By Steven Torres

NEW YORK (1-6-12) - CONCACAF teams are in preparations for next year’s Futsal Championship which will also qualify four nations to the FIFA Futsal World Cup Thailand 2012 … Here is a look at what they are doing…

CANADA CONCLUDES TRAINING CAMP: Under newly appointed coach Sipho Sibiya, Canada concluded a training camp in Richmond, British Columbia from 6-8 January.

Sibiya had made several scouting trips to different regions of the country before selecting 22 players for the national camp in Richmond which 10 are training for the first time with the Canadian national program.

Canada:
Goalkeepers: Roy Blanche (Brampton City United FC), Vincent Cournoyer (Universite Laval)
Players: Ian Bennett (Milwaukee Wave/USA), Julio Cesar (no club), Gordon Chin (Metro Ford Wolves), Steve DeBlasio (Columbus FC), Joe Di Buono (no club), Steve Frazao (Columbus FC), Timo Garzon (Sora Woodbridge Strikers), Louis-Charles Laliberté (CSVR), Giuliano Oliveiro (Milwaukee Wave/USA), Jordan Ongaro (San Diego State University/USA), John Pegg (San Diego State University/USA), Jonathan Poli (Columbus FC), Yannick Rome-Gosselin (Haut Richelieu Celtix), Kyriakos Selaidopoulos (no club), Leigh Sembaluk (Columbus FC), Graham Smith (Columbus FC), Robbie Tice (Kjelsås IL/NOR), Alfredo Valente (Coquitlam Metro Ford SC), Johan Vargas (no club), Alvaro Yaques (Toronto Boca Junior Futsal)

--------------------

GUATEMALA HOST PAIR OF FRIENDLIES AGAINST BRAZIL: Defending CONCACAF: Defending CONCACAF Champion Guatemala will host a pair of international friendlies against the four-time world champion Brazil at Ciudad de Guatemala’s Domo Polideportivo on 20 and 22 January.

The Chapines, who have never beaten the Samba Kings in four previous encounters, are coming off a fifth place finish at the 2011 Grand Prix of Futsal.

Meanwhile, Brazil is making its first visit to Guatemala since its runner-up position (to Spain) at the 2000 FIFA Futsal World Cup.

The Samba Kings also have a 30-game unbeaten streak and have not loss to a CONCACAF team since 1989.

--------------------

Host Costa Rica lost a pair of friendlies against the four-time FIFA Futsal World Champions Brazil at Cartago’s Polideportivo last week.

After a 5:0 blanking in the first encounter on 14 December, the Ticos manage to score twice in the second match against the Samba Kings however they still fell by 7:2 two days later.

The victory extended Brazil’s unbeaten streak to 30 matches, while Costa Rica is in preparations for the CONCACAF Futsal Qualifiers next year.

14.12.2011: Cartago, BRAZIL; Gimnasio Polideportivo de Cartago
COSTA RIA – BRAZIL 0:5 (0:2)
VALDIN 6’, 20’; WILDE 23’, 39’; GABRIEL 24’
CRC: Jairo Toruño - Jorge Arias, Nestor Daniel Carrera, Edwin Cubillo, Alejandro Paniagua.
Subs: Diego Cambronero, Marco Guzman, Diego Gonzalez, Aaron Solano, Jose Estrada, Erick Gomez. Booked: Cambronero
TD: Hugo RETANA

BRA: Tiago – Cico, Ari, Gabriel, Wilde
Subs: Vinicius, Gadeia, Valdin, Rafael, Neto, Rodrigo. Booked: Ari, Neto
TD: Marcos SORATO
R1: Geovanny MUNGUIA (CRC), R2: Jeisson PEÑALOZA (CRC)
16.12.2011: Cartago, BRAZIL; Gimnasio Polideportivo de Cartago
COSTA RIA – BRAZIL 2:7 (0:3)
OG (WILDE) 39’; Edwin PORRAS 39’ – NETO 3’, 40’; WILDE 7’; GADEIA 13’, 37’; RAFAEL 32’; OG Diego CAMRONERO) 35’
CRC: Álvaro González - Daniel Garcia, Jorge Carrillo, José Estrada, Aaron Solano.
Subs: Justin Ballestero, Edwin Porras, Erick Gomez, Alejandro Salazar, Diego Gonzalez, Diego Cambronero, Marco Guzmán. Booked: Salazar, Solano
TD: Hugo SOLANO

BRA: Djony - Neto, Gadeia, Vinícius, Valdin.
Subs: Ciço, Ari, Gabriel, Rafael, Rodrigo, Wilde. Booked: Ari, Rodrigo, Neto
TD: Marcos SORATO
R1: Hector MESEN (CRC), R2: Luis Gerardo MORA (CRC)
For more information on Futsal in the CONCACAF region, check www.CONCACAF.com.
----------------------------------
Steven Torres is Director of Information Services/Director de Informacion Servicios for CONCACAF. He can be contacted at steve.torres@concacaf.org.