Schirinzi’s men scored 28 goals in just 4 matches against their hosts
Costa Rica welcomed the Switzerland beach soccer national team for four matches over seven days, in preparation for hosting and competing in the upcoming Concacaf qualifiers for the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup.
Switzerland won all four games in San José, despite a scare from a defiant Costa Rican side in the second, accumulating a total of 28 goals, averaging seven goals a game.
Schirinzi’s men were without their star number 10 Noel Ott on the tour, but Glenn Hodel netted ten across the four matches to provide most of the attacking firepower.
The first match began with keeper Eliott netting the first goal of the tour, setting the Swiss on course for a 6-3 victory. The next day, Costa Rica shocked the Swiss – ranked eighth in the world – by taking a 3-0 lead, but a scramble in the final period saw Switzerland turn the game round to nick two points in extra time.
An 18-goal thriller saw Schirinzi’s players find the net on 13 occasions, and on the last day, another Swiss victory saw Costa Rica fail to score for the first time.
Each team will have relished this opportunity at some international experience ahead of the race for places at the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Moscow, which will take place later this year.
Costa Rica will host the Concacaf qualifier, which will see the region’s top beach soccer nations battle for two places at the world championships, including USA, El Salvador, Mexico as well as Ramiro Amarelle’s Trinidad & Tobago.
TOUR RESULTS
06/03
Costa Rica 3–6 Switzerland
07/03
Costa Rica 3–4 Switzerland *AET
11/03
Costa Rica 5–13 Switzerland
12/03
Costa Rica 0–5 Switzerland