Costa Rica players (pictured) celebrate after defeating Guatemala in the 2016 CONCACAF Futsal Championship semifinals on May 12, 2016, in San Jose. (Photo: Mexsport)
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica – Costa Rica can become the first team to repeat as CONCACAF Futsal Championship champion, when it faces Panama in an all-Central American final on Saturday at BN Arena.
Both raced through the semifinal stage with perfect 4W-0D-0L records as the tournament’s two highest-scoring sides (Panama: 24 goals, Costa Rica 22).
If defense becomes the determining factor, the host Costa Ricans own an edge, conceding only six goals to Panama’s 12.
An entertaining third-place match is also expected between Cuba and Guatemala. Each already have secured 2016 FIFA Futsal World Cup berths and want to end the competition on a high note. Key Guatemalan defender Rafael Gonzalez is suspended after being red carded in Thursday’s 7-1 semifinal setback to Costa Rica.
CONCACAF.com takes a look at the day’s games:
2016 CONCACAF FUTSAL CHAMPIONSHIP (CFC)
San Jose, Costa Rica – BN Arena
Saturday – May 14, 2016
MATCH FOR THIRD PLACE
Cuba v Guatemala, 2:30 p.m. ET (12:30 p.m. local)
Both previous CFC meetings ended in draws
05.06.08 Guatemala City, Guatemala Cuba 3, Guatemala 3 Group Stage
08.06.08 Guatemala City, Guatemala Cuba 3, Guatemala 3 (3:5 pens) Final
CUBA
- 2016 CFC Results: 1-1 draw v Curacao (Karen Mariño 14:17); 0-6 loss v Costa Rica; 7-4 win v Canada (Reynier Fiallo 14:07, 26:45, 28:02; Daniel Hernandez 28:56; Jhonnet Martinez 29:27; Reinier Socarras 36:08; Breniht Suarez 38:02) … Semifinals: 5-6 loss aet v Panama (Denis Marquez 14:57; 28:23; Jhonnet Martinez 20:39; Sandy Dominguez 24:28; Reynier Fiallo 32:44)
- Appearances: 6-1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016
- Best Finish: Runner-up-4 (1996, 2000, 2004, 2008)
- All-Time Finals Record: W-13; D-5; L-8; GF-108; GA-74
- Qualification Method: Champion, Caribbean
- Qualifying Record: W-4; D-0; L-0; GF-19; GA-1
- Qualifying Results: 5-0 win v St. Maarten (Ricardo Castillo 12:00; Jhonnet Martinez 19:07, 34:30, 35:40; Sandy Dominguez 19:41); 4-0 win v Guadeloupe (Sandy Dominguez 8:57; Karen Mariño 24:00; Brenieht Suarez 37:38; Ricardo Castillo 38:53); 5-1 win v Jamaica (Karen Mariño 1:01; Ricardo Castillo 7:14, 10:45, 17:14; Jhonnet Martinez 18:26); 5-0 win v Curacao (Fernando Chapman 5:06, 28:17; Jhonnet Martinez 19:02; Karen Mariño 33:09, 34:28)
- Qualifying Scorers: Ricardo Castillo, Jhonnet Martinez (5); Karen Mariño (4); Fernando Chapman, Sandy Dominguez (2); Brenieht Suarez (1)
- First appearance in CFC match for third place
- Fell to 4W-0D-1L in CFC semifinal games after 5-6 aet loss v Panama on May 12
- 1W-1D-4L in last 6 CFC matches
- During 4-game CFC winless streak that ended with 7-4 win v Canada on May 10, became first team in CFC history to score 1 goal or fewer in 4 straight matches
- In 7-4 win v Canada became only 2nd team in CFC history to surpass the 100-goal mark … now at 108 goals … Costa Rica holds record at 129 goals
- Conceded 11 goals in 2016 CFC group stage … allowed only 7 goals through same stage in 2012 edition
- Conceded 4 goals or more in 4 of last 5 CFC games
- Reynier Fiallo has scored in 2 consecutive CFC games (4 goals over that stretch)
- Jhonnet Martinez has scored in 2 consecutive CFC games (2 goals over that stretch)
- World Cup Appearances: 4-1996, 2000, 2004, 2008
GUATEMALA
- 2016 CFC Results: 1-4 loss v Panama (Patrick Ruiz 25:43); 6-2 win v Mexico (0-1 Roberto Alvarado 0:43; Rafael Gonzalez 3:59; Miguel Santizo 18:25, 34:25; Carlos Merida 37:34; Wanderley Ruiz 39:20); 6-4 win v Honduras (Jonatan Arevalo 8:12, 13:27, 20:30, 24:59; Jose Mansilla 11:37, 16:15) … Semifinals: 1-7 loss v Costa Rica (Edgar Santizo 34:28)
- Appearances: 4-1996, 2008, 2012, 2016
- Best Finish: Champion-1 (2008)
- All-Time Finals Record: W-9; D-3; L-6; GF-60; GA-55
- Qualification Method: Champion, Central America
- Qualifying Record: W-4; D-0; L-0; GF-34; GA-9
- Qualifying Results: 13-2 win v Nicaragua (Edgar Santizo 1:40, 20:18; Miguel Santizo 8:46; Wanderley Ruiz 11:41; Alan Aguilar 18:26, 31:55, 36:53, 37:42; Patrick Ruiz 25:05, 33:08; Marvin Sandoval 27:18; Roberto Alvarado 38:36; Jose Mansilla 38:50); 6-2 win v Honduras (Jonatan Arevalo 5:29, 9:56, 28:07; Jose Mansilla 14:44, 21:58; Miguel Santizo 15:19); 7-1 win v El Salvador (Ervin Coronado 13:22, 23:54; Alan Aguilar 24:21; Wanderley Ruiz 30:23; Jonatan Arevalo 31:12; Roberto Alvarado 38:02; Marvin Sandoval 39:22); 8-4 win v Panama (Jonatan Arevalo 5:12, 23:08, 39:54; Wanderley Ruiz 11:08; Miguel Santizo 25:29; Edgar Santizo 27:20; Marvin Sandoval 33:39; Roberto Alvarado 37:49)
- Qualifying Scorers: Jonatan Arevalo (7); Alan Aguilar (5); Roberto Alvarado, Jose Mansilla, Wanderley Ruiz, Marvin Sandoval, Edgar Santizo, Miguel Santizo (3); Ervin Coronado, Patrick Ruiz (2)
- 0W-0D-1L in CFC match for third place games (1996: 1-3 loss v Mexico)
- Jonatan Arevalo is the only player to score 4 goals in a 2016 CFC game
- Conceded 17 goals through opening 4 2016 CFC games … allowed 6 goals through 4 games in both 2008 and 2012 editions
- Scored 1 goal in 2 CFC games for first time in 4 tournament appearances … in previous 3 appearances, never scored 1 goal or fewer more than once
- Never shutout in 18 all-time CFC matches
- 2W-0D-3L in last 5 CFC games
- Failed to win CFC opener for 1st time in 1-4 loss v Panama (3W-0D-1L)
- World Cup Appearances: 3-2000, 2008, 2012
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FINAL
Costa Rica v Panama, 5:30 p.m. ET (3:30 p.m. local)
Costa Rica leads all-time CFC series: 1W-1D-0L (10GF, 7GA)
03.06.08 Guatemala City, Guatemala Costa Rica 6, Panama 6 Group Stage
06.07.12 Guatemala City, Guatemala Costa Rica 4, Panama 1 Semifinals
COSTA RICA
- 2016 CFC Results: 3-2 win v Canada (Erick Brenes 19:36, 34:42; Alejandro Paniagua 21:17); 6-0 win v Cuba (Yariel Sandi 6:27; Juan Cordero 13:37; 38:03; Erick Brenes 14:42; Edwin Cubillo 28:36; Diego Zuñiga 35:12); 6-3 win v Curacao (Edwin Cubillo 1:27; Juan Cordero 2:03; Yariel Sandi 5:47; Isaias Mora 7:11; Adonay Vindas 11:19; Christopher Molina 14:25) … Semifinals: 7-1 win v Guatemala (Juan Cordero 21:03, 22:42; Diego Zuñiga 21:58, 26:11; Edwin Cubillo 36:57; Alejandro Paniagua 37:27 pen; Stiven Solis 39:45)
- Appearances: 5-1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016
- Best Finish: Champion-2 (2000, 2012)
- All-Time Finals Record: W-19; D-2; L-3; GF-129; GA-54
- Qualification Method: host
- 2W-0D-0L in CFC finals (2000: 2-0 win v Cuba; 2012: 3-2 win v Guatemala)
- Bidding to become first team to repeat as CFC champion
- 8W-0D-0L in last 8 CFC games … conceded 2 goals or fewer in 7 of those 8 outings
- With 7-1 win v Guatemala, equaled own CFC record for longest winning streak in tournament history: 8 (July 20, 2000 – July 27, 2004)
- Last CFC loss: 2-6 v USA on June 5, 2008
- Unbeaten in last 9 CFC games (8W-1D-0L)
- In 7-1 semifinal win v Guatemala, tied record for most goals scored by a single team in a CFC … USA set original record, also defeating Guatemala, 7-3, on September 5 1996
- Juan Cordero has scored in 3 of 4 2016 CFC games (team-high 5 goals)
- Head coach Diego Solis was MVP of 2000 CFC
- FIFA Futsal World Cup Appearances: 3-1992, 2000, 2012
PANAMA
- 2016 CFC Results: 4-1 win v Guatemala (Edgar Rivas 12:13; Jorge Perez 19:10; Claudio Goodridge 19:49; Fernando Mena 22:43); 10-3 win v Honduras 1-0 (Joshua Brown 7:13; Edgar Rivas 11:54; Carlos Perez 15:41; Claudio Goodridge 19:08, 29:29, 36:00; Jose Vasquez 21:54; Angel Sanchez 29:52, 39:56; Oscar Hinks 31:20); 4-3 win v Mexico (Claudio Goodridge 20:38; Fernando Mena 28:32, 32:43; Carlos Perez 34:29) … Semifinals: 6-5 win aet v Cuba (Michael De Leon 5:09; Angel Sanchez 11:14, 13:12; Carlos Perez 19:04, 33:07; Fernando Mena 41:16)
- Appearances: 4-2004, 2008, 2012, 2016
- Best Finish: Third Place-1 (2012)
- All-Time Finals Record: W-9; D-3; L-5; GF-69; GA-57
- Qualification Method: Runner-up, Central America
- Qualifying Record: W-3; D-0; L-1; GF-28; GA-12
- Qualifying Results: 15-0 win v Belize (Angel Sanchez 5:57, 29:46; Edgar Rivas 6:40, 33:12; Jorge Perez 8:08, 27:31; Claudio Goodridge 8:28, 16:39; Abdiel Castellon 11:56, 23:50, 33:51; Daniel Atencio 18:50; Oscar Hinks 22:25, 36:39; Michael De Leon 25:38); 3-0 win v El Salvador (Claudio Goodridge 8:15; Michael De Leon 11:58; Jorge Perez 29:43); 6-4 win v Honduras (own-goal, Norman Vega 22:09; Angel Sanchez 28:47, 37:32; Carlos Perez 30:33; Michael De Leon 31:07; Jorge Perez 33:03); 4-8 loss v Guatemala (Claudio Goodridge 19:04; Carlos Perez 33:01; Abdiel Castellon 34:13, 35:02)
- Qualifying Scorers: Abdiel Castellon, Panama (5); Claudio Goodridge, Jorge Perez, Angel Sanchez (4); Miguel De Leon (3); Oscar Hinks, Carlos Perez, Edgar Rivas (2); Daniel Atencio, own-goal in favor of (1)
- First appearance in a CFC final
- Won for first time in 3 CFC semifinal games with 6-5 victory aet v Cuba on May 12 (1W-0D-2L)
- 5W-0D-0L in last 5 CFC games (team-best winning streak in competition) … scored 4 goals or more in each win (Last loss: 1-4 v Costa Rica in 2012 semifinals)
- With 24 goals after 4 games in 2016 CFC, set new team record for most goals scored in a single CFC (previous team mark was 22 goals in 5 games in 2012 … 2008: 13 goals in 5 games; 2004: 10 goas in 3 games)
- Set new team record for most goals in a CFC game with 10-3 win v Honduras on May 9
- Only CONCACAF side to advance past group stage of 2012 FIFA World Cup, falling ultimately to eventual-champion Brazil in the Round of 16
- World Cup Appearances: 1-2012
