Eight teams remain in the Concacaf qualifier as hosts Costa Rica beat USA narrowly to win Group A
The group stage of the 2021 Concacaf Beach Soccer Championship is now over, as three teams exit the race for World Cup places, and the remaining eight prepare for the knockout stage.
One last day of group stage matches at the Sports Complex Fedefutbol-Plycem in Alajuela began with a battle for the Group A top spot, where Mexico held off Panama to win 5-3.
A comfortable victory for El Salvador saw them cruise to the top of Group B without having dropped a single point so far. Ruben Batres and Francisco Velasquez bagged two each as La Selecta beat Bahamas 7-2.
Dominican Republic suffered a third consecutive defeat to exit the competition, as Guatemala put seven past them to clinch second place and a place in the quarter-finals.
In the final group stage matches, Costa Rica locked horns with the Stars & Stripes. Neither side had been beaten yet, but it was the hosts who edged a tight 5-4 match, thanks to a hat-trick from Greivin Pacheco, to claim first place in Group C.
In a desperate scrap for a place in the final eight, the squads of Messrs Amarelle and Marrucci met in a 12-goal thriller, in which Trinidad & Tobago defeated Turks & Caicos to bag essential three points and reach the knockout stage.
There will be a rest day on Thursday 20 May, and the action will resume on Friday when Mexico face Bahamas, Panama take on USA, hosts Costa Rica play Guatemala and El Salvador are up against and Trinidad & Tobago.
For Belize, Turks & Caicos and Dominican Republic, the 2021 Concacaf Beach Soccer Championship is over.
Watch all of the matches on the Concacaf Facebook page.
19/05 (Group Stage)
Mexico 5–3 Panama
Guatemala 10–1 Dominican Republic
El Salvador 7–2 Bahamas
Trinidad & Tobago 7–5 Turks & Caicos
USA 4–5 Costa Rica
20/05
REST DAY
21/05 (Quarter-Finals)
Mexico v Bahamas
Panama v USA
Costa Rica v Guatemala
El Salvador v Trinidad & Tobago
Click here for the Concacaf Beach Soccer Championship standings.
Photo: Concacaf
