U.S. defeats Canada in second Group A game of CONCACAF Futsal Championship

The U.S. Futsal National Team defeated Canada 3-2 with goals from Patrick Healey, Bryan Perez and Kraig Chiles at the 2012 CONCACAF Futsal Championship.

It was a must-win match for the U.S., which earned its first three points of the tournament and faces defending champion Guatemala in the third and final group match. The encounter will be the 100^th CONCACAF Futsal qualifying match, and will take place at 10 p.m. ET on July 4, live on CONCACAF.com.

“I give the team so much credit because after a disappointing loss last night they rebounded against a very good Canadian team,” said U.S. Futsal National Team head coach Keith Tozer. “I thought Sipho Sibiya and their team played quite well and it was the battle I thought it was going to be. It was two proud countries and two new futsal programs and that’s what we got tonight. It was a great victory. We live for another day.”

Guatemala defeated Panama 5-2 in the second match of the evening, putting the Chapines at the top of Group A with six points. A victory against Guatemala combined with a Panama victory against Canada would leave Group A with three teams tied at six points, in which case, the USA’s fate would be determined by a tie-breaker.

Both the U.S. and Canada went into the game knowing that only a win would keep the team alive in the tournament, and both teams imposed a high pressure defense. In the seventh minute, goalkeeper Daniel Waltman was called for a four-second violation as the referee deemed that he held the ball for too long in his arc. Canada took advantage of the free kick from the penalty spot. Captain Bruno Xavier lined up to take the shot, hitting it hard enough for the ball to ricochet behind the defense and Waltman and into the goal.

The U.S. defense held fast after the goal and the team continued to attack with pace. The high pressure paid off in the 17^th minute as Healey won a ball in the middle of the field and connected a wall pass with Machel Millwood. Healey received the pass and dished it left for Chiles who took a shot that hit the post. Healey was there for the rebound, not missing from close-range.

The first half ended with two shots for each team in the final minute as both looked for the go-ahead goal before the break. The intermission recharged the U.S. players, who came out with a renewed sense of urgency.

The stalemate was broken in the 30^th minute as Healey once again forced a turnover in the middle of the field and carried the ball up, passing it left on the ground to Perez as Roy Blance came out to cut him off. Perez slotted the ball into the middle of the open goal for his second career goal and second goal of the tournament.

Canada pulled one back less than 30 second later as Matthew Rios headed down a long pass right onto the path of Ian Bennett. Bennett, who plays under Tozer at the Milwaukee Wave, brought down the perfectly weighted ball in stride and fired a blast past Waltman, who could do nothing to save the point-blank shot.

Chiles came through with his sixth career goal and second goal of the tournament in the 33^rd minute. The U.S. earned a corner kick that Angel Rivillo passed back for Ptah Myers. Myers laid it off for Chiles who hit it into the net as Blance was screened by his defenders.

Blance was replaced in the Canada goal by goalkeeper Josh Lemus, who also served as a fifth attacker as Canada looked for the equalizer. The pressure was felt by the U.S. defense, particularly Waltman, who made four point-blank saves in the final two minutes of the game to earn Man of the Match honors for the second straight game.

— U.S. Futsal National Team Match Report —

Match: U.S. Futsal National Team vs. Canada
Date: July 3, 2012
Competition: 2012 CONCACAF Futsal Championship; Group A
Venue: Domo Polideportivo; Guatemala City, Guatemala
Kickoff: 6 p.m. (8 p.m. ET)
Attendance: TBD
Weather: Indoors

Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
USA                        1 2 3
CAN                        1 1 2

CAN – Bruno Xavier (unassisted)     7th minute
USA – Patrick Healey (unassisted)    17
USA – Bryan Perez (Patrick Healey)  30
CAN – Ian Bennett (Matthew Rios)   30
USA – Kraig Chiles (Ptah Myers)      33

Lineups:
USA: 12-Daniel Waltman; 7-Ptah Myers; 11-Matthew Stewart (capt.); 2-Kraig Chiles, 8-Bato Radoncic
Subs: 4-Bryan Perez, 5-Sandre Naumoski, 9-Patrick Healey, 10-Angel Rivillo, 13-Machel Millwood, 14-Lucas Stauffer
Subs not used: 1-Boris Pardo
Head Coach: Keith Tozer

CAN: 1-Roy Blance; 2-Bruno Xavier (capt.), 7-Steve DeBlasio, 8-Robbie Aristodemo, 11-Ian Bennett
Subs: 3-Robert Tice, 4-Daniel Chamale, 5-Jordan Ongaro, 9-Matthew Rios, 10-Alexander Elliot, 12-Joshua Lemos
Subs not used: 14-Vincent Cournoyer
Not available: 13-Alvaro Yaques
Head Coach: Sipho Sibiya

Stats Summary: USA / CAN
Shots: 25 / 32
Shots on Goal: 16 / 18
Saves: 14 / 10
Corner Kicks: 7 / 6
Fouls: 7 / 8

Misconduct Summary:
USA – Bryan Perez (caution)     10^th minute
USA – Bato Radoncic (caution)  29

Officials:
Referee: Sergio Cabrera (CUB)
Second Referee: Carlos Vasquez (SLV)
Third Referee: Francisco Lopez (NCA)
Time Keeper: Antonio Alvarez (CUB)

Man of the Match:
Daniel Waltman

U.S. Futsal National Team Schedule/Results

Group A Standings