The Futsal Corner - Column by Steve Torres (January 8th)

THE FUTSAL CORNER

by Steven Torres - CONCACAF Director of Information Services

08.01.2012

CONCACAF teams are in preparations for this 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 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.

Friendlies
20.01.2012: Ciudad de Guatemala, GUATEMALA; Domo Polideportivo
GUATEMALA – BRAZIL

22.01.2012: Ciudad de Guatemala, GUATEMALA; Domo Polideportivo
GUATEMALA – BRAZIL

Guatemala to stage futsal championship

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NEW YORK - Guatemala's Domo Polideportivo will be the venue for the 2012 CONCACAF Futsal Championship, the second straight and third time overall that the country has hosted the event.
The eight-team event will be staged July 2-8 with four teams qualifying for the Futsal World Cup November 2-18 in Thailand.
Six teams will qualify automatically for the CONCACAF finals: host and defending champion Guatemala, the two-time champion United States, four-time World Cup qualifier Cuba, 2008 semifinalist Panama, Mexico and Costa Rica.
The remaining two berths will be decided in a playoff between Canada and El Salvador, with the dates to be announced later, and another from the Caribbean championship set for February 17-23 in Havana, Cuba.
Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Haiti, St. Kitts & Nevis and Trinidad & Tobago will compete in the round-robin event with the best team (besides Cuba) qualifying for the CONCACAF finals.
The Domo Polideportivo was the site for the 2000 FIFA Futsal World Cup, 2007 Pan American Games qualifying as well as the 2008 CONCACAF Championship.

CSA Wraps up Futsal Camp in BC

  

The CSA's first national ID camp in 8 years wrapped up this past weekend. Futsal Canada's Lorenzo Redwood and Roy Blanche were a part of the camp. Preliminary qualifications for the CONCACAF Championships are expected to take place in mid-2012 in Costa Rica. Here is the CSA's briefing on the camp.

The CSA hosted their first national futsal camp in over 8 years in Richmond, BC this past weekend. Futsal Canada's Roy Blanche and Lorenzo Redwood were a part of the camp. Here is the CSA's report of the event.

Canada wrapped up a three-day national futsal camp in Richmond, BC on Sunday 8 January 2012. The national camp featured 22 players from across the country along with national coach Sipho Sibiya and his staff.

Canada is in its early preparations for the 2012 CONCACAF Futsal Qualifiers, with dates and location for the confederation qualification dates yet to be announced. Canada has hopes of winning a spot at the FIFA Futsal World Cup Thailand 2012, which runs 2-18 November.

"It was good for us to take a look at the players from all across the country," said coach Sibiya, who made several scouting trips in different regions before calling in 22 players to the national camp in Richmond.

As part of the weekend itinerary, Canada held three training sessions plus an East v West intra-squad exhibition match.

Thailand 2012 will be the seventh edition of the FIFA Futsal World Cup, now held every four years. Canada participated in the first edition back in January 1989. Sunday 8 January was in fact the 23-year anniversary of Canada's 6:2 win over Japan in that inaugural FIFA Futsal World Cup Netherlands 1989.

Alvaro Yaques, Roy Blanche and Johan Vargas
get ready for practice.

Last Updated ( Thursday, 12 January 2012 09:50 )

National futsal camp wraps up in Richmond, BC

Posted on 8 January 2012 in Futsal Team

Canada wrapped up a three-day national futsal camp in Richmond, BC on Sunday 8 January 2012. The national camp featured 22 players from across the country along with national coach Sipho Sibiya and his staff.
Canada is in its early preparations for the 2012 CONCACAF Futsal Qualifiers, with dates and location for the confederation qualification dates yet to be announced. Canada has hopes of winning a spot at the FIFA Futsal World Cup Thailand 2012, which runs 2-18 November.
"It was good for us to take a look at the players from all across the country," said coach Sibiya, who made several scouting trips in different regions before calling in 22 players to the national camp in Richmond.
As part of the weekend itinerary, Canada held three training sessions plus an East v West intra-squad exhibition match.
Thailand 2012 will be the seventh edition of the FIFA Futsal World Cup, now held every four years. Canada participated in the first edition back in January 1989. Sunday 8 January was in fact the 23-year anniversary of Canada's 6:2 win over Japan in that inaugural FIFA Futsal World Cup Netherlands 1989

National futsal camp roster announced

Posted on 5 January 2012 in Futsal Team

National Futsal coach Sipho Sibiya has selected 22 players for a national futsal camp this coming weekend, 6-8 January 2012. The camp will feature players from across the country as Canada begins its early preparations for the 2012 CONCACAF Futsal Championship later this year. The CONCACAF championship will serve as the qualification route for the FIFA Futsal World Cup Thailand 2012.
Canada's three-day national futsal camp will take place in Richmond, BC. Of the 22 players, 12 of them have participated in a Canadian national camp before, be it in the Futsal, Beach Soccer or national youth program. Of note, Gordon Chin is a one-time FIFA U-20 World Cup player (UAE 2003) while Kyriakos Selaidopoulos is a one-time FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup player (Rio 2006).
Chin and Selaidopoulos are also the two Canadian players who participated in Canada's last CONCACAF Futsal Qualifying matches in 2004. Canada faced Panama in a two-match series that year, but did not advance to the final CONCACAF round. Canada previously participated in the inaugural FIFA Futsal World Cup Netherlands 1989.
Canada's roster also features 10 first-time players in the Canadian national program.

CANADA
GK- Roy Blanche | CAN / Brampton City United FC
GK- Vincent Cournoyer | CAN / Universite Laval
- Ian Bennett | USA / Milwaukee Wave
- Julio Cesar |
- Gordon Chin | CAN / Metro Ford Wolves
- Steve De_Blasio | CAN / Columbus FC
- Joe Di Buono |
- Steve Frazao | CAN / Columbus FC
- Timo Garzon | CAN / Sora Woodbridge Strikers
- Louis-Charles Laliberté | CAN / CSVR
- Giuliano Oliveiro | USA / Milwaukee Wave
- Jordan Ongaro | USA / San Diego State University
- John Pegg | USA / San Diego State University
- Jonathan Poli | CAN / Columbus FC
- Yannick Rome-Gosselin | CAN / Haut Richelieu Celtix
- Kyriakos Selaidopoulos | Unattached / sans club
- Leigh Sembaluk | CAN / Columbus FC
- Graham Smith | CAN / Columbus FC
- Robbie Tice | NOR / Kjelsås IL
- Alfredo Valente | CAN / Coquitlam Metro Ford SC
- Johan Vargas |
- Alvaro Yaques | CAN / Toronto Boca Junior Futsal