U.S. Beach Women’s National Team Close Out First Tournament in Two Years With 4-2 Loss to Spain
Rebecca Staylor Scores First International Goal, Lauren Leslie Adds Second of the Competition;
MOSCOW, Russia (August 15, 2021) – The U.S. Beach Women’s National Team closed out its first competition in two years with a 4-2 loss to powerhouse Spain on Sunday night at Luzhniki Beach Soccer Stadium. Lauren Leslie scored her second in three matches, and Rebecca Taylor tallied her first international goal as the USA finished fourth at the inaugural Women’s Intercontinental Beach Soccer Cup.
Andrea Miron put the European Champions ahead on a shot from the right side, and goalkeeper Laura Silvente doubled the lead when she stepped up juggling before ripping a volley that dipped over USA goalkeeper Melisa Lowder’s reach and off the bottom before crossing the line. Maria Barqueo increased the lead early in the third at the near post.
The USA then began its comeback attempt when Ali Hall chipped a restart from the right sideline to the far post, where Leslie hit it first time at the near post off the goalkeeper into the side net. Minutes later Rebecca Taylor intercepted a pass and whipped a ball from 22 yards to the far post to cut the deficit to one.
Spain’s Miron the put the game away with a left-footed blast to the right upper-90 with less than four minutes to play.
-U.S. BEACH WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT-
Match: United States Beach Women’s National Team vs. Spain
Date: August 15, 2021
Competition: 2021 Women’s Intercontinental Beach Soccer Cup
Venue: Luzhniki Beach Soccer Stadium
Attendance: 600
Kickoff: 11:00 p.m. ET (6:00 p.m. local time)
Weather: 75 degrees; clear
Scoring Summary: 1 2 3 F
USA 0 1 1 2
ESP 2 1 1 4
ESP - Andrea Miron 02:29 (1st Period)
ESP - Laura Silvente 01:21 (1st)
ESP - Maria Barquero 09:11 (2nd)
USA - Lauren Leslie 08:13 (2nd)
USA - Rebecca Taylor 05:39 (3rd)
ESP - Andrea Miron 03:47 (3rd)
Lineups:
USA: 12-Melissa Lowder, 3-Samantha Witteman, 4-Vanessa Valentine, 9-Kilee Quigley, 10-Ali Hall
Substitutes: 2-Danielle Kovacevic, 5-Rebecca Taylor, 6-Jeane Sunseri-Warp (captain), 7-Lauren Leslie, 8-Ashley Tripplet
Substitutes Not Used: 1-Christi Yount
Head coach: Morgan Church
ESP: 1-Laura Gallego Silvente, 4-Carmen Fresneda Morga, 9-Carolina Gonzalez Portela, 11-Carla Morera Rincon, 19-Adriana Manau Gimenez
Substitutes: 3-Andrea Miron Castro (captain), 10-Jessica Higueras Miras, 18-Maria Barquero Gutierrez
Head coach: Jesus Sanchez Requena
Misconduct Summary:
None
Officials:
Referee: Denis Smolyaninov (RUS)
Second Referee: Aleksei Ivanov (RUS)
3rd Referee: Mikhail Prokharau (BLR)
Timekeeper: Oleg Cebotari (MDA)