According to Lyndon Lynch, coach to the Great Britain team – who play a seven-a-side game adapted for athletes with cerebral palsy – this will be one of several instances in the run-up to London 2012 when his players have linked up with those in the professional game.

Speaking after his team had lost 4-2 in their opening round robin match against Brazil, Lynch said that his goalkeepers, Craig Connell and Billy Thompson, had recently benefited from training with the West Ham United and England keeper Robert Green, and had previously worked with Manchester City and England's Joe Hart.

The Brazilian weather continued here today – which was nice for the Brazilian football team as they offered all the fluency and finishing power we have come to expect of their nation's players.

The seven-a-side game which is now established in the Paralympics is played over two halves of half an hour.

Both the teams who laboured under the glaring sun here have in mind the challenge of trying to make an impression on the three sides who have established themselves as the medal favourites – Russia, the Ukraine and Iran.

Brazil, who finished fourth at the Beijing 2008 Paralympics, offered plentiful evidence that they can do at least as well again when the competition gets underway at the temporary Riverbank Arena in the Olympic Park.

Lynch said he was "bitterly disappointed" by the defeat, but added: "This is great preparation for the London Paralympics.

"We are closing the gap on the leading nations, even though we are not full-time.

"We worked really hard today and created a lot of chances.

"We have shown we can score goals against the best opposition, but we need to work on our defensive arrangements. "


Jonathan Paterson (pictured above, right, with Brazilan Wanderson Oliveira, left), one of three in the squad – along with 41-year-old Matt Dimbylow and Michael Barker – who played in the team that finished seventh in the Beijing Paralympics under Lynch's direction, believes their standard has risen dramatically in the intervening time.

"These will be my second Paralympics, and the team is improving all the time," he said, his red shirt patched with sweat.

George Fletcher, who had laboured diligently up front, concurred: "We created more chances than Brazil," he said.

"Their goals came from mistakes by us, so that's what we've got to work on, I think we played them off the park in terms of set pieces."

Certainly the set piece of a corner provided England with their equalising goal after 10 minutes after Wanderson Oliveira had given Brazil the lead.

Josh Beacham, the team's dead ball specialist, drove in a curving corner with his left foot that the Brazilian keeper, Marcos Ferreira, could not prevent from hitting the back of the net.

Beacham was understandably jubilant, but a goal in time added on in the first half by Yurig Ribeiro sent the visitors into the dressing room with revived spirits.

Jose Guimaraes made it 3-1 five minutes into the second half, but then Ibrahim Diallo (pictured below), giving a passable impression of Yaya Toure's forays for Manchester City in the neighbouring Etihad Stadium, reduced the arrears with 10 minutes remaining with a powerful shot after cutting in from the left past two challengers.


However, a final goal from Guimaraes with three minutes remaining meant that Britain had no reward on the day for their palpable efforts.

Greater accuracy with headers from corners may yet benefit them greatly.

"It was a hard match" said 21-year-old Mateus Calvo, who came into the Brazilian squad two years ago.

"Britain were very strong – it was the first time I have ever played against them - but we were faster than them.

"London 2012 will be a different competition, Ukraine, Iran and Russia will be the teams to beat in London and we have to be stronger than we are now."

In the earlier game, the Republic of Ireland – who have not qualified for London 2012 – defeated the United States 3-1.

The Republic will play Brazil today, while Great Britain meet the United States.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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