Courtesy: CONCACAF.com


Mexico and Costa Rica top futsal Group B

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala -- Adrian Gonzalez struck for a dramatic late winner to lift Mexico to a hard-fought 5-4 win over St. Kitts & Nevis at the Domo Polideportivo.

The Caribbean nation, playing in only its second-ever international, led for most of the game and was within tantalizing grasp of an historic accomplishment.Gonzalez, though, salvaged the result for Mexico with less than a minute left on the clock by deftly flicking a Francisco Cati corner that deflected off St. Kitts' Aiden Nurse and past goalkeeper Julani Archibald.

With the victory, Mexico takes over the top spot in Group B on four points, one ahead of Cuba, which plays Costa Rica later today.

Both teams started the game well, but St. Kitts & Nevis got on the board first in the 7th minute thanks to a Carlos Ramirez own-goal.

Ramirez would make amends for that inadvertent error only seconds later, leveling the score with his first goal of the competition.

St. Kitts immediately went on the offensive, grabbing a 3-1 lead through goals from Jason Lake and Nurse in the 9th and 10th minutes, respectively.Nurse's goal came as a result of a clever side-footed shot while parallel to the net from very close range.

Cati, though, narrowed the gap with an 18th minute goal from the left after an enterprising run from inside his own half.

Two minutes later, Miguel Limon equalized for the Mexicans with his third goal in two games.

St. Kitts was undaunted and regained the advantage as Travis Somersall knocked home a rebound, breaking the short-lived deadlock and giving his side a 5-4 lead at the interval.

The second half was a somewhat bumpy affair, but it wasn't because of a lack of effort or skill.An abundance of determination was evident in the faces and actions of all the players.

The score remained in St. Kitts' favor until the Limon brought Mexico back on level terms in the 35th minute, setting up Gonzalez's heroics.

Mexico faces Cuba tomorrow in its last group game, while St. Kitts & Nevis will look to rebound against Cuba.



Cuba 1, Costa Rica 2

Costa Rica outlasted Cuba 2-1 in an exhilarating CONCACAF Futsal Championship encounter at the Domo Polideportivo.

The victory gives the Central Americans four points from its opening two games, placing them atop the Group B standings along with Mexico, and eliminates St. Kitts & Nevis.Cuba, which easily raced past St. Kitts 10-0 on Monday, is in third on three points.

After a scoreless first half, the Ticos took a 1-0 lead in the 21st minute, when Luis Paniagua fired home a pass from Michael Cordoba.

Erick Brenes, who was extremely active throughout the afternoon, doubled Costa Rica's advantage 11 minutes later, blasting a penalty kick through the legs of Cuban goalkeeper Wilfredo Carbo.

In the 34th minute, Yulier Olivera kept Cuba's hopes alive, halving the deficit by slotting an Eduardo Morales free kick past goalkeeper Jairo Toruño.

Carbo was in outstanding form late in the game, thwarting Brenes twice on double penalties in the 35th and 36th minutes.

Costa Rica is now 4-0-0 in four all-time meetings against Cuba at the CONCACAF Futsal Championship.




Courtesy: CONCACAF.com


Guatemala, U.S. post vital futsal victories

by Michael Lewis

GUATEMALA CITY -- Host Guatemala found itself on the verge of qualifying for for FIFA Futsal World Cup by recording a 5-2 Group A win over Central American rival Panama in the 2012 CONCACAF Futsal Championship on Tuesday night. Earlier in the evening, the United States kept their qualifying hopes alive with a 3-2 win over Canada.

The victory gave the Guatemalans two wins in as many games, while Panama suffered its first loss after securing a triumph in its opener at Domo Polideportivo.

Erick Acevedo and Estuardo De Leon led the way with two goals apiece as they scored in each half, boosting the hosts to a 5-0 advantage before Los Canaleros found the back of the net midway through the second half.

In an intense, high-paced first half, the Guatemalans grabbed a 2-0 halftime lead and never looked back.

With the match just over a minute old, Acevedo gave Guatemala a lead by firing a shot from the left side over the shoulder of Panama goalkeeper Jaime Londono.

Panama took control of the match for several minutes, but could not solve the Guatemalan defense or goalkeeper William Ramirez, who had a sharp opening 20 minutes.

But it was the Guatemalans who scored again to take a 2-0 advantage in the 14th minute. This time De Leon converted a free kick from Edgar Macal as he powered a drive to the near left post.

Los Chapines were relentless in the second half. They increased their lead to three goals early on as Pablo Estrada tallied on a long-range shot from the left side.

De Leon made the most of a give-and-go and fired an attempt from just outside the penalty area for a 4-0 lead in the 26th minute.

Only three minutes later, Acevedo beat his man on the right side, Alquis Alvarado and put home a shot from a difficult angle for the fifth goal.

Panama's Miguel Bello spoiled Ramirez's shutout bid by scoring from the left side to close the gap to 5-1 in the 31st minute. Only a minute later, Panama's Carlos Perez launched a long drive from the right side for the second goal.


United States 3, Canada 2

Kraig Chiles broke a 2-2 tie in the 33rd minute to lift the United States to a 3-2 Group A victory over Canada in 2012 CONCACAF Championship at Domo Polideportivo on Tuesday night.

The win kept the Americans' chances of qualifying for the 2012 FIFA Futsal Championship alive after they dropped a 5-2 decision to Guatemala on Monday night.

The Canadians' second loss in as many games put them on the verge of elimination.

Canada grabbed a 1-0 lead in the ninth minute as a Bruno Xavier free kick deflected off of the foot of a U.S. defender and into the net past U.S. goalkeeper Danny Waltman.

The Canadian captain, however, would not see the end of the opening half as he was forced from the match with a lower left leg injury at 15:40. Xavier returned to action in the second half.

The Americans equalized in the 17th minute. Machel Millwood sent a cross from the left corner into the penalty area. Chiles fired a close-range attempt that a defender managed to block. The rebound, however, went straight to Patrick Healey, who slotted it into the net past keeper Roy Blance for a 1-1 tie.

In the opening minute of the second half, Healey turned playmaker as he and Bryan Perez found themselves on a quick counterattack. Healey slipped the ball to Perez, who fired from the top left edge of the penalty area to register his second goal of the tournament.

The Canadians, however, countered with an equalizer of their own in the 31st minute as Matthew Stewart tallied from the right side of the area for a 2-2 deadlock.

Chiles restored the lead for the U.S. at 3-2 with a left-footed blast from outside the left side of the penalty area in the 33rd minute.

Canada came close to knotting up the game at 37:53 as Ian Bennett, trying to take advantage of a quick free kick, sent a close-range shot over the net.

Most of the final two minutes was played in the Americans' end as Canada desperately tried for the equalizer. The Canadians took shot after shot at the U.S. goal as their best opportunity came with 15.6 seconds remaining, but Waltman managed to knock away Daniel Chamale's close-range attempt.

The U.S. will meet Guatemala in their final group match on Wednesday night, while Canada plays Panama.




Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com