SAO LUIS, Brazil (Jan. 14, 2024) – After hanging tough with five-time World Cup champions Brazil on Friday, the U.S. Men’s Beach Soccer National Team split its final two matches at the 2024 Maranhão International Cup, defeating United Arab Emirates 3-1 on Saturday before falling 4-1 to Morocco on Sunday.
The tournament served as the last set of competitive matches for the USA before the team announces its final roster for the 2024 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup on Jan. 31.
“We came here to prepare for the World Cup and make final evaluations on the roster decisions for the tournament,” said U.S. Men’s Beach Soccer National Team head coach Francis Farberoff. “We played in a high level competition and I think we saw really good things against Brazil and had a strong win against UAE, who we will see in the World Cup. Morocco is another strong team, and today’s match presented us with some challenges and opportunities to tweak things as we still have 32 days before the World Cup. Now we have a better view of some things we need to improve as far as personnel and tactics, and we move forward from this experience toward the World Cup.”
Francis Farberoff’s side was down three key players this month, as captain and all-time leading scorer Nick Perera and goalkeeper Chris Toth were unable to be released from MASL club Tacoma Stars, while defender Nico Perea continued to recover from injury.
Here are recaps from Matchday Two and Three:
USA 3, United Arab Emirates 1
In a preview of the encounter that will take place between the two nations at next month’s FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Dubai, the USA battled to a 3-1 victory against United Arab Emirates on Jan. 13.
After an even first period, the USA opened the scoring just over three minutes into the third period as UAE goalkeeper Humaid Jamal was whistled for handling the ball past the goal line. Gabe Silveira lined up the free kick and slotted it home just left of the UAE ‘keeper to make it 1-0.
At the other end, substitute U.S. goalkeeper Brian Shuskovsky, who replaced Austin Collier at the start of the second period was called into action to make to big saves. At 8:28, he dove to his right to make a diving stop on Abbas Ali’s effort from 18 yards out. At 2:05, he replicated the save when goalkeeper Humaid Jamal blasted an effort from 22 yards, ensuring the U.S. kept its 1-0 lead going into the third period.
Austin Collier returned to the goal after the interval and picked back up where Shuskovsky left off, making a diving stop on Rashaid Obaid at 10:58. Just over 30 seconds later, Collier tipped Ahmed Beshr’s effort over the crossbar and out for a corner kick.
After the barrage, UAE would finally equalize through a penalty kick. Ricardo Carvalho was whistled for a foul on Kamal Ali inside the area, and he placed his spot kick past Collier to make it 1-1 with 5:07 left.
The equalize galvanized the U.S., and Cody Valcarcel answered with a low, belting shot from 22 yards out restore the 2-1 lead with 3:40 left in the match.
With UAE pushing to find another equalizer, ther U.S. hung tough and got a third goal, as nice interplay between Connor Rezende and Gabe Silveira saw Rezende head home with just two seconds left in the match.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- The USA moves to 3-2-0 all-time against United Arab Emirates
- Gabe Silveira registered his 43rd international goal and ninth career assist in his 53rd cap.
- Cody Valcarcel scored his sixth goal in his 20th international appearance.
- Conner Rezende tallied his fifth career goal in his 32nd cap.
- Substitute goalkeeper Brian Shushkovsky earned his third appearance and first of 2024.
-U.S. MEN’S BEACH SOCCER NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT-
Match: United States Beach Soccer Men’s National Team vs. United Arab Emirates
Date: January 13, 2024
Competition: Maranhão International Cup – Match No. 2
Venue: Arena Domingos Leal; São Luis, Brazil
Attendance: 400
Kickoff: 5 p.m. ET (7 p.m. local)
Weather: 80 degrees, rainy
Scoring Summary: 1 2 3 F
USA 0 1 2 3
UAE 0 0 1 1
USA – Gabe Silveira 8 :55 (2nd period)
UAE – Rashed Eid (penalty kick) 5 :07 (2nd period)
USA – Cody Valcarcel 3 :38 (3rd period)
USA – Conner Rezende (Gabe Silveira) :02 (3rd period)
Lineups:
USA: 1-Austin Collier; 3-Antonio Chavez, 8-Conner Rezende, 10-Gabe Silveira, 11-Chris Albiston (capt.)
Substitutes: 12-Brian Shuskovsky, 2-Tanner Akol, 4-Ricardo Carvalho, 6-Cody Valcarcel, 7-Andres Navas, 9-Alessandro Canale, 14-Lukas Holocher
Head coach: Francis Farberoff
UAE: 12-Huaid Jamal ; 4-Waleed Beshr, 7-Abdulla Dahqani, 9-Abdulla Abbas, 11-Ahmed Beshr
Substitutes: 1-Mohaed Almasmi, 3-Rashed Eid, 5-Abbas Ali, 6-Kamal Ali, 8-Mohamed Obaid, 10-Walid Mohammad (capt.)13=Rashed Obaid
Head coach: Victor Vasques
Misconduct Summary:
USA – Ricardo Carvalho (caution) 8:54 (2nd period)
UAE – Rashed Eid (caution) 5:47 (3rd period)
Officials:
N/A
USA 1, Morocco 4
Playing on short rest after a hard-fought 3-1 win against UAE the night before, the USA fell 4-1 to a charged Morocco side on the final day of the Maranhão International Cup on Sunday morning.
The U.S. suffered a setback early after starting defender Antonio Chavez went down with injury just two minutes into the match, leaving the team down a body for the remainder of the game.
After few chances in the early going, Morocco found the game’s first goal when goalkeeper Abada Yassir took the space given to him at midfield to hit a belting shot into the lower left corner at 4 :53 of the first period.
The USA fought back, and Gabe Silveira earned a penalty kick when his chipped effort was handled in the area. He stepped up and slotted the ball to the left of Abada Yassir to equalize the match at 1-1 with 1:12 left in the first.
The U.S. showed some nervy moments at the back during the start of the second half and Morocco took advantage to regain the lead at 9:15. Yassir through the ball for Ibrahim Abagli in the left corner, who chipped it over to Reda Zahraoui and past substitute goalkeeper Brian Shuskovsky to make it 2-1.
Morocco added another 9:21 into the third. Bassak Souheil forced a turnover on the right and quickly centered for Zouhair Jabbary who slotted it past Collier to make it 3-1.
Continuing to control the match, Morocco captain Abagli set up a fourth, popping the ball over to Mohamed Lazrak whose overhead kick beat Collier to make it 4-1 and close the scoring at 6:05 of the third period.
-U.S. MEN’S BEACH SOCCER NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT-
Match: United States Beach Soccer Men’s National Team vs. Morocco
Date: January 14, 2024
Competition: Maranhão International Cup – Match No. 3
Venue: Arena Domingos Leal; São Luis, Brazil
Attendance: 100
Kickoff: 7 a.m. ET (9 a.m. local)
Weather: 80 degrees, sunny
Scoring Summary: 1 2 3 F
USA 1 0 0 1
MAR 1 1 2 4
MAR – Abada Yassir 4 :53 (1st period)
USA – Gabe Silveira (penalty kick) 1:11 (1st period)
MAR – Reda Zahraoui (Ibrahim Abagli) 9:15 (2nd period)
MAR – Zouhair Jabbary (Bessak Souheil) 9:21 (3rd period)
MAR – Mohamed Lazrak (Ibrahim Abagli) 6:08 (3rd period)
Lineups:
USA: 1-Austin Collier; 3-Antonio Chavez, 8-Conner Rezende, 9-Alessandro Canale, 11-Chris Albiston (capt.)
Substitutes: 12-Brian Shuskovsky, 2-Tanner Akol, 4-Ricardo Carvalho, 6-Cody Valcarcel, 7-Andres Navas, 10-Gabe Silveira,14-Lukas Holocher
Subs not used:
Head coach: Francis Farberoff
MAR: 1-Abada Yassir ; 5-Adnan Oubahri, 7-Bessak Souheil, 9-Mohamed Lazrak, 10-Ibrahim Abagli (capt.)
Substitutes : 12-Manar Mohammed, 2-Amine El Bidouri, 3-Driss Ghannam, 4-Zouhair Jabbary, 6-El Kraichly Badr, 8-Reda Zahraoui, 11-Anour El Abassi
Head coach: Sylla Oumar
Misconduct Summary:
Officials:
N/A
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- Forward Gabe Silveira scored in his second straight match, taking his career total to 44 goals in 54 appearances.
- Forward Alessandro Canale earned his first start of 2024 in his 93rd overall appearance. He is one of three members of the USBMNT player pool closing in on 100 caps, joining goalkeeper Chris Toth (97) and Nick Perera (95).
- The USA was without regular captain and all-time leading goal scorer Nick Perera and starting goalkeeper Chris Toth due to club commitments with Tacoma Stars of the MASL. Two-time U.S. Soccer Male Beach Player of the Year Nico Perea was also absent from this month’s camp while he recovers from injury.
- The USA moves to 0-2-0 all-time against Morocco.