MIAMI, Florida – The United States suffered a last-second 3-2 extra time defeat to the United Arab Emirates in Group A action at the 2024 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup on Saturday at the Dubai Design District Stadium in Dubai.
With the result, the U.S. are eliminated from advancing to the knockout round.
It was a defensive struggle to start, with neither team able to find the back of the net in the first period, making for a scoreless draw at the first interval.
The UAE would break the deadlock in the second period and held a 2-0 lead at the second interval after goals from Rashed Eid and Abdulla Abbas. But the U.S. would respond early in the third period and cut the deficit to 2-1 on a score from GK Christopher Toth.
Time was running out on the U.S. down a goal and staring at elimination, but with less than a minute remaining Tomas Canale headed in a corner kick to pull the U.S. level 2-2 to force extra time.
The two teams appeared destined for penalties with the final seconds ticking down of the three-minute extra time period, only for a goal with two seconds left by Ali Mohammad giving the UAE the 3-2 victory.
Mexico vs Oman
Mexico will look to rebound from their opening defeat to Portugal when they meet Oman on Sunday in their second match of Group D.
While El Tricolor did suffer an 8-2 loss to start the tournament, they did get goals from Hector Acevedo and Ramon Maldonado and will try to improve upon that against an Oman side appearing in their fifth Beach Soccer World Cup.
Oman qualified as the Third-Place team from the 2023 AFC Beach Soccer Asian Cup.
