U.S. Beach Women’s National Team Come Up Short in 5-3 Loss to Brazil
Alli Hall Nets Brace for First International Goals, Sam Witteman Adds Sixth Career Beach Tally
MOSCOW, Russia (August 14, 2021) – The U.S. Beach Women’s National Team took a lead on Brazil in its second match of the 2021 Women’s Intercontinental Beach Soccer Cup but could not hold on, falling 5-3 to the South American beach powerhouse Saturday evening at the Luzhniki Beach Soccer Stadium.
A brace from Alli Hall and another from Sam Witteman - her team-leading eighth in her eighth career beach game - had the USA ahead by three heading into the third, but the strong Brazilian side scored five unanswered in the final period to take the first-ever meeting on sand between the two side.
It could not have been a better start for the Red White and Blue as Hall jumped on two misplayed clearances to put the USA ahead right away, first with her right across to the left and then with her left, deflecting off a defender. Sam Witteman made it three zero in the second with a left-footed shot from 15 yards out.
However the Brazilian side fought back in the third and the USA could not find the answer to slow them down. The Canarinho scored five goals off set pieces on the USA defense and goalkeeper Melissa Lowder, including three on corner kick plays, a penalty kick and free kick from 20 yards.
The USA will close out the four-team tournament on Sunday, August 15 against Spain Spain (11am ET, 6pm local; live on BeachSoccer.com)
-U.S. BEACH WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT-
Match: United States Beach Women’s National Team vs. Brazil
Date: August 14, 2021
Competition: 2021 Women’s Intercontinental Beach Soccer Cup
Venue: Luzhniki Beach Soccer Stadium
Attendance: 500
Kickoff: 11:00 p.m. ET (6:00 p.m. local time)
Weather: 72 degrees; cloudy
Scoring Summary: 1 2 3 F
USA 2 1 0 3
BRA 0 0 5 5
USA - Ali Hall (unassisted) 09:23 (1st Period)
USA - Ali Hall (unassisted) 00:35 (1st)
USA - Sam Witteman (Kilee Quigley) 00:27 (2nd)
BRA - Leticia Villar (Danielle Barboza) 11:44 (3rd)
BRA - Leticia Villar (Adrielle Rocha) 10:47 (3rd)
BRA - Barbara Colodetti 08:14 (3rd)
BRA - Danielle Barboza 05:47 (3rd)
BRA - Adrielle Rocha 05:13 (3rd)
Lineups:
USA: 12-Melissa Lowder, 3-Samantha Witteman, 4-Vanessa Valentine, 8-Ashley Tripplet, 10-Ali Hall
Substitutes: 1-Christi Yount, 2-Danielle Kovacevic, 5-Rebecca Taylor, 6-Jeane Sunseri-Warp, 7-Lauren Leslie, 8-Ashley Tripplet, 9-Kilee Quigley
Head coach: Morgan Church
BRA: 12-Ana Beatriz Parades Ribeiro, 4-Lindinalva Correia, 5-Jasna Nagal, 7-Barbara Colodetti (C), 11-Adrielle Rocha Da Silva
Substitutes: 1-Natalie Wippel Barboza, 3-Noele Rocha Bastos, 6-Maria Milene, Magalhaes, 8-Leticia Villar Pais, 9-Nayara Virginia de Couto, 10-Danielle Barboza
Head coach: Fabricio Santos
Misconduct Summary:
USA - Danielle Kovacevic (Caution) 05:00 (1st Period)
USA – Kilee Quigley (Caution) 05:00 (3rd)
Officials:
Referee: Aleksei Ivanov (RUS)
Second Referee: Denis Smolyaninov (RUS)
3rd Referee: Oleg Cebotari (MDA)
Timekeeper: Mikhail Prokharau (BLR)