MIAMI, Florida – The United States opened their 2021 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup campaign in Group A with a narrow 5-4 extra time defeat to hosts RFU (Football Union of Russia) on Thursday night at Luzhniki Beach Soccer Stadium in Moscow, Russia.
Alessandro Canale and Nicolas Perea had braces for the U.S., with each player scoring a goal in the third period to rally the U.S. from a late two-goal deficit to force extra time.
However, in the extra frame, RFU emerged victorious thanks to a winning goal from Alexey Makarov.
The U.S. will look to bounce back on Saturday when they face Japan.
Meanwhile, 2021 Concacaf Beach Soccer Championship winners El Salvador will open their campaign in Group C when they take on Belarus on Friday.
The Cuscatlecos will be looking for their first ever win to open a Beach Soccer World Cup, having fallen in all four of their previous openers (2008, 2009, 2011, 2013).
While El Salvador have never faced Belarus in a Beach Soccer World Cup, they have had eight different meetings with European opponents, with a record of 2W-6L.
El Salvador will be relying on Frank Velasquez, Ruben Batres and Exon Perdomo, who finished as the top three scorers in the 2021 Concacaf Beach Soccer Championship (11, 10 and 9 goals).
