USA, El Salvador and Costa Rica hit 6 points in Alajuela

The 2021 Concacaf Beach Soccer Championship groups are taking shape as the favourites pull ahead in the race for continental glory and those all-important places at the 2021 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Moscow.

Day 2 at the Sports Complex Fedefutbol-Plycem in Alajuela got underway when Panama joined the fray for their first match, dealing Belize a second heavy blow to take their first points, winning by eight goals to one.

In Group B, 2017 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup hosts Bahamas got off the mark by outscoring Dominican Republic 10-2, and the star of that show was Lesly St. Fleur who netted a stunning five goals to see his side jump to second in the group.

The other match in Group B saw El Salvador, who narrowly missed out on a place at the last FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup after losing on penalties to the USA in the 2019 semi-final, stayed perfect to reach six points, beating Guatemala 7-1.

The USA kept pace with La Selecta by also reaching six points, beating Ramiro Amarelle’s Trinidad & Tobago 5-2. A brace from Tomas Canale, as well as goal number 102 for captain Nick Perera, marked the difference, while Akinola Gregory and Dominic McDougall scored for Amarelle’s Soca Warriors.

Hosts Costa Rica overturned Matteo Marrucci’s Turks & Caicos by five goals to one, with a stunning performance from Christian Sanchez, which saw him bag a hat-trick for Los Ticos, who go level on points with the USA and El Salvador.

In the final group stage matches, the hosts will take on the Stars & Stripes to see who will finish top on Group C, while Amarelle and Marrucci will go head-to-head when Trinidad & Tobago meet Turks & Caicos in a final pursuit of group stage points.

Bahamas also have the chance to top their group if they can down El Salvador, while Belize have already played both of their games in Group A, and Mexico and Panama will battle for the top spot on Wednesday.

The final day will be a dramatic one as teams scramble for quarter-final places and to stay in the race for World Cup qualification, but for three nations the 2021 Concacaf Beach Soccer Championship journey will end on Thursday…

Watch all of the matches on the Concacaf Facebook page.

17/05

Belize 3–6 Mexico
Bahamas 3(1)-(3)3 Guatemala
Dominican Republic 1–15 El Salvador
Turks & Caicos 1–11 USA
Costa Rica 5–3 Trinidad & Tobago

18/05

Panama 8–1 Belize
Bahamas 10–2 Dominican Republic
El Salvador 7–1 Guatemala
USA 5–2 Trinidad & Tobago
Costa Rica 5–1 Turks & Caicos

19/05

Mexico v Panama
Guatemala v Dominican Republic
El Salvador v Bahamas
Trinidad & Tobago v Turks & Caicos
USA v Costa Rica

Click here for the group standings. 

Photo: Concacaf