Ukraine and Russia won their semi-finals in the Deaflympics men’s soccer tournament at Yingfeng Sports Field in Taipei yesterday to set up a showdown for the Games’ last gold medal at the Taipei Municipal Stadium at 2pm on Tuesday.
In the morning semi-final, Ukraine defeated France 4-0, with all the goals coming in the second half.
Myroslav Tanchyk scored a brace for the East Europeans, while Volodymyr Riy and Dmytro Nevenchenko added the others.
PHOTO: LIN CHENG-KUN, TAIPEI TIMES
In the afternoon semi, Russia downed 10-man Germany 4-2, thanks to goals from Pavel Istrashkin, top scorer Nikolay Afanasyev and a brace from Arkadiy Kochiev.
Germany captain Daniel Jagla netted, but was also sent off as his team failed to emulate their female counterparts who reached tomorrow’s women’s final the previous morning, and will have to sit out the bronze medal match with France tomorrow morning.
Germany’s other goal was scored by Jens Bangert.
PHOTO: LIN CHENG-KUN, TAIPEI TIMES
In the 5th/8th-place playoffs, Argentina beat a US team that was down to eight men by the end of the game 2-0, with second-half goals from Jorge Chazarreta and Ricardo Mestre Picon. The US had skipper Michael Lawson and Kenneth Noll sent off after receiving two yellow cards, while Justin Hefflefinger got a straight red.
In the later match, 10-man Iran rallied from 2-1 down at halftime to defeat 10-man Ireland.
Aliakbar Ahmadvand scored two and substitute Hamid Ghasemi the other for Iran, who had Mohammad Pargar sent off. Joseph Watson and Daniel Johnson got Ireland’s goals, while substitute Andrew Wynne got his marching orders.
PHOTO: WANG YI-SUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
In the 9th/12th-place playoffs, Great Britain thrashed Denmark 5-1, with goals from Steven Gardiner (2), Benjamin Lampert, James Clarke and Christopher Beech. Nassor Salim netted for the Danes.
In the later match, Spain beat Japan 2-0, with first-half goals from Iker Rodriguez and Christian Gutierrez.
In the 13th/15th-place playoff, South Korea defeated Kazakhstan by 3-2 to leave them in 15th and last place.
Tomorrow, Great Britain face Russia in the bronze medal match, starting at 9:30am at Yingfeng Sports Field.
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