2004 CONCACAF FUTSAL QUALIFYING

MEXICO, PANAMA & USA ADVANCE TO CONCACAF FINAL ROUND

Mexico, Panama and the USA advanced to the 2004 CONCACAF Futsal Final Round Qualification in Costa Rica, after winning their respective North/Central Zone Preliminary Series last week.

Panama reached the CONCACAF Futsal Final Round for the first-time in history after winning the North/Central Zone Series 1 with an 11:6 aggregate win over Canada in Ciudad de Panamá over the weekend, while Mexico earned their third consecutive trip to the CONCACAF event by claiming the Series 2 match-ups against El Salvador, 17:9 on aggregate, in Pachuca, Hidalgo.

The USA will also be making their third consecutive appearance at the CONCACAF Futsal Final Round Qualification after defeating Honduras 7:1 on aggregate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin last week.

Mexico, Panama and USA join Cuba, Guyana, Surinam, Trinidad & Tobago, and the host, Costa Rica in the 2004 CONCACAF Futsal Final Round Qualification from 23-31 July.


2004 CONCACAF FINAL ROUND QUALIFICATION DRAW SET FOR JUNE

The draw for the respective group pairings to the 2004 CONCACAF Futsal Final Round Qualification will be held at the offices of the CONCACAF General Secretariat in New York City on Tuesday, 1 June at 11:00.

The host and defending champion, Costa Rica has been placed in Group A, while Cuba, who is the nation to qualify to the last two FIFA Futsal World Championships, has been placed in Group B.

The six remaining CONCACAF teams (Guyana, Mexico, Panama, Surinam, Trinidad & Tobago and USA) will be drawn into either Group A or B at the Futsal event that will run from 23-31 July 2004 at the Palacio de los Deportes in Herédia, Costa Rica.

The eight-team CONCACAF Final Round will qualify two nations to the 2004 FIFA Futsal World Championship, to be held in Chinese Taipei from 21 November - 5 December.


TRINIDAD & TOBAGO SUFFERS FIRST-EVER LOSS IN THREE-GAME TOUR OF CUBA

Trinidad & Tobago concluded its three-game tour of Cuba with their first-ever loss in futsal international play as the host earned a 2:1 win at the Polideportivo Kid Chocolate in La Habana on 20 May.

Juan Carlos Portal and Boris Zanamé each scored for the cubanos, while Jerwyn Balthazar netted the only goal for the soca warriors in the loss.

Two days earlier (18 May), Trinidad & Tobago played Cuba to a 1:1 draw at the Polideportivo Kid Chocolate. José Serrano scored for the cubanos, while Cordell Greenidge got the equalizer for the soca warriors.

Trinidad & Tobago began the three-game tour on 16 May, with a 2:1 victory over Cuba. Kevin Peters and Jerwyn Balthazar scored for the soca warriors, while Fernando Chapman had the only goal for the cubanos in the loss.