For more Information on the 2004 Futsal World Championship:

FOR A RAINY DAY: A brief history of futsal Javi Sanchez of Spain fights for the ball with Manoel Tobias of Brazil 03 December 2000 in Guatemala City. (AFP) Jorge UZON (FIFA.com)  23 Sep 2004 The first record of an organised five-a-side brand of football dates back to 1930 in Montevideo, Uruguay. The same year the pioneering football nation hosted the first FIFA World Cup™ at its brand-new Estadio Centenario, an Argentine-born coach by the name of Juan Carlos Ceriani, so tired of rain-soaked pitches and cancelled training sessions, brought the game indoors for the first time. With an eye to making his new indoor game more accessible, but also more organized, he put together a set of rules strikingly similar to those that govern futsal today.  The children of Montevideo took to the small-sided game with aplomb, and it was played in YMCA houses throughout the capital.  The hybrid version was perfectly suited to either outdoor or indoor venues, as all that was needed was a small, basketball-size court. (more)

HEREDIA, Costa Rica (Saturday, July 31, 2004) - The U.S. National Futsal Team won the CONCACAF Futsal Championship with their continued defensive domination of the region with a 2-0 win over Cuba on Saturday night in the Palacio de los Deportes in Heredia, Costa Rica.

Forwards Greg Howes and Don D'Ambra scored the goals from the U.S. off two set pieces, and goalkeeper Scott Hileman had the shutout in goal with 10 saves, including seven in the second half. Cuba had 23 shots on goal, but at least a dozen more shot attempts were blocked by U.S. defenders. (more)

(TOURNAMENT RESULTS)
(OTHER TOURNAMENT NEWS)

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The U.S. Futsal Team advanced to the FIFA World Championship with a 4-0 victory over Costa Rica. (Top L)David Gaerlick(Doctor), Vava Marques(Assistant Coach), Todd Daniels(Trainner), Shawn Bowers, Greg Howes, Todd Dusosky, Scott Hilleman, Brett Phillips, John Ball, Don D'Ambra, Brian Koch(Team Administrator), Alex Para(Head of Delegation) (Bottom L)Keith Tozer(Head Coach), Andy Guastaferro, Lee Tschantret, Danny Kelly, Joel Shanker, Pat White, David Applegate(Media Officer).

USA QUALIFIES FOR FIFA FUTSAL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WITH 4 - 0 VICTORY OVER COSTA RICA.  - News release July 31, 2004

 

HEREDIA, Costa Rica (Friday, July 30, 2004) - The U.S. National Futsal Team qualified for the 2004 FIFA Futsal World Championship on Friday night with a 4-0 victory over host Costa Rica at the Palacio de los Deportes in Heredia, Costa Rica, in front of a raucous crowd of 2,741.  "It took us 8 years to get back to the FIFA Futsal World Championship. I am proud of the game plan of our coaches and the execution of the players, to have made this such a convincing victory over CONCACAF champion Costa Rica" said Alex Para President of U.S. Futsal. (more)

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U.S. Futsal National Team prior to 1-1 tie with Cuba

USA Ties Cuba 1-1 To Advance to Semifinals of Futsal World Championship Qualifiers
News release July 29, 200

HEREDIA, Costa Rica (Wednesday, July 28, 2004)- The U.S. Futsal Team is one win away from the FIFA Futsal World Championship as the squad advanced out of Group B as the second place team after a 1-1 draw with Cuba, the group winner, on Wednesday night in Heredia, Costa Rica.

The U.S. will play the first place team from Group A - tournament hosts Costa Rica - with a berth to the championship in Chinese Taipei on the line.   (more)

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U.S. captain Sean Bowers leads the U.S. through the traditional pre-game greeting line.

USA Cruises Past Guyana 6-0 in Second Game of Futsal World Championship Qualifiers
News release July 26, 2004

HEREDIA, Costa Rica (Monday, July 26, 2004) - A flury of goals in the second half gave the U.S. a conformable 6-0 win over Guyana on Monday night at the Palacio de los Deportes in Heredia, Costa Rica, in the second group play match of the 2004 CONCACAF Futsal Championship.

Defender Pat White picked up a pair of goals and one assist, while forward Todd Dusosky also tallied twice. Midfielder Joel Shanker scored the game-winner in the 20th minute, and forward Andy Guastaferro scored on a penalty kick as well. In addition to White, Sean Bowers, Danny Kelly, Lee Tschantret and Don D'Ambra picked up assists on the night.  (more)

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The U.S. Futsal National Team tied Panama 2-2 on July 23, 2004.

USA ties Panama 2-2 in Opening Match of CONCACAF Futsal Qualifying
News release July 23, 2004

HEREDIA, Costa Rica - The U.S. National Futsal Team tied Panama 2-2 on Saturday night in the opening match for the team at the 2004 CONCACAF Futsal Tournament. The tournament, held at the Palacio de los Deportes in Heredia, Costa Rica, qualifies the top two teams from the region to go to the 2004 FIFA Futsal World Championship in Chinese Taipai in December.

The U.S. got goals from Greg Howes and Joel Shanker in the second half after a 1-0 deficit at halftime, but Panama answered just seconds after the second U.S. goal and the teams played scoreless for the final eight minutes.  (more)

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USA ADVANCES TO THE 2004 CONCACAF FUTSAL FINAL ROUND QUALIFICATION IN COSTA RICA - Draw set for next week.

USA advanced to the 2004 CONCACAF Futsal Final Round Qualification in Costa Rica, after defeating Honduras 2:0 in the second-leg of North/Central Zone Series 3 at the US Cellular Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The stars & stripes won the overall series 7:1 on aggregate.  After a scoreless first half, the USA opened the scoring (1:0) in the 25th minute of the second half with a goal by Lee Edgerton. The second tally came with a minute remaining via an own goal scored by the catrachos’ Fabio Gonzalez off a shot by the stars & stripes’ Lee Tschantret in the win.(more)

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U.S. FUTSAL NATIONAL TEAM DEFEATS HONDURAS IN PRELIMINARY ROUND FOR 2004 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIERS.

U.S. Futsal keeper Scott Hileman allowed just one goal in two games vs. Honduras as the U.S. qualified for Final Round CONCACAF Qualifying.

MILWAUKEE, Wis. (May 18, 2004) – The U.S. Futsal National Team kicked off their two-game Preliminary Round CONCACAF qualifying series against Honduras on Tuesday night with a 5-1 victory at U.S. Cellular Arena in Milwaukee, Wis. The U.S. were led by five different goal scorers in the match, and goalkeeper Scott Hileman allowed just one goal.

The second-game in the series is set for Thursday night at the same venue, with the winner of the aggregate goal series advancing to the eight-team CONCACAF Final Qualifying Tournament, which will be played in Costa Rica from July 23-31 and will determine the region’s two participants in the FIFA Futsal World Championship in Chinese Taipei from Nov. 21 - Dec. 5.  (more)