Guatemala defeat TT 4-3 in Concacaf Futsal

HOSTS GUATEMALA ended TT's slim hopes of progression in the 2021 Concacaf Futsal Championships with a 4-3 victory in their Group A fixture on Wednesday night at the Domon Polideportivo de la CDAG, Guatemala City.

TT finished the group with two defeats from as many matches; they were spanked 6-2 by Dominican Republic on Tuesday.

Guatemala topped the three-team group with a 100 per cent record. They took care of Dominican Republic 4-2 on Monday.

Che Benny scored a sensational goal from deep, in the ninth minute, an audacious left-footed lob which flew over the reach of goalkeeper Lester Arevalo.

The hosts equalised two minutes later from a right-footed strike from Alan Aguilar, and followed up with a close range shot from Jose Ramos in the 12th minute.

TT levelled the scores at 2-2 through Jameel Neptune, in the 16th minute, capitalising on a pass from Darius Ollivierra to slot a left-footer into the open net.

Guatemala notched their third goal when Wanderley Ruiz scored on his second attempt, after his first shot was saved by TT goalie Andre Marchan.

Benny got his second goal in the 33rd, slamming home a loose ball past Arevalo, but Aguilar had the final say, in the penultimate minute (39th), courtesy of a right-footed shot, on the run, beyond Marchan's reach.

The quarter-finals will be contested on Friday, with Dominican Republic meeting the United States, Guatemala opposing El Salvador, Panama facing Canada and Costa Rica battling Suriname.

The semi-finalists will all be assured spots in the 2021 FIFA Futsal World Cup in Lithuania.