Posted on July 4, 2012
GUATEMALA CITY — Mexico moved closer to clinching a spot at the 2012 FIFA Futsal World Cup behind a 5-4 comeback victory over St. Kitts and Nevis in the CONCACAF Futsal Championship on Tuesday.
Adrian Gonzalez scored for a dramatic late game-winner to boost El Tri in Group B at the Domo Polideportivo.
St. Kitts, playing in only its second futsal international, led for most of the game and was within grasp of an historic accomplishment. Gonzalez, though, salvaged the result for the Mexicans with less than a minute remaining by flicking a Francisco Cati corner kick that deflected off St. Kitts’ Aiden Nurse and past goalkeeper Julani Archibald.
The Mexicans (four points) is in second place behind Costa Rica, 2-1 winners over Cuba on Tuesday. The top two teams in each group will qualify for the FIFA competition in Thailand in November.
Both teams started well, but St. Kitts & Nevis got on the board first in the seveth minute behind a Carlos Ramirez own goal.
Ramirez would make amends only seconds later, tying the encounter at 1-1 with his first goal of the competition.
St. Kitts went on the offensive, grabbing a 3-1 lead through goals from Jason Lake and Nurse in the ninth and 10th minutes, respectively. Nurse’s goal came as a result of a side-footed shot while parallel to the net from extremely close range.
Cati narrowed the gap to 3-2 with an 18th-minute goal from the left side after an enterprising run from inside his own half.
Two minutes later, Miguel Limon equalized for Mexico with his third goal in two matches.
St. Kitts regained the advantage as Travis Somersall knocked home a rebound, breaking the short-lived deadlock and giving his side a 4-3 lead at the interval.
The score remained in St. Kitts’ favor until the Limon brought Mexico back on level terms in the 35th minute, setting up Gonzalez’s heroics.
On Wednesday, the Mexicans face Cuba in their last group game, while St. Kitts & Nevis takes on Costa Rica.
Categories: Caribbean, CONCACAF, Mexico, North America, Saint Kitts and Nevis
Tags:
Loading ...
