U.S. Beach Soccer Team Ready For 2006 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup
The U.S. Beach Soccer team is in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for the 2006 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, which kicks off on Thursday, Nov. 2. Fans will be able to follow the 2006 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in the U.S. on Telemundo, with several games being televised, including the semifinals, third place match and final.
Nov. 1, 2006
CHICAGO (Nov. 1, 2006) - The U.S. Beach Soccer team is in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for the 2006 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, which kicks off on Thursday, Nov. 2. Fans will be able to follow the 2006 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in the U.S. on Telemundo, with several games being televised, including the semifinals, third place match and final.
Four groups of four teams each will participate in the FIFA World Cup, which will take place at the famed Copacabana Beach, crowning a champion on Nov. 12. The U.S. is in Group A, along with hosts Brazil, Japan and Poland, and will kick off their participation in the tournament on Friday, Nov. 3, against Japan at 7:40 a.m. ET. The U.S. will then face Poland on Sunday, Nov. 5, at 10:20 a.m. ET. Highlights of the match will be broadcast in the U.S. on taped delay at 1 p.m. ET on Telemundo. The U.S. team closes out group play at 9 a.m. ET on Tuesday, Nov. 7, against Brazil.
The U.S. qualified for the World Cup in September by winning the 2006 CONCACAF World Cup qualifying tournament in Puntarenas, Costa Rica, getting wins against Canada, Jamaica and Mexico, losing only to Costa Rica.
U.S. head coach Roberto Ceciliano has taken a 12-man team to Rio, making only a few changes from the team that traveled to Costa Rica. Included in the squad are defender Zak Ibsen, who earned 15 caps for the full U.S. Men's National Team from 1992-1998, and Francis Farberoff, who was named Most Valuable Player of the 2006 CONCACAF qualifying tournament.
This year marked the first time that all participants took part in official qualifying tournaments in each of the six confederations. Also qualifying for the tournament were Canada, France, Iran and Spain in Group B; Cameroon, Portugal, the Solomon Islands and Uruguay in Group C; and Argentina, Bahrain, Italy and Nigeria in Group D. Argentina will open the tournament against Nigeria on Thursday, Nov. 2, at 7:40 a.m. ET.
U.S. Beach Soccer 2006 FIFA World Cup Schedule
Date Opponent Time (Local / ET) TV
Nov. 3 Japan 9:40 a.m. / 7:40 a.m.
Nov. 5 Poland 12:20 p.m. / 10:20 a.m. Telemundo; 1 p.m. ET
Nov. 7 Brazil 11 a.m. / 9 a.m.
U.S. Beach Soccer Roster
GOALKEEPERS (2): 1-Luiz Montanez, 12-Bayard Elfvin;
DEFENDERS (4): 5-Benyam Astorga, 9-Zak Ibsen, 2-Austin Roman, 3-Brendon Taguinod;
FORWARDS (6): 10-Francis Farberoff, 11-Raphael Xexeo, 7-Noah Merl, 8-Anthony Chimienti, 6-Ronald Silva, 4-Yuri Morales.
Head coach: Roberto Ceciliano
2006 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Schedule
Group A Schedule
No. Date Matchup Time/Result (Local/ET) TV
5 Nov. 3 USA vs. Japan 4-8
6 Nov. 3 Brazil vs. Poland 9-2
14 Nov. 5 Brazil vs. Japan 10-2
15 Nov. 5 Poland vs. USA 2-4
22 Nov. 7 Brazil vs. USA 11 a.m. / 9 a.m.
24 Nov. 7 Poland vs. Japan 1:40 p.m. / 11:40 a.m.
Group A Standings
Teams W L GF GA GD Pts
Brazil 2 0 19 4 +15 6
Japan 1 1 10 14 -4 3
USA 1 1 8 10 -2 3
Poland 0 2 4 13 -9 0
Group B Schedule
No. Date Matchup Time (Local/ET)
7 Nov. 3 Canada vs. Iran 6-6 (1-0 PSO)
8 Nov. 3 Spain vs. France 4-7
13 Nov. 5 France vs. Canada 8-1
16 Nov. 5 Iran vs. Spain 1-6
21 Nov. 7 France vs. Iran 9:40 a.m. / 7:40 a.m.
23 Nov. 7 Spain vs. Canada 12:20 p.m. / 10:20 a.m.
Group C Schedule
No. Date Matchup Time / Result (Local/ET) TV
2 Nov. 2 Portugal vs. Uruguay 5-4
4 Nov. 2 Solomon Islands vs. Cameroon 5-2
9 Nov. 4 Uruguay vs. Solomon Islands 10-5
11 Nov. 4 Cameroon vs. Portugal 3-10
18 Nov. 6 Cameroon vs. Uruguay 11 a.m. / 9 a.m.
20 Nov. 6 Solomon Islands vs. Portugal 1:40 p.m. / 11:40 a.m.
Group D Schedule
No. Date Matchup Time / Result (Local/ET) TV
1 Nov. 2 Argentina vs. Nigeria 5-4
3 Nov. 2 Italy vs. Bahrain 2-4
10 Nov. 4 Nigeria vs. Italy 4-3
12 Nov. 4 Bahrain vs. Argentina 1-2
17 Nov. 6 Bahrain vs. Nigeria 9:40 a.m. / 7:40 a.m.
19 Nov. 6 Italy vs. Argentina 12:20 p.m. / 10:20 a.m.
Quarterfinals
No. Date Matchup Time (Local/ET)
25 Nov. 9 1B vs. 2A 9:40 a.m. / 7:40 a.m.
26 Nov. 9 1A vs. 2B 11 a.m. / 9 a.m.
27 Nov. 9 1C vs. 2D 12:20 p.m. / 10:20 a.m.
28 Nov. 9 1D vs. 2C 1:40 p.m. / 11:40 a.m.
Semifinals
No. Date Matchup Time (Local/ET) TV
29 Nov. 11 W25-W27 or W28* 9:30 a.m. / 7:30 a.m. Telemundo; 2 p.m. ET / PT
30 Nov. 11 W26-W27 or W28* 11 a.m. / 9 a.m. Telemundo; 2 p.m. ET / PT
* Draw after last match of group stage on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2006
Third-Place Match
No. Date Matchup Time (Local/ET) TV
31 Nov. 12 R29 vs. R30 9:30 a.m. / 7:30 a.m. Telemundo; 1 p.m. ET
Championship
No. Date Matchup Time (Local/ET) TV
32 Nov. 12 W29 vs. W30 11 a.m. / 9 a.m. Telemundo; 1 p.m. ET
