U.S. Men’s Beach Soccer National Teams Prepares For Intercontinental Beach Soccer Cup In Dubai
Twelve Players Called in to Prestigious Tournament; USA will Face Japan, Iran and Paraguay in Group B
CHICAGO, Ill. (Oct. 28, 2022) – U.S. Men’s Beach Soccer National Team head coach Francis Farberoff has called in 12 players to compete in the 2022 Emirates Intercontinental Beach Soccer Cup in Dubai, United Arab Emirates from November 1-6, 2022. The team departs for Dubai on October 28.
In its eleventh edition, the Intercontinental Beach Soccer Cup is the most prestigious annual competition in the sand version of the game. The FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup takes place every two years.
Leading the USA roster is goalkeeper and captain Chris Toth, who was again named among the Top 50 Men’s Beach Soccer players in the world for 2021 by Beachsoccer World Wide, the international beach soccer governing body. Toth is joined by nine teammates from the 2021 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup team.
The USA was drawn to Group B along with Iran and familiar opponents Japan and Paraguay. Group A consists of United Arab Emirates, Brazil, Spain and Saudi Arabia.
After a round-robin group stage, the top two teams from each group will meet in the semifinals and subsequent finals. The third and fourth place teams will compete for places 5th-8th. All matches take place on the main stadium at Kite Beach.
The USA will be participating in this tournament for a fifth time. The team finished fifth in 2018, eighth in 2016 and 2014, and did not advance to the 2012 knockout stage after dropping all three group matches.
USA SCHEDULE - 2022 INTERCONTINENTAL BEACH SOCCER CUP:
Tue, Nov 1: USA v Japan - 4pm Local (8am ET)
Wed, Nov. 2: USA v Iran - 8pm Local (12pm ET)
Thur, Nov. 3: USA v Paraguay - 4pm Local (8am ET)
Placement or Semifinal / Final matches: Nov 4, 5, 6 (two matchdays TBD).
All matches will be streamed on the Recast App: https://the.recast.app/user/8PZr2
U.S. MEN’S BEACH SOCCER NATIONAL TEAM ROSTER (HOMETOWN)
^ = Seeking First Cap
GOALKEEPERS (2): Xavier Snaer-Williams (Oceanside, Calif.), Chris Toth (Fallbrook, Calif.)
DEFENDERS (5): Chris Albiston (Virginia Beach, VA.), Antonio Chavez (Oceanside, Calif.), ^Andres Navas (Miami, Fla.), Nicolas Perea (Hollywood, Fla.), Jason Santos (Cardiff by the Sea, Calif.)
FORWARDS (5): Alessandro Canale (Venice Beach, Calif.), Fredo Dilbert (Miami, Fla.), William Lobato (Hollywood, Fla.), Conner Rezende (Davie, Fla.), Gabriel Silveira (San Francisco, Calif.)
Head coach: Francis Farberoff; Assistant Coach: Ben Astorga
ROSTER NOTES:
- Alessandro Canale and Chris Toth are veterans of the 2013, 2019 and 2021 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cups; Jason Santos and Gabe Silveira played on the 2019 and 2021 World Cup teams; Chris Albiston, Fredo Dilbert, Nico Perea, Conner Rezende and Xavier Snaer-Williams were on the 2019 World Cup team.
- Silveira is the team’s leading scorer in 2022 with nine goals.
- Canale led the team with 11 goals in 2021. He scored twice in Paraguay at the Asuncion Cup in September.
- Albiston, Chavez, Dilbert, William Lobato, Perea, Rezende, Silveira, Snaer-Williams and Toth were all on the Mundialito 2022 roster in the Canary Islands; Silveira led the team with four goals, Albiston scored twice and Perea and Chavez each scored once.
- Andres Navas is the only player yet to make an appearance for the USA, although he’s been called in to numerous domestic camps.
- Toth played in the 2012 and 2018 Intercontinental Cups, scoring once in 2018; Canale was on the 2016 and 2018 teams and scored four in each tournament. Albiston, Dilbert and Silveira were also on the 2018 team: Silveira scored four and Albiston scored three; Jason Santos played in 2014.
- Canale scored four goals at each of the 2016 and 2018 tournaments; Silveira scored four in 2018, Albiston scored three and Toth one.
OPPONENT NOTES:
- The USA and Japan have met frequently in recent years, including at the 2019 and 2021 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cups, where Japan came out on top 4-3 in Paraguay and 4-3 in Russia. In the most recent meeting, the USA defeated Japan 2-0 in July at the 2022 Mundialito in the Canary Islands off goals from Albiston and Silveira. In Intercontinental Cup play, Japan won both matches in 2014.
- The U.S. and Paraguay have also met in the group stage of the last two World Cups, with Paraguay winning 5-1 in 2019 and 9-4 in 2021. Canale (2), Perea and Silveira scored in 2021. The teams most recently met in September at the 2022 Asuncion Cup friendly tournament in Paraguay, with the hosts winning 10-5. Silveira registered his first-career hat-trick.
- The USA and Iran have met on three occasions, including at the 2018 (L 8-1) and 2016 (L 6-2) Intercontinental Beach Soccer Cup. The USA defeated Iran 7-6 at the 2007 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Brazil. USA coach Francis Farberoff was team captain, and assistant coach Ben Astorga scored in the game.
- Only three countries have won the Intercontinental Beach Soccer Cup: Russia (2011, 2012, 2015 and 2021), Iran (2013, 2018 and 2019), and Brazil (2014, 2016 and 2017). The three teams have also combined for seven runner-up finishes. The only other countries to come in second are Tahiti (2015), Portugal (2017) and Spain (2019).