This month in U.S. Futsal National Team History?
February 1-9, 1995

U.S. TAKES FIFTH AT 1995 JOAO HAVELANGE FIVE-A-SIDE MUNDIALITO IN BRAZIL

After a three-year absence from the international stage, the U.S. competed at the 1995 Joao Havelange Five-A-Side Mundialito in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from February 1-9.

Not as successful as the FIFA World Championship in Hong Kong three years earlier, the USA finished fifth at the event with a 1-3 mark.

Head Coach John Kowalski's roster was mostly dominated by players from the Continental Indoor Soccer League (CISL). The remaining players were either free agents, or competing in the indoor's National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) or the outdoor American Professional Soccer League (APSL).

The Americans opened the competition with a 7:4 victory over Australia on Feb. 1. Defender Terry Woodberry led the offensive attack notching a hat-trick for the U.S. Forward Hernan -Chico- Borja had two tallies, while defender Rusty Troy and forward Peter Vermes each added a goal for the USA.

Spain handed the Americans their first loss of the Mundialito, 6:1, on Feb. 2. Forward Ted Eck provided the only goal for the U.S.

Two goals by defender Kia Zolgharnain along with tallies from forward Rene Ortiz and defender Janusz Michallik weren't enough as the USA dropped their second consecutive match to Italy 6:4 on Feb. 4.

The Americans concluded the Mundialito with a 9:2 loss to Spain on Feb. 9. Eck and Troy had the only scores for the U.S.

U.S. Five-A-Side National Team Roster (Club or Hometown)

GOALKEEPERS - Curtis McAlister (Detroit Neon - CISL), Brett Phillips (Las Vegas Dustdevils - CISL)

DEFENDERS - George Fernandez (Anaheim Splash - CISL), Rusty Troy (Las Vegas Dustdevils - CISL), Terry Woodberry (Arizona Sandsharks - CISL), Kia Zolgharnain (Pittsburgh Stingers - CISL)

MIDFIELDERS - Christopher Brauchle (Pine Brook, N.J.), Hernan Borja (Wichita Wings - NPSL), Janusz Michallik (New Britain, Conn.)

FORWARDS - Ted Eck (Colorado Foxes - APSL), Rene Ortiz (San Diego Sockers - CISL), Peter Vermes (Delran, N.J.)

Delegation (Hometown)
HEAD OF DELEGATION - Alex Para (Hercules, Calif.)
HEAD COACH - John Kowalski (Sewickly, Pa.)
ASSISTANT COACH - Ron Newman (Phoenix, Ariz.)
ADMINISTRATOR - Craig Blazer (Chicago, Ill.)
DOCTOR - Jonathan Ticker (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
TRAINER - Arnold Trachtenberg (Fort Lee, N.J.)

Written and compiled by Steven Torres.
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