  Norway  Andorra  Azerbaijan  Belarus  Czech Republic
 Poland  Portugal  Russia  England  Germany  Greece  Netherlands
 Spain   Switzerland  Romania  Turkey2

2. Turkey were supposed to compete with Austria and another, as of then, unconfirmed team as part of stage 4. Ultimately Austria pulled out and no other team entered meaning Division B did not materialise during stage 4. Turkey therefore automatically qualified for the Promotion Final and consequently did not compete during the regular season.[4]

Stage 1 (Lignano Sabbiadoro, 10–12 July)
     Stage winners (Division A)
     Stage winners (Division B)

Division A
Pos Team Pld W W+ L GF GA GD Pts
1 Russia 3201111106
2 Italy 31111412+25
3  Switzerland 31021811+73
4 Poland 3102817–93
Italy 1–2 Poland
Russia 2–1  Switzerland
Italy 7–6 (a.e.t.)  Switzerland
Russia 5–4 Poland
Italy 6–4 Russia
Switzerland  11–2 Poland

Division B
Pos Team Pld W W+ L GF GA GD Pts
1 Romania 220083+56
2 Greece 2101114+73
3 Andorra 2002214–120
Greece 9–1 Andorra
Romania 5–1 Andorra
Romania 3–2 Greece

Stage 2 (Minehead, 17–19 July)
     Stage winners (Division A)
     Stage winners (Division B)

Division A
Pos Team Pld W W+ L GF GA GD Pts
1 Portugal 33002711+169
2  Switzerland 3102161603
3 Norway 31021021–113
4 France 3102914–53

Norway are ranked ahead of France based on their head-to-head result

France 4–3  Switzerland
Portugal 11–3 Norway
Norway 5–3 France
Portugal 10–6  Switzerland
Portugal 6–2 France
Switzerland  7–2 Norway

Division B
Pos Team Pld W W+ L GF GA GD Pts
1 Azerbaijan 2200107+36
2 England 21017703
3 Germany 2002710–30
Azerbaijan 6–4 Germany
England 4–3 Germany
England 3–4 Azerbaijan

Stage 3 (Béziers, 29–31 July)
     Stage winners (Division A)
     Stage winners (Division B)

Division A
Pos Team Pld W W+ L GF GA GD Pts
1 Spain 3201138+56
2 Russia 3201131306
3 Poland 3102151503
4 France 3012914–52
France 4–8 Poland
Spain 6–3 Russia
France 2–2 (a.e.t.) Spain
Penalties
3–2
Russia 6–4 Poland
Spain 5–3 Poland
France 3–4 Russia

Division B
Pos Team Pld W W+ L GF GA GD Pts
1 Belarus 2200118+36
2 Netherlands 2101121203
3 Czech Republic 20021417–30
Belarus 4–2 Netherlands
Belarus 7–6 Czech Republic
Netherlands 10–8 Czech Republic

Stage 4 (Ostia, 11–13 August)
     Stage winners

Division A
Pos Team Pld W W+ L GF GA GD Pts
1 Italy 32012516+96
2 Spain 32012115+66
3 Portugal 31112315+85
4 Norway 3003629–230
Italy 8–4 Spain
Portugal 8–2 Norway
Italy 6–9 (a.e.t.) Portugal
Spain 10–1 Norway
Italy 11–3 Norway
Spain 7–6 Portugal

Tables
     Advanced to the Superfinal
     Advanced to the Promotion Final

Promotion Final (Vila Real de Santo António, 20–23 August)

Teams

Group Stage
     Advanced to the final

Group A
Pos Team Pld W W+ L GF GA GD Pts
1 Romania 220085+36
2 Belarus 201156–12
3 Turkey 200268–20
Romania 5–3 Turkey
Belarus 3–3 (a.e.t.) Turkey
Penalties
2–1
Romania 3–2 Belarus

Group B
Pos Team Pld W W+ L GF GA GD Pts
1 Greece 2200133+106
2 Azerbaijan 210167–13
3 Norway 2002312–90
Greece 8–1 Norway
Greece 5–2 Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan 4–2 Norway

Placement stage

Fifth place play-off
Turkey 4–0 Norway

Third place play-off
Belarus 3–2 (a.e.t.) Azerbaijan

Final
Romania 5–2 Greece

Final standings
Pos Team Notes
1 RomaniaPromoted to 2010 EBSL Division A
2 Greece
3 Belarus
4 Azerbaijan
5 Turkey
6 NorwayRelegated to 2010 EBSL Division B

Superfinal (Vila Real de Santo António, 20–23 August)

Teams

Group Stage
     Advanced to the final

Group A
Pos Team Pld W W+ L GF GA GD Pts
1 Russia 202075+24
2 Spain 2101118+33
3  Switzerland 2002611–50
Russia 3–2 (a.e.t.)  Switzerland
Spain 8–4  Switzerland
Russia 4–3 (a.e.t.) Spain

Group B
Pos Team Pld W W+ L GF GA GD Pts
1 Portugal 2200147+76
2 Italy 2011810–22
3 Poland 200249–50
Italy 3–2 (a.e.t.) Poland
Portugal 6–2 Poland
Portugal 8–5 Italy

Placement stage

Fifth place play-off
Switzerland  4–2 Poland

Third place play-off
Italy 4–4 (a.e.t.) Spain
Penalties
1–0

Final
Portugal 3–4 Russia
Bruno Novo  9'
Zé Maria  21'
Belchoir  32'		 Report  1' Shaykov
 14' Leonov
 7', 20' Makarov
 2009 Euro Beach Soccer League
Champions 

Russia
First title

Awards
Top scorer(s)
Paolo Palmacci Madjer
7 goals
Best player
Madjer
Best goalkeeper
Andrey Bukhlitskiy

Final standings
Pos Team Notes
1 Russia2009 EBSL Champions
2 PortugalRunners-up
3 ItalyThird place
4 Spain
5  Switzerland
6 Poland

Sources
  1. "Европейская лига пляжного футбола (EBSL) 2009" (in Russian). beachsoccer.ru. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  2. "FUTEBOL DE PRAIA: RÚSSIA BATE PORTUGAL (4-3) E CONQUISTA LIGA EUROPEIA" (in Portuguese). record.pt. 23 August 2009. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  3. "Европейская Лига пляжного футбола. Вила Реал (Португалия). Суперфинал. День финалов" (in Russian). beachsoccer.ru. 23 August 2009. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  4. "Завтра в итальянском Линьяно сборная…" (in Russian). beachsoccer.ru. 9 July 2009. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
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