SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (Aug. 10, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s Beach Soccer National Team claimed second place in its debut competition, defeating El Salvador (9-6) and Bahamas (7-1) after falling to Mexico (1-2) at the 2019 ANOC World Beach Games qualifying tournament.
2019 ANOC World Beach Games qualifying Standings
Team |
W |
L |
W+ |
GD |
Pts. |
Mexico |
3 |
0 |
0 |
10 |
9 |
USA |
2 |
1 |
0 |
8 |
6 |
Bahamas |
1 |
2 |
0 |
-8 |
3 |
El Salvador |
0 |
3 |
0 |
-10 |
0 |
Mexico claimed the top position and the berth to the ANOC World Beach Games, which will be played in Qatar in September. Outside of the USA’s results, Mexico defeated Bahamas 7-2 and El Salvador 6-2, while Bahamas defeated El Salvador 6-3.
USA 1-2 MEX – Aug. 3
The women played its inaugural match on Saturday, falling to Mexico 2-1 on a last-minute goal. Wearing the captain’s armband, Megan Wharton scored the team’s first goal – a 20-yard blast to tie the match in the second period.
Mexico took the lead when Fatima Leyva took a shot from her own half that USA goalkeeper Lowder saved, however Esli Sanchez was there to put the rebound away to open the scoring.
The USA found the equalizer minutes into the second period. Lauren Leslie got a shot off that was saved by Daniela Paulin after a scramble at the top of the box. The ball bounced back towards midfield, where Megan Wharton ripped a first-time low shot past the diving Paulin to the side net for the USA’s first goal.
The match remained tightly contested throughout, and it was Mexico who would score the last goal. With less than two minutes to play, Leyva cleared away a USA corner kick and caught up to the ball on the left flank before sending a through-ball beyond the defense to Nayeli Cruz, who hit a first-time a shot across goal for the game-winner.
Scoring Summary: 1 2 3 F
USA 0 1 0 1
MEX 1 0 1 2
MEX – Esli Alejandra Sánchez 2nd min
USA – Megan Wharton 14
MEX – Nayeli Cruz 34
Lineups:
USA:12-Melissa Lowder, 5-Megan Wharton, 7-Lauren Leslie, 8-Samantha Witteman, 9-Elizabeth Eastman
Substitutes: 1-Christine Yount, 2-Bethany Haynes, 3-Paxton Scott, 4-Jeane Sunseri-Warp, 6-Kelly Fitzgerald
Head coach: Eddie Soto
MEX:1-Daniela Paulin, 5-Karla Grecia Pérez, 6-Esli Alejandra Sánchez, 7-Tania Rocío Carrillo, 8-Fátima Leyva
Substitutes: 12-Brenda Topete, 2-Jessica Estelí Gallegos, 3-Nayeli Cruz, 4-Luz del Rosario Saucedo, 9-Marisol Luna
Head coach: Ana Laura Galindo Domínguez
USA 9-6 SLV – Aug. 4
Scoring Summary: 1 2 3 F
USA 3 3 3 9
SLV 4 0 2 6
SLV – Rosa Emilia Guevara De Villalobos 2nd min
SLV – Marisa Elizabeth Antonio Gonzales 5
USA – Samantha Witteman 8
SLV – Fatima Alexandra Gonzales Vasquez 8
USA – Lauren Leslie 9
USA –Lauren Leslie 9
SLV – Marisa Elizabeth Antonio Gonzales 9
USA – Megan Wharton 14
USA – Megan Wharton 19
USA – Jeane Sunseri-Warp 24
USA – Kelly Fitzgerald 31
SLV – Marisa Elizabeth Antonio Gonzales 34
USA – Samantha Witteman 34
USA – Samantha Witteman 35
SLV – Own Goal 36
Lineups:
USA:1-Christine Yount, 5-Megan Wharton, 6-Kelly Fitzgerald, 7-Lauren Leslie, 8-Samantha Witteman
Substitutes: 2-Bethany Haynes, 3-Paxton Scott, 4-Jeane Sunseri-Warp, 9-Elizabeth Eastman, 12-Melissa Lowder
Head coach: Eddie Soto
SLV:1-Yahaira Lisseth Maravilla Arevalo, 5-Rosa Emilia Guevara De Villalobos, 7-Marisa Elizabeth Antonio Gonzales, 10-Irma Lisseth Guerra Cordero, 11-Fatima Carolina Perez Herrera
Subsitutes:2-Alma Elizabeth Corvera Santos, 3-Cindy Stefany Turcios De Berrios, 4-Heidy Del Carmen Portillo Rivera, 6-Fatima Alexandra Gonzalez Vasquez, 12-Elvia Marisol Guerra Cordero
Head coach: Elias Alexander
USA 7-1 BAH – Aug. 5
Scoring Summary: 1 2 3 F
USA 3 2 2 7
BAH 0 0 1 1
USA –Samantha Witteman 2nd min
USA –Lauren Leslie 9
USA –Samantha Witteman 9
USA –Kelly Fitzgerald 13
USA –Elizabeth Eastman 16
USA –Bethany Haynes 17
USA –Elizabeth Eastman 30
BAH –Karen Wert 36
USA: 5-Megan Wharton, 6-Kelly Fitzgerald, 7-Lauren Leslie, 8-Samantha Witteman, 12-Melissa Lowder
Substitutes:1-Christine Yount,2-Bethany Haynes, 3-Paxton Scott, 4-Jeane Sunseri-Warp, 9-Elizabeth Eastman
Head coach: Eddie Soto
BAH: 1-Chava Roberts, 2-Jodei Clarke, 6-Karen Wert,7-Janae Francis, 10-Shagerra Edgecombe
Subsitutes:5-Keisha McCartney, 8-Tara Armbrister, 9-Rochelle Johnson, 11-Stephanie Caprice, 12-Christabelle Izevbizua
Head coach: Luis Escobar