U.S. futsal

Guastaferro penalty kick ties Cuba 1-1, earns semifinal qualifying berth.

HEREDIA, Costa Rica (Wednesday, July 28, 2004) -- Forward Andy Guastaferro's penalty kick midway throught the second half gave the United States the 1-1 draw with Cuba that put it within one victory of qualifying for the futsal world championships.

"I am extremely proud of how the guys came out and played tonight," U.S. coach Keith Tozer said. "It seems that we are getting better every game. As we expected, our defense has been keeping us in games. Scott (Hileman) had a really good game in goal, but the individual and the team defense was great today."

The U.S. finished second in Group B of the CONCACAF Futsal Championship at 1-0-2 with five points, trailing Cuba, which was 2-0-1 with seven points. With two representatives from the region of North America, Central America and the Caribbean going to the World championship tournament in Chinese Taipei in December, both semifinal winners qualify.

The U.S. faces Group A winner Costa Rica (3-0, 9) Friday in one semifinal while Cuba takes on Group A runnerup Mexico (2-1, 6) in the other. The championship and third-place matches will be competed Saturday.

Costa Rica has been the dominant team in this tournament, winning its three matches by a combined 23-2. "We are one game away from our goal and we are excited to play Costa Rica," Tozer said. "I like our chances. I think with this team anything can happen. We have guys who can score, guys who can defend and great goalies.

"I think that the pressure is on them (Costa Rica). They went to the World Cup in 2000 last time, it's their home building, it's their home country. Unlike Cuba tonight, they are going to have to come and attack us and that is going to give us more room. Cuba just packed it in in front of their goal, whereas Costa Rica is going to have to come at us."

Trailing 1-0 at intermission before 1,980 at el Palacio de los Deportes, the U.S. battled in the second and was able to get the equalizer after Danny Kelly was fouled on the top right side of the area with 10:55 to play. Guastaferro converted his second penalty kick in the last two matches for the 1-1 tie..

The U.S. came out with conviction, firing six shots in the first four minutes and forcing Cuban goaltender Wilfredo Carbo to make four saves. After that, the match would settled down and the Americans managed only one more shot in the first half.

Cuba went ahead 1-0 in the seventh minute on a counterattack after stealing a ball from the attacking Americans. Boris Saname fed Eduardo Morales who put the ball past Hileman.

"The big key of the game was that they came out and scored first and they could pack it in and play for a 1-0 win or a 1-1 tie," Tozer said. "If we had scored first, I think it would have made things different."

The U.S. played without captain Sean Bowers, who was out with a calf injury, and John Ball, serving a one-game suspension for comments he made after being ejected from the tournament's opening match.

When someone goes down, it is an opportunity for someone else and that is what happened tonight," Tozer said. "You have to give Andy Guastaferro credit -- he has been clinical as far as his finishing on 10 meters and penalty kicks. He has not missed on this trip."

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United States 1, Cuba 1 Lineups: United States - Scott Hileman, Pat White, Greg Howes, Todd Dusosky, Joel Shanker. Subs: Lee Tschantret (captain), Andy Guastaferro, Danny Kelly, Don D'Ambra.
Cuba - Wilfredo Carbo, Jose Jacinto Serrano, Eduardo Morales, Juan Carlos Portal, Boris Saname Subs: Isven Roman Garcia, Adalberto Guerra, Yampier Rodriguez.
Scoring:
Cuba - Morales 7.
United States - Guastaferro (penalty kick) 30.

Shots: United States 15, Cuba 9. Saves: United States 6, Cuba 7. Corners: United States 3, Cuba 4. Fouls: United States 6, Cuba 4. Yellow card caution: United States - Tschantret 40.

Referee: Jorge Ruiz (Costa Rica). Second referee: Carlos Del Cid (Guatemala). Attendance: 1,980 at el Palacio de los Deportes in Heredia, Costa Rica.

http://www.soccertimes.com/usteams/2004/games/jul28.htm

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