U.S. Beach Men’s National Team Finished Runner Up at 2021 Concacaf Championship After Loss to El Salvador in the Final
Jason Santos, Alessandro Canale and Gabe Silveira Score as USA Falls Short in Final
ALAJUELA, Costa Rica (May 23, 2021) – The U.S. Beach Men’s National Team fell to El Salvador 4-6 in the 2021 Concacaf Beach Soccer Championship final on Sunday afternoon in Costa Rica. Jason Santos scored twice, and Gabriel Silveira and Alessandro Canale added their seventh and sixth goals of the week. The USA and El Salvador had each clinched a berth at the 2021 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup and met in a rematch of the 2013 final, which the USA won.
Entering the final as the top two scoring teams of the 11-team field, the two sides combined for 10 in a game played under a steady rain at the Costa Rica Federation training center.
The Salvadorians jumped to a three-goal lead on goals from from Elmer Robles on a penalty kick, a tap in from Exon Perdomo and Jason Urbina’s jumping on a defensive miscue.
But the USA didn’t concede, as Jason Santos got one back at the far post before the end of the first period, and cut the lead to one on a spectacular volley from 18 yards out at the start of the second.
Perdomo extended El Salvador’s lead on a nice bike, and stretched it further when he pounced on a rebound off a Chris Toth save. Canale kept the U.S. within range when he hit one past goalkeeper Eliodoro Portillo, but Perdomo would add his fourth of the day just before the second break.
Gabe Silveira brought the U.S. back to within seconds in the third, but El Salvador did well to prevent the U.S. from inching any closer and claimed their second Concacaf Beach Soccer Championship title.
Silveira finished the USA’s top goal-scorer with seven, and Canale finished second with six, which also ties him with Anthony Chimienti for third place with 20 World Cup Qualifying goals.
The Stars and Stripes now await the 2021 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup draw to learn their opponents for tournament, which willl be held in Russia from August 19-29. The USA returns to the World Cup for second straight appearance and sixth overall: 2005, 2006, 2007, 20013, 2019 and 2021.
- U.S. Beach Men’s National Team Match Report -
Match: U.S. Beach Men’s National Team vs. El Salvador
Date: May 23, 2021
Competition: 2021 Concacaf Beach Soccer Championship
Venue: Complejo Deportivo FEDEFUTBOL Plycem; Alajuela, Costa Rica
Attendance: No Fans Permitted
Kickoff: 5:30 p.m. ET / 3:30 p.m. local
Weather: 80 degrees; Rain
Scoring Summary: 1 2 3 F
USA 1 2 1 4
SLV 3 3 0 6
SLV - Elmer Robles 9’26” (First)
SLV - Exon Perdomo 5’23” (First)
SLV - Jason Urbina 3’27” (First)
USA - Jason Santos 1’44 (First)
USA - Jason Santos 10’26” (Second)
SLV - Exon Perdomo 9’27” (Second)
SLV - Exon Perdomo 8’13” (Second)
USA - Alessandro Canale (Chris Toth) 2’38” (Second)
USA - Gabriel Silveira (Canale) 11’54” (Third)
Lineups:
USA: 1-Chris Toth, 2-Jason Santos, 5-Nicolas Perea, 7-Nick Perera (Capt), 8-Alessandro Canale
Substitutes: 12-Esteban Sapetniizky, 3-David Mondragon, 4-Fredo Dilbert, 5-Nicolas Perea, 6-Chris Albiston, 9-Antonio Chavez, 10-Gabriel Silveira
Head coach: Frances Farberoff
SLV: 12-Eliodoro Portillo (Capt.), 3-Heber Ramos, 5-Exon Perdomo, 7-Elmer Robles, 9-Ruben Batres
Subs: 1-Erick Najera, 2-Andres Cruz, 4-Melvin Gonzalez, 6-Jason Urbina, 8-Darwin Ramirez, 11-Francisco Velasquez
Head coach: Rudis Gonzalez
Misconduct Summary:
USA - Gabriel Silveira (Caution) 5’10” (First)
USA - Nick Perera (Caution) 7’43” (Second)
Officials:
Referee: Miguel Lopez (GUA)
2nd Referee: Jair Robles (MEX)
3rd Referee: Warner PORRAS (CRC)
Timekeeper: Gumercindo Batista (PAN)