Futsal National Team

4 - 7

Cuba

San José, Costa Rica | BN Arena

Attendance: 630

38'

CUB: goal by Brenieht Suarez.
37”03'

CUB: caution to Daniel Hernandez.
36”08'

CUB: goal by Reinier Socarras, assist by Feice Mariño.
35”20'

CAN: goal by Vahid Assadpour, assist by Nazim Belguendouz.
33”23'

CAN: goal by Frederico Moojen, assist by Daniel Chamale.
33'

CAN: goal by Frederico Moojen, assist by Eduardo Jauregui.
30'

CAN: Frederico Moojen shot goes off both posts.
29'

CUB: goal by Jhonnet Martinez, assist by Brenieht Suarez.
28”56'

CUB: goal by Daniel Hernandez, assist by Reinier Socarras.
28'

CUB: goal by Reynier Fiallo, assist by Jhonnet Martinez.
26”45'

CUB: goal by Reynier Fiallo, assist by Jhonnet Martinez.
24'

CUB: yellow card to Feice Mariño.
20'

CUB: yellow card to Feice Mariño.
18'

CUB: Brenieht Suarez saves penalty shot by Nazim Belguendouz.
17'

CAN: goal by Ian Bennett, assist by Frederico Moojen.
14'

CUB: goal by Reynier Fiallo, assist by Ronald Egozcue.

Timeline

Futsal National Team

KO

KO
14 ' |
17 ' |
18 ' | CUB: Brenieht Suarez saves penalty shot by Nazim Belguendouz.
20 ' |
24 ' |
26”45 ' |
28 ' |
28”56 ' |
29 ' |
30 ' | CAN: Frederico Moojen shot goes off both posts.
33 ' |
33”23 ' |
35”20 ' |
36”08 ' |
37”03 ' |
38 ' |
FT

FT

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Cuba

Match Report

With a ticket to the 2016 FIFA Futsal World Cup on the line on Tuesday evening, Canada faced a tenacious Cuban side who were looking to rebound from a 6-0 loss to Costa Rica the night before. The Canadians earned their first ever victory at a CONCACAF Futsal Championship 24 hours earlier when they defeated Curacao 7-4.

Given how much was at stake both teams came out strong defensively, each attempting to try and open up gaps to exploit with little fortune.

The Cubans would be the early aggressors offensively, unleashing a set of five shots that were all turned away by Canadian keeper Josh Lemos.

But in the 15th minute, Cuban Ronald Egozcue would lay a straightaway pass along the sideline to Reynier Fiallo who rifled a low shot that beat Lemos from a tight angle to take a 1-0 lead.

The Canadians would respond three minutes later when a slide tackle from a Cuban defender sent the ball rolling to forward Ian Bennett who blasted one through the legs of goalkeeper Nelson Johnston to level things up.

Cuba would get into foul trouble and would concede their 6th foul in the 19th minute setting up a shot from the 10m spot. Yesterday’s man of the match, Nazim Belguendouz, would step up to take it for Canada but was stopped by Breniht Suarez.

Canada came out strong in the first few minutes of the 2nd half with a trio of shots only ten seconds in after Cuba fouled hard just outside the goal area but Suarez made the key saves.

A dangerous tackle from behind in the 25th on Hamilton native Ian Bennett by Denis Marquez that resulted in a yellow saw a clear breakaway for Canada taken away, much to the chagrin of the Canadian bench.

Toronto’s Jacob Orellana prevented what looked to be a sure goal for Cuba in the 27th with a superb defensive effort when he slid across the goal area to prevent a wide open Cuban forward from tapping it in.

The Cubans would keep pressing and would take the lead only seconds later when Fiallo had a give and go exchange on the break with Jhonnet Martinez that saw Fiallo slide into the goal pushing Lemos, and the ball, behind the goal line.

Fiallo would complete the hat trick in the 28th when Martinez delivered a superb pass across the crease that hit Fiallo’s sliding foot into the far post to put them up 3-1.

Cuba would continue their surge with their fourth goal immediately to put the Canadian’s on their heels.

They would make it 5-1in the 29th after Lemos came out of his goal as the 5th attacker and slipped while shooting which was then easily grabbed by Cuban goalkeeper Breniht Suarez who threw to a wide open Martinez for the easy tap into the open net.

While most teams would see a 5-1 deficit as too much of an obstacle to overcome, Canada showed plenty of heart.

In the 34th, Lemos, one of the most prolific attacking goalkeepers in the CONCACAF region, came out again to lead the attack that saw him launch an airborne pass down low to Eduardo Jaragui who lined a pass to a wide open Freddy Moojen to cut the deficit to three.

Canada would strike again 16 seconds later when Lemos sent a pass to Daniel Chamale who sent a sublime pass into the box for Moojen who scored an beautiful no look back heel pass to bring Canada within two.

With the momentum completely swinging back in Canada’s direction Vahid Assadpour would score in the 36th minute when Nazim Belguendouz picked off a Cuban pass and sent it off to Assadpour who made a lovely turn and strike it past Suarez to make a one goal game.

With a stunning comeback on the horizon Cuba would break the hearts of Canadians when Marco Rodriguez went down and with no foul called the Cubans would take a 2 v 0 break for the tap in to give them back the valuable two goal cushion.

Even with the Cubans fouling out and Canada pressing once again with Lemos acting as the 5th attacker, they remained composed for long enough to score their 7th of the match when Suarez drop kicked the ball across the court and into the goal to end Canada’s hopes of making its first FIFA Futsal World Cup in 27 years.