U.S. Futsal National Team falls 5-2 to Panama in Group A opener

The U.S. Futsal National Team dropped its Group A opening match 5-2 against Panama in the 2012 CONCACAF Futsal Championship.

The U.S. next faces Canada at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, July 3, before taking on the defending champion and host Guatemala at 10 p.m. ET on Wednesday, July 4, in what will be the 100^th CONCACAF Futsal Championship match. All of the games are streamed live on CONCACAF.com.

“Our backs are definitely against the wall,” said U.S. Futsal National Team head coach Keith Tozer. “We know have to come up with a victory against Canada and then play the defending champs in the third game to go through. It’s kind of disappointing, but there’s nothing we can do about it right now. Right now we have to focus on Canada.”

Panama opened the scoring in the sixth minute with Miguel Lasso carrying up the ball up the left flank and cutting inside before letting loose a short-range blast into the net. Lasso would prove dangerous throughout the match, scoring four of the team’s five goals.

Lasso’s second goal came in the 14^th minute, and the U.S. responded with a goal of its own 35 seconds later. Machel Millwood on the left flank touched it back to Patrick Healey, who ran up the flank in an overlapping run, touching it to Bryan Perez on the left post. Perez hit a one-timer, blasting it past Panama goalkeeper Jose Victoria for his first career goal.

But it was Lasso who stamped the seal on the first half with a third goal just 10 seconds later. Panama raced down on a counter-attack and the U.S. defense did well to recover. Lasso hit a hard shot into a wall of white jerseys and the bounce came right back to him. He recovered well, slipping his second attempt around the defense and into the net.

The U.S. came out with renewed energy after the break, getting off five shots in the first two minutes. In the 27^th minute, Panama forward Apolinar Galvez was booked for taking down Myers as he streaked toward goal on a breakaway. On the restart, midfielder Angel Rivillo passed to the left for Kraig Chile, who slammed it low and into the near corner, past the sprawling Victoria, for his fifth career goal.

Panama kept the pressure up, counter-attacking throughout the evening and providing U.S. goalkeeper Daniel Waltman with a busy night. In the 29 ^th minute, Claudio Goodridge broke through and blasted a shot that deflected off a U.S. defender before Waltman was able to make the save and send the ball skidding off the crossbar. Four of Waltman’s eight saves came in the final five minutes of play.

As the U.S. sought to tie the match, Tozer pulled the goalkeeper and sent on Healey and Myers as alternating fifth attackers. Panama took advantage of the open goal, scoring two almost identical goals in the final two minutes. It was once again Lasso in the 39^th minute as he dispossessed the last defender and carried the ball into the open net. Alquis Alvarado followed suit, dispossessing the last defender and scoring before the U.S. defense could recover with 34 seconds left in the game.

Seven U.S. players earned their first international futsal cap against Panama, including Healey, Millwood, Perez, Bato Radoncic, Rivillo, Nelson Santana and Kevin Ten Eyck.

— U.S. Futsal National Team Match Report —

Match: U.S. Futsal National Team vs. Panama
Date: July 2, 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 1 2
PAN 3 2 5

PAN – Miguel Lasso (unassisted) 6th minute
PAN – Miguel Lasso (unassisted) 14
USA – Bryan Perez (Patrick Healey) 15
PAN – Miguel Lasso (unassisted) 15
USA – Kraig Chile (Angel Rivillo) 27
PAN – Miguel Lasso (unassisted) 39
PAN – Alquis Alvarado (unassisted) 40

Lineups:
USA: 12-Daniel Waltman; 7-Ptah Myers; 4-Bryan Perez, 11-Matthew Stewart (capt.); 13-Machel Millwood
Subs: 9-Patrick Healey, 3-Kevin Ten Eyck; 10-Angel Rivillo, 6-Nelson Santana, 2-Kraig Chiles, 8-Bato Radoncic
Subs not used: 1-Boris Pardo
Not available: 5-Sandre Naumoski, 14-Lucas Stauffer
Head Coach: Keith Tozer

PAN: 1-Jose Victoria; 3-Oscar Hinks, 5-Fernando Mena, 9-Miguel Lasso, 10-Alquis Alvarado (capt.)
Subs: 4-Augusto Harrison, 6-Edgar Rivas, 8-Carlos Pérez, 7-Claudio Goodridge, 14-Enrique Valdés, 11-Apolinar Gálvez
Subs not used: 12-Jaime Londoño
Not available: 2-Miguel Bello, 13-Michael De León
Head Coach: Agustin Campuzano

Stats Summary: USA / PAN
Shots: 24 / 21
Shots on Goal: 16 / 14
Saves: 8 / 13
Corner Kicks: 14 / 6
Fouls: 8 / 6

Misconduct Summary:
USA – Ptah Myers (caution) 12th minute
PAN – Apolinar Galvez (caution) 27
PAN – Alquis Alvarado (caution) 34

Officials:
Referee: Hector Mesen (CRC)
Second Referee: Geovani Lopez (CRC)
Third Referee: Eduardo Hernandez (MEX)
Time Keeper: Francisco Lopez (NCA)

Man of the Match:
Daniel Waltman

U.S. Futsal National Team Schedule/Results