Courtesy: CONCACAF


2004 CONCACAF Futsal Championship set for Costa Rica this week

19/7/04 The 2004 CONCACAF Futsal Championship will take place this week at the Palacio de los Deportes in Herédia, Costa Rica. (COMPLETE SCHEDULE)

The host and defending champion, Costa Rica has been placed in Group A along with Mexico, Surinam and Trinidad & Tobago, while Cuba, which has qualified to the last two FIFA Futsal World Championships, is in Group B with Guyana, Panama and the USA.

The eight-team CONCACAF Final Round from 23-31 July will qualify two nations to the 2004 FIFA Futsal World Championship, to be held in Chinese Taipei from 21 November – 5 December.

The 2004 CONCACAF Futsal Championship kicks off on Friday, 23 July and will have six consecutive first round doubleheaders (three each in Groups A and B) until Wednesday, 28 July. The top two teams in each group advance to the semifinals on 30 July, with Group B winner taking on Group A runner-up and Group A winner facing the runner-up from Group B.

The semifinal losers will meet in the third-place game on 31 July, while the two finalists, who will also meet on 31 July, earn CONCACAF’s two berths to Chinese Taipei.

CONCACAF has previously staged two Futsal qualifiers for the FIFA World Championships, in 1996 and 2000. Six teams participated in the 1996 CONCACAF event in Guatemala that was won by the USA (1996 Results). Four years later, eight squads took part in the tournament in Costa Rica, which was claimed by the host (2000 Results).


Scouting the teams

Costa Rica – The defending Confederation champion, Costa Rica is hosting the CONCACAF Futsal Final Round for a second consecutive time. With two FIFA World Championship appearances under their belts, ticos were the first Central American nation to qualify for the FIFA Futsal event in 1992. Coached by Carlos Quiros, Costa Rica returned to the FIFA tournament in 2000 after winning the CONCACAF title. The ticos also captured the gold medal at the 2001 Juegos Centroamericanos in Guatemala and finished seventh at the 2001 Singapore Tiger 5’s International Tournament.

Cuba – Under technical director Clemente Reinoso, Cuba has qualified to the last two FIFA Futsal World Championships. The cubanos have finished second in the last two CONCACAF Futsal Tournaments (1996, 2000). Cuba is the Caribbean Nation with the most appearances in FIFA tournaments: World Cup (1938), Olympic Games (1976, 1980), Under-17 (1989, 1991), Futsal (1996, 2000).

Guyana – Advanced to the CONCACAF Final Round for the first time after finishing second at the Caribbean Football Union Preliminary Futsal Tournament in St. Augustine, Trinidad & Tobago. Guyana defeated St. Vincent & The Grenadines (11:2), Surinam (7:5) and Turks & Caicos Islands (11:2) in group play before falling to Trinidad & Tobago (0:5) in the CFU finals. Mark Joseph is in charge of the Guyanese squad.

Mexico – Reached the semifinals of the 1996 and 2000 CONCACAF Futsal tournaments but Mexico are yet to play in the FIFA World Championship. The tricolor has played the most international futsal matches (24) then any other CONCACAF team since 2001. With Josué Rodriguez at the helm, Mexico eliminated El Salvador in a two-game North/Central Preliminary Series 17:9 on aggregate.

Panama – One of two Central American nations (other Costa Rica) to compete in all CONCACAF Final Round Qualifications in 2004 (Men’s, Women’s Pre-Olympic; Under-19 Women’s; Futsal). Panama played their first international Futsal games in 2004 under newly appointed coach, Marcos Babau Assumpçao Carneiro. The canaleros defeated Canada in a two-game North/Central Preliminary Series 11:6 on aggregate.

Surinam – Making their second consecutive appearance at a CONCACAF Futsal Final Round after finishing fifth in the qualifying tournament four years ago. Surinam advanced to the 2004 CONCACAF event after earning third-place honours at the Caribbean Football Union Tournament in St. Augustine, Trinidad & Tobago. Coached by Stanley Lamsberg, the Surinamese defeated St. Vincent & The Grenadines (7:0) and Turks & Caicos Islands (15:1), before losing to Guyana (5:7) in tournament’s group play. Surinam claimed the last CFU berth by topping Netherlands Antilles (9:4) in the third-place game.

Trinidad & Tobago – Advanced to their first CONCACAF Futsal Final Round after Trinidad & Tobago hosted and won the inaugural Caribbean Football Union Tournament in St. Augustine. With Clayton Morris at the helm, the soca warriors played their first-ever Futsal matches during the CFU event winning all their games. Trinidad & Tobago earned group victories over Grenada (9:2), Netherlands Antilles (4:3), Puerto Rico (4:2) and then defeated Guyana (5:0) for the CFU title.

USA – Under the direction of technical director Keith Tozer, the USA eliminated Honduras in a two-game North/Central Preliminary Series 7:1 on aggregate. The stars & stripes are making their third consecutive appearance at the CONCACAF tournament, finishing first and third in the 1996 and 2000 events, respectively. The USA have qualified to three FIFA Futsal World Championships (1989, 1992, 1996), earning a bronze medal at the inaugural FIFA competition in the Netherlands 1989 and a silver medal at the 1992 event in Hong Kong.


Preliminary Rosters

COSTA RICA

GK: Javier Alfaro (Desamparados), Dider Herrera (Barrio Peralta), Justin Wallace (Heredia);
DF: Erick Arce (UNED), Michael Barrantes (Belén FC), Marcos Carvajal (Desamparados), Johnny Rodríguez (Barrio Peralta);
MD: Jason Arce (Barrio Peralta), Randolph Sánchez (Desamparados), Henry Valverde (Desamparados), Adonai Vindas (Desamparados);
AT: Mauricio Carvajal (Desamparados), Carlos Chaves (Barrio Peralta), Yanan Montoya (Fortuna), Junior Rodríguez (Barrio Peralta), Jefrid Ruiz (Barrio Peralta).
TD: Carlos QUIROS


CUBA

GK: Wilfredo Carbo (Ciudad Habana), Dagmar Gomez (Ciudad Habana), Pedro Francis López (Industriales);
DF: Adalberto Guerra (Ciudad Habana), José Jacinto Serrano (Industriales); MD: Fernando Chapman (Holguin), Eduardo Morales (Matanzos);
AT: Yosniel Mesa Díaz (Cienfuegos), Ronald Egozcue (Industriales), Isven Roman García (Ciudad Habana), Juan Carlos Portal (Ciudad Habana), Yampier Rodríguez (Pinar del Rio), Boris Saname (Ciudad Habana).
TD: Clemente REINOSO


GUYANA

GK: Rayon Keiller (Melanie), Orin Parris (Flamingos), Andrew Redding (no club);
DF: Zevon Atkinson (Pouderoyen), Orville Bobb (Uitvlugt), Gerald Grititen (Conquerors), Omalie Norman Nassy (Pele), Lester Peters (Conquerors), Travis Waterton (Amelia’s Ward);
MD: Dwayne Douglas (Net Rockers), Delyon Josiah (Pouderoyen), Deon Yaw (Flamingo);
AT: Dwayne Ali (Santos), Dexter Bentick (Conquerors), Norris Carter (Pele), Alton Fraser (Melanie), Travis Grant (Pele), Eron Hayde (Western Tigers), Shem Porter (Flamingo).
TD: Mark JOSEPH


MEXICO

GK: José Manuel García (Soles), Luis Alberto Gonzalez (Morelos), Abel Trepman (C.D.I.), Amado Pablo Torres (Edo. Mexico);
DF: Azareel Barriga (Club Japón), Guillermo Castañeda (Tabasco), Victor Huerta (Delta GAM), Edson Lince (Azcapotzalco), Arturo Lopez (I.M.S.S.), Carlos Ramírez (E.S.E.F.);
MD: Jesus Contreras (Tabasco), Hector Guzmán (U.V.M.), Alberto Montiel (Aguilas), Leonardo Morales (Halcones), Miguel Ángel Olvera (U.V.M.), Jesus Rodríguez (Aguilas), Mario Alberto Verttí (Edo. Mexico);
AT: Francisco Ramírez (Delta GAM), Ricardo Villalobos (E.N.E.D.).
TD: Josué RODRIGUEZ


PANAMA

GK: Adolfo Aníbal Benítez (Panamá Viejo), Abraham Nelatón (Chorrillo), José Victoria (no club);
DF: Alexis Cubillas (Alcalde), Ameth De Leon (9 de Enero), Alvaro López (Parque Lefevre), Mauro Muñoz (Villa Venus), Juan Murillo (Hato Pintado), Everardo Antonio Smith (no club);
MD: Alquis Alvarado (Hato Pintado), Raúl Núñez (Samaria), Gilberto Rangel (Hato Pintado), Moisés Williams (Hato Pintado);
AT: Apolinar Gálvez (Hato Pintado), Enrique Valdés (Samaria).
TD: Marcos Babau Assumpçao CARNEIRO


SURINAM

GK: Lloyd Derby (Pittbulls), Tito Eersteling (Sarona), Andre Zebeda (Pittbulls);
DF: Steven Berrenstein (Super 5), Gerold Bramah (Blessings), Robert Derby (Pittbulls), Dirk Doorson (Pittbulls), Winston Feller (Pittbulls), Fornelio Forster (D.J.O.G.O.), Clifton Tjin Liep Shie (Sanousch);
AT: Gino Brandon (Mengao), Albero Doesburg (Styx), Romeo Jomena (Pittbulls), Cedric Sama-an (Styx), Clifton Sandvliet (Sanousch), Siegfried Uralime (Styx), Roberto Zebeda (Pittbulls).
TD: Stanley LAMSBERG


TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

GK: Kevin Graham (Joe Public FC), Perry Martin (Santos);
DF: Wendell Douglas (Laventille Youths), N’kosi Gabriel (Blue Ribbon Dream Team), Marvin Lee (TSTT), Franklyn Ollivierra (Good Fellows), Anthony Small (Santos);
MD: Ako James (Santos), Colin Joseph (Laventille Youths), Sterling O’Brian (Joe Public FC), Marc Williams (Santa Rosa FC);
AT: Jerwyn Balthazar (Junior Mafia), Cordell Greenidge (Santos), Kevin Peters (Blue Ribbon Dream Team), Jason Valley (Leeds FC).
TD: Clayton MORRIS


USA

GK: Scott Hileman (Baltimore Blast), Brett Phillips (St. Louis Steamers);
DF: Sean Bowers (San Diego Sockers), Jeff DiMaria (St. Louis Steamers), Pat Morris (Philadelphia Kixx), Brian Soell (Kansas City Comets), Matt Tanzini (Kansas City Comets), Josh Timbers (Cleveland Force), Lee Tschantret (Baltimore Blast), Pat White (Milwaukee Wave);
MD: John Ball (Cleveland Force), Jamar Beasley (Kansas City Comets), Danny Kelly (Baltimore Blast), Joel Shanker (Philadelphia Kixx), Johnny Torres (Milwaukee Wave);
AT: Don D’Ambra (Philadelphia Kixx), Todd Dusosky (Milwaukee Wave), Lee Edgerton (Milwaukee Wave), Dewayne Gilpatrick (no club), Andy Gustaferro (Chicago Storm), Greg Howes (Milwaukee Wave).
TD: Keith TOZER