Mexico, Panama into CONCACAF final

The holders will defend their title against Panama in Nassau on Sunday.

Panama and Mexico moved into the CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship final on Saturday, earning victories that also guarantee them spots at this year’s FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup.

The defending champions were rarely troubled as they dispatched a Guadeloupe side missing influential but suspended striker Sebastien Hell 3-0.

Goals from Jose Ramon Maldonado Alonso and Diego Oswaldo Rodriguez condemned Guadeloupe to third place while Panama knocked out El Salvador 2-1 on penalties, after the tie ended 2-2 in normal time.

In just their second appearance at this competition, Panama battled back from a goal down to move within three minutes of winning in normal time, only for Jose Agustin Ruiz to level and give El Salvador a shot at reaching the final.

However, with the contest eventually going to penalties, Jose Ruben Batres and Heber Antonio Ramos faltered, while Julio Watson and Rafael Garcia found the net to take Panama into the final.

Hosts Bahamas will contest the fifth-place play-off against USA on Sunday after edging Trinidad and Tobago 5-2.

Having seen the USA beat Jamaica, Bahamas then got back to winning ways against Trinidad, with captain Gavin Christie’s brace proving decisive as the home nation held a late fightback from the Beach Soca Warriors.

United States ensured themselves a spot in the CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship fifth-place play-off on Saturday after seeing off Jamaica 6-2.

Both sides tasted defeat in the quarter-finals on Friday and it was the USA – still without suspended skipper Nick Perera – who bounced back to ensure a shot at fifth, with Alessandro Canale’s hat-trick helping ensure a routine win.

Costa Rica and Canada will go head-to-head for ninth place, the latter picking up a dominant 6-1 win against Antigua and Barbuda, Danilo Pessoa weighing with a brace.

Milos Scepanovic and Nazim Belgendouz got the North Americans off to a strong start, with Sherwin Warner Junior pulling one back for Antigua.

However, a quickfire double from Pessoa was quickly followed by further strikes from Jacob Orellana and Maxime Leconte – Shawn Warner’s late effort mattering little in the end.

Last year’s runners-up Costa Rica then joined Canada in the ninth-place match when they saw off Guyana 5-2.

Goalkeeper Niels Fallas Beita got the ball rolling with an early strike with Deyber Villegas Guerrero and Heimo Kastner Gomez making it 3-0 by the end of the second frame.

Jahshaun Moore pulled one back for Guyana but Costa Rica proved a cut above, finishing with a flourish thanks to goals from William Leon Cruz and Villegas Guerrero.

Belize and Turks & Caicos Islands will battle for 13th place after each picking up wins early on the penultimate day of action, beating Barbados and US Virgin Islands respectively.

Herby Magny scored twice for Turks and Caicos as they racked up a comfortable 4-1 win while Belize found their shooting boots in a 6-2 success against Barbados.

Marlon Meza’s hat-trick proved decisive for Dennis Dale Serano’s men while goals from Duan Best and Jamar Grazette mattered little for Barbados.

 

Saturday results 

11.15 – Turks & Caicos Islands 4-1 US Virgin Islands

12.30 – Barbados 2-6 Belize

13.45 – Canada 6-1 Antigua & Barbuda

15.00 – Costa Rica 5-2 Guyana

16.15 – Jamaica 2-6 USA

17.30 – Bahamas 5-2 Trinidad & Tobago

18.45 – Panama (2) 2-2 (1) El Salvador

20.00 – Guadeloupe 0-3 Mexico

Sunday fixtures

11.15 – Barbados v US Virgin Islands (Fifteenth-place play-off)

12.30 – Belize v Turks and Caicos Islands (Thirteenth-place play-off)

13.45 – Antigua and Barbuda v Guyana (Eleventh-place play-off)

15.00 – Canada v Costa Rica (Ninth-place play-off)

16.15 – Jamaica v Trinidad and Tobago (Seventh-place play-off)

17.30 – El Salvador v Guadeloupe (Third-place play-off)

18.45 – Bahamas v USA (Fifth-place play-off)

20.00 – Mexico v Panama (Final)

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