The draw for the futsal (visually impaired) groups at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo (Japan) put the hosts on the path of the Brazilian team. Even the Japanese are the top contenders in pursuit of the fifth Paralympic gold medal in the sport. Besides them, China and France are also part of Group A in the tournament. The Key definition event This Monday (14) in Tokyo.
Group B brings together Argentina (bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics), Morocco, Spain and Thailand. The Tokyo Five-Year match will take place between August 29 and September 4. The two teams face each other within their arcs and the top two teams qualify for the semi-finals.
“Brazil’s bracket was strong, more balanced than the other. But what I always tell athletes is that to be champions, they cannot choose an opponent. First, we must qualify. Let’s go step by step,” coach Fabio Vasconcelos analyzed, in a statement on the federation’s website Brazilian Sports for the Visually Impaired (CBDV).
“I think we are in a strong group, with four qualified teams,” said winger Ricardinho (beside shirt number 9), considering that he is the best in the world in five-a-side football. Alaor Filho / MPIX / CPB / Rights Reserved
Two of the three competitors were in the first stage on the Brazilian track already in the previous editions of the Games. Against China, there were four matches at the Paralympic Games, a draw and three victories – one of them 2-1, in the 2008 final in Beijing (China). Four years later, in London (UK), the national team won the gold medal, defeating the French 2-0.
“I think we are in a strong group, with four qualified teams. France and China have already won silver medals at the Paralympics, and China, basically, have done well. It is worth highlighting the development of Japan. We followed the latter. Grand Prix [torneio realizado em Tóquio, há duas semanas, sem participação do Brasil, vencido pela Argentina] And we realized, tactically, that they are organized defensively and go well to attack, which shows that the training methodology was very effective,” emphasized winger Ricardinho, who is considered the best player in the world in futsal.
In the sport’s history at the Paralympics, Brazil has been on the field 22 times, with 17 wins and five draws, and has won the gold medal four times the sport has been contested at the Games. The national team has not lost in a normal time in an official match for eight years. In addition, since runners-up at the 2006 World Cup, the Brazilians have not finished on the podium at any tournament they have played at the 2017 Copa America, when they won the silver medal and snapped up 24 consecutive titles.
