Fotografía: Felipe Echeverría - Santiago Barcacel
In an exciting fourth day of the VIII FIFUSA Futsal World Cup, the United States secured their first victory of the tournament, complicating France's position in Group A. Goals from Bentallah Ali (#10) and Omar Iahbiki (#8) secured the win for the Americans, while Henry Scott (#3) scored for the French.
France came into the match after a comfortable 8-0 win over Haiti, bouncing back from their debut defeat against Colombia (2-5). Meanwhile, the United States were looking to recover after a crushing 0-7 loss to the hosts, making this a crucial match.
The game was marked by the need for both teams to earn points, resulting in an impressive physical display. France tried to take the initiative from the opening minutes with several shots on goal, but US goalkeeper Miguel Burciaga (#12) stood firm and kept the French attack at bay.
The first goal came in the 3rd minute when Termeau Quentin (#7) of France attempted a pass into the box, which was intercepted by Bentallah Ali (#10), who capitalized to put the United States ahead.
A key moment in the first half was the injury to US player Ken Traung (#2), who had to leave the field in the 9th minute after a collision. Despite opportunities generated by both teams, the score remained unchanged until the 17th minute when Henry Scott (#3) of France equalized after recovering the ball in the box and shooting powerfully. The first half ended with a 1-1 draw.
In the second half, the United States came out with more determination. In the 10th minute, Omar Iahbiki (#8) broke down the left wing and with a cross-shot restored the lead for the Americans, making it 2-1.
The intensity of the match increased, and in the 13th minute, several players were booked: Antony Suliaman (#6) of the United States received the first yellow card for a hard tackle, followed by Henry Scott (#3) of France, who was also cautioned. In the 16th minute, Denin Ogiegevas (#4) of the United States received a yellow card for a rough challenge in the box.
Tensions reached their peak when Tehar Mehdi (#6) of France was sent off with a blue card for a foul off the ball on Omar Iahbiki (#8). The situation escalated further when the US assistant coach was shown a red card after a heated exchange with French players, adding to the intensity of a second half filled with emotions.
Lineups:
France (Coach: Kefi Aykel):
Starters:
Substitutes:
United States (Coach: Parse Branigan):
Starters:
Substitutes:
FIFUSA Press 2024