U.S. Men’s Futsal National Team returns to action for 2022 Umag Nations Cup
CHICAGO, Ill. – The U.S. Men’s Futsal National Team returns to action this week in Croatia at the 2022 Umag Nations Cup with matches against Czech Republic, Slovenia and France.
The four-team round robing tournament will be played at the Novigrad Sports Hall from October 6-9, with all matches streamed on tournament organizer B4’s Facebook page.
In addition to the three tournament matches, the U.S. will play friendly matches against Montenegro and the Czech Republic. Having held domestic training camps in Dallas, Tampa, Portland and Boston in 2022, these will be the USA’s first matches since the 2021 FIFA Futsal World Cup.
USA SCHEDULE:
- Thursday, Oct. 6: USA v Czech Republic (12pm ET)
- Saturday, Oct. 8: USA v Slovenia (12pm ET)
- Sunday, Oct 9: USA v France (12pm ET)
Head coach Dusan Jakica has called in twenty players for the competition, including Sampdoria (Italy Serie A/2) goalkeeper and USA captain Diego Moretti, as well as eight other players from the 2021 FIFA Futsal World Cup Team. Ten players will be seeking their first international caps.
U.S. MEN’S FUTSAL NATIONAL TEAM ROSTER (HOMETOWN)
^ = Seeking First Cap
GOALKEEPERS (3): Robert Damron (Northville, Mich.), Diego Moretti (Ancona, ITA), ^Christopher Moura (Rumford, R.I.)
FIXOS (4): ^Wilder Arboleda (Pawtucket, R.I.), Luciano Gonzalez (Mendoza, ARG), Jeremy Klepal (Grand Rapids, Mich.), ^Erik Macias (Mesquite, Tex.)
ALA (8): Diego Bobadilla (Holland, Mich.), ^ Diego Burato (Dallas, Texas), ^ William Eskay (St. Louis, Mo.), ^Ado Jahic (St. Louis, Mo.), ^Klisman Sousa (New Bedford, Mass.), ^Sebastian Mendez (Dallas, Tex.), David Ortiz (McKinney, Tex.), Alencar Ventura-Junior (Tewksbury, Mass.)
PIVO (5): ^ Manuel Andrade (Boston, Mass.), Raphael Araujo (Bound Brook, N.J.), ^ Luiz Morales. (Dallas, Tex.), Zach Reget (Kenosha, Wisc.), Franck Tayou (Las Vegas, Nev.)
ROSTER AND OPPONENT NOTES:
- 2021 FIFA World Cup veterans: Diego Moretti, Robert Damron, Raphael Araujo, Jeremy Klepal, Luciano Gonzalez, Zach Reget, David Ortiz, Alencar Ventura-Junior, Diego Bobadilla.
- Franck Tayou earned his first cap in 2016 against Canada in the two-leg Concacaf playoff series. He also played for the U.S. Men’s Beach Soccer National Team at the 2019 Concacaf Beach Soccer Championship.
- Moretti (Sampdoria) and Gonzalez (ASD Catanzaro) play professionally in Italy’s Seria A/2. Diego Burato played 12 years in the Italian Futsal pro leagues.
- Gonzalez led the team in 2021 with 5 goals, including 3 at World Cup Qualifying and the team’s two goals at the World Cup.
- Reget, Araujo, Junior, Tayou, Ortiz, Bobadilla, Sebastian Mendez, Erik Macias, Luiz Morales, Ado Jahic and William Eskay played in the MASL last season.
