Fotografía: Felipe Echeverría - Santiago Barcacel
The VIII FIFUSA Futsal World Cup group stage concluded with an exciting victory for the United States over Haiti, 5-1, in a match full of intensity and key moments.
The United States, coming off a 2-1 win against France, faced what seemed to be an easier challenge against a Haiti team that had already been defeated by Colombia and France. Although Haiti had already secured their qualification due to Pakistan’s elimination, they aimed to create danger through counterattacks.
With a reduced roster and no available substitutes, Haiti showed signs of fatigue after having played two matches with only five players. The United States took advantage of their opponent’s physical exhaustion, controlling the ball with quick passing, while Haiti tried to impose their individual style with flashes of "jogo bonito," which thrilled the fans at the Bicentenario Coliseum.
First Half: A Tight Start Ends in a Draw
The first half ended with a 1-1 draw. Omar Iahbiki (#8) opened the scoring for the United States at 7:27, with a shot to the far post following a through ball from Davide Tipoel (#10) down the right wing. Six minutes later, Khaled Oulhaci (#3) got past the U.S. defense and assisted Nalufal Chabibi (#2), who equalized with a precise shot into the top left corner, making it 1-1 at halftime.
Second Half: United States Capitalizes on the Numerical Advantage
The second half took a drastic turn after Nalufal Chabibi (#2) was injured, leaving Haiti with one less player on the field. This disadvantage was exploited by the United States, who dominated the remainder of the game. Omar Iahbiki (#8) became the star of the night, scoring his second goal at 4:00 in the second half with a backheel shot following a rebound in the box, putting his team ahead once again.
From that point on, the game was entirely in the Americans' control. Constantino Wells (#11) scored the fourth goal with a powerful strike at 8:12, and Denin Ogleceval (#4) sealed the victory with a fifth goal, taking advantage of Haiti’s numerical disadvantage.
Although Haiti tried to take advantage of some counterattacking opportunities, they were unable to get past U.S. goalkeeper Miguel Burciaga (#12), who kept his goal safe for most of the match.
Final Result: Both Teams Secure Qualification
With this win, the United States recorded their second victory of the tournament, solidifying their strong performance in the group stage. Although Haiti suffered defeat, they managed to qualify for the next stage of the championship due to goal difference, benefiting from Pakistan’s elimination.
Match Lineups:
United States (Coach: Pearse Branigan):
-#12: Miguel Burciaga (Goalkeeper)
-#10: Davide Tipoel (Captain) (1 Goal, 1 Assist)
-#8: Omar Iahbiki (2 Goals, 2 Assists)
-#3: Henry Scott
-#11: Constantino Wells (1 Goal)
Substitutes:
-#6: Anthony Suliaman
-#1: Abdullah Escaleh
-#5: Ahmed Abderrahmane
-#4: Denin Ogleceval (1 Goal)
-#2: Ken Truong
Haiti (Coach: Leo Francisque):
-#9: Leo Francisque (Captain)
-#3: Khaled Oulhaci (1 Assist)
-#5: Chinite Vicuerlo
-#2: Nalufal Chabibi (1 Goal)
-#12: Alain Coirrce (Goalkeeper)
FIFUSA Press 2024