SANTIAGO, Chile (November 19, 2023) - The U.S. Men’s Cerebral Palsy (CP) National Team fell to Argentina 2-1 while playing a man down for more than a half Saturday afternoon in the team’s second match at the 2023 Parapan American Games. Wes Pincince was shown red two minutes before the break, and Argentina capitalized shortly after. The South American’s doubled the lead early in the second half, but USA forward Jacob Crumbley got one back in stoppage time, his second goal of 2023.
Head coach Stuart Sharp made four changes from the team that opened the competition, with Pincince, Frankie Lowery and John Sullivan making their tournament debuts, and Shea Hammond earning a start after coming of the bench against Chile.
Pincince nearly put away a Hammond cross in the seventh minute, but was denied by Argentinian goalkeeper Sergio Gutierrez who tipped the ball over the crossbar.
After 10 even minutes, Argentina started testing goalkeeper Sean Boyle from distance. Cristian Billordo had their first close chance 20 minutes in when he broke into the area. Boyle did well to come off his line and cut the angle, forcing a shot that went narrowly wide. Boyle then made a nice diving save of a shot from Rodrigo Lugrin from the left side.
Pincince was shown yellow for a challenge on the edge of the box in the 24th, and Boyle again kept the score even with a diving save of Matias Fernandez’s blistering free kick.
Boyle then started the USA’s next chance, leading Hammond down the right with a long throw. Hammond advanced the ball to the area and sent a low cross to the back post, where Lowery’s first-timer with a defender marking went high.
The game changed in the 28th when Pincince was shown red for a dangerous play on Lugrin. USA midfielder Kevin McCandlish was also ejected for the team’s reaction from the bench. Argentina capitalized minutes later when Billordo’s shot from 20 yards curled past Boyle’s outstretched dive to open the scoring.
John Sullivan nearly leveled for the USA shortly after the break from 10 yards out but Gutierrez got down quickly and made a fantastic one-handed save to his right.
Argentina doubled their lead on another shot from distance, this time Carrizo hitting a low left-footed shot from 25 yards to the right side.
The USA kept its head up and pushed forward, and got one back when second half substitutes Drew Bremer and Jacob Crumbley connected in stoppage time, with Bremer lifting a long ball from the left side into the box and Crumbley calmly heading it back across the goal to the far post for his second goal of the year.
The USA will play its third game Monday night when they face Brazil at 6:30 pm ET.
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
- Goalkeeper Sean Boyle, defender and captain Josh Brunais and midfielder Ben Lindau have started both matches. Shea Hammond, Cameron DeLillo and Jacob Crumbley have also played in both.
- With Pincince, Frankie Lowery, John Sullivan and Hammond starting today, 11 players have started the first two games.
- Crumbley scored his third international goal, his first coming against Ecuador in 2018 and most recent in a friendly versus Australia in February in Sydney.
- A day after captain Josh Brunais earned his 40th cap against Chile, today against Argentina goalkeeper Sean Boyle appeared in his 40th international match and defender Drew Bremer in his 50th.
- U.S. MEN’S CP NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT-
Match: United States Men’s CP National Team vs. Argentina
Date: November 19, 2023
Competition: Parapan American Games
Venue: Estadio Bicentenario de la Florida
Attendance: TBD
Kickoff: 12:30 pm ET
Weather: 79 degrees; Sunny
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
USA 0 1 1
ARG 1 1 2
ARG - Cristian Billardo 30+2
ARG - Carlos Carrizo 40
USA - Jacob Crumbley (Drew Bremer) 60
Lineups:
USA: 1-Sean Boyle, 13-Josh Brunais (Captain), 2-Frankie Lowery (7-Adam Ballou, 53), 4-Wes Pincince, 10-Ben Lindau (9-Cameron DeLillo, 31), 5-John Sullivan (8-Drew Bremer, 48), 14-Shea Hammond (3-Jacob Crumbley, 48)
Substitutes: 12-Marc Estrella, 6-Jacob Kaplan, 11-Kevin McCandlish
Head Coach: Stuart Sharp
ARG: 1-Sergio Gutierrez (12-Matias Salvat, 57), 3-Mariano Morana, 4-Rodrigo Lugrin, 5-Carlos Carrizo, 6-Cristian Billordo (2-Hernando Romussi, 48), 7-Matias Fernandez (10-Duncan Coronel, 57), 14-Federico Ocanto (13-Bautista Suarez, 48)
Substitutes: 8-Matias Bassi, 9-Fabricio Alvarez, 11-Matias Vera
Head coach: Marcelo Sanchez
Stats Summary: USA / ARG
Shots: 6 / 24
Shots on Goal: 4 / 12
Saves: 3 / 9
Corner Kicks: 2 / 6
Fouls: 6 / 5
Misconduct Summary:
ARG - Marcelo Sanchez (caution) 22
USA - Wesley Pincince (caution) 24
USA - Wesley Pincince (ejection) 28
USA - Kevin McCandlish (ejection) 29
Officials:
Referee: Francisco Moyano (CHI)
Assistant Referee: Adrian Santa (COL)
Assistant Referee: Jose Juan (CHI)
Fourth Official: Victor Navarro (CHI)