Trinidad and Tobago’s beach soccer men’s team gave an improved performance despite going down 5-2 to their Paraguayan counterparts on Thursday in a friendly in Asuncion, the second in a series of matches against the 2019 Beach Soccer World Cup hosts.
T&T’s beach soccer men are currently in Paraguay for a two-week residential training camp ahead of the 2021 CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championships in Costa Rica.
Having won the opening match 7-2 on Tuesday, Paraguay led 2-0 in the first half before T&T gradually came into their own as the match wore on.
Trinidad and Tobago are due to play Paraguay in further matches today, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.
A 17-man T&T squad is based at the Olympic Hotel, in Ascuncion, where under Spanish coach Ramiro Amarelle they are preparing for the 2021 CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championships which will take place at the Sports Complex Fedefutbol-Plycem, in Costa Rica, between May 17–23.
The Championships also serves as the qualification tournament for CONCACAF teams to the 2021 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Russia with the top two teams qualifying.
T&T open against Costa Rica on May 17, then take on USA on May 18, then Turks and Caicos a day later.
Paraguay (5) - (2) Trinidad and Tobago
Stadium: Mundialista Los Pynandi
1st Referee: César Cabrera
2nd Referee: Guillermo Chamorro
3rd Referee: Édgar Rolón
Timekeeper: Pamela González.
Goals: Gustavo Benítez (1) 1st Period; Milciades Medina (1) 1st Period; Sixto Cantero (1) 2nd Period; Carlos Carballo (1) 2nd Period; Pablo Alexis Benítez (Paraguay). Shallun Bob (1) 2nd Period; Omri Baird (1) 1st Period (T&T)
Paraguay (5): Yoao Rolón; Gustavo Benítez, Carlos Carballo, Carlos Valentín Benítez (C), Gustavo Benítez, Sergio González. They alternated: Saul González, Sixto Cantero, Luis Ojeda, Jhovany Benítez, Milciades Medina, Rodrigo Escobar, Pablo Benítez, Nestor Medina.
Head Coach: Gustavo “Guga” Zloccowik
Assistant Coach: Joaquín Molas.
Trinidad and Tobago (2): Jabari Gray; Jesse Bailey, Shallun Bobb, Omri Baird, Dominic Mc Dougall. They alternated: Ryan Augustine, Zane Coker, Joash Baird, Tevin Gill, Shane Hospedales, Nathaniel Brown, Kevon Woodley, Akinola Gregory
Head Coach: Ramiro Amarelle
Assistant Coach: Jaime Paz
SOURCE: T&T Express