France’s Jeremy Basquaise, right, battles for the ball with Nigeria’s Ogbonnaya Okemmiri, during a past FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup match in Rio de Janeiro.
Russia on Thursday sent Brazil packing from the 2015 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Portugal, beating the Beach Soccer powerhouse 6-5 in a quarter-final match in Espinho.
Brazil has won the title a record 13 times (1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009), runner up once (2011), two-time third-place finisher (2005, 2013) and finished fourth one in 2001.
For its part, Russia, which qualified for the semi-final on account of that victory, had won the title twice (2011 and 2013).
Also through to the semi-finals Thursday are host Portugal, which dismissed Switzerland 7-3, Italy, 3-2 winner against Japan and Tahiti, which pipped Iran 5-4.
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