Courtesy: CONCACAF.com


Ticos beat Guatemala for futsal crown

08/07/2012

GUATEMALA CITY - Jorge Arias scored a goal in each half and Costa Rica won its second CONCACAF Futsal Championship title and first since 2000, beating Guatemala 3-2 on Sunday.

The result disappointed the capacity crowd at the Domo Polideportivo and marked the end of Guatemala's nine-game winning streak at the Guatemala City arena, having last lost in 2007 to Costa Rica in qualifying for the Pan American Games.

Arias finished with five goals, tied for second-most in the tournament with Guatemala's Humberto Escobar, and Costa Rica keeper Jairo Toruna turned away several shots in the final six minutes - with Guatemala counterpart William Ramirez pushed forward to support the Chapines' late push - to claim the title.

In an evenly played first half, Costa Rica capitalized twice on Guatemala giveaways at the top of the defensive third to jump ahead 2-0 after less than eight minutes.

Estuardo De Leon's attempted ball to the right was intercepted by Luis Paniaga, who quickly sent it into the path of Arias, who finished with a right-footed drive in the eighth minute.

Forty-one seconds later, Costa Rica doubled the advantage when Walter Enriquez was unable to settle Erick Acevedo's cross-court pass cleanly. Diego Zuniga quickly pounced, drove on goal and beat Ramirez from the top of the area.

The defending champion pulled within a goal with about 3½ minutes remaining before halftime when Alan Aguilar received a ball from Escobar on the right, took two touches to the middle of the floor near the penalty area and beat Toruno with a left-footed drive into the side netting.

Guatemala was the more aggressive side in the second half, but Costa Rica restored its two-goal advantage in the 24th minute, capitalizing on another giveaway at the back.

Edgar Santizo's pass toward his own goal without another defender behind him was run onto by Arias, who rounded Ramirez on the left and rolled the ball inside the right post.

But Costa Rica returned the favor three minutes later when Paniaga mis-hit a volleyed pass attempt to try to clear the ball from his own defensive third and the ball fell to Santizo.

Santizo took a touch, moved around a scrambling Paniaga and beat Toruno with a left-footed shot from the edge of the area.




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