U.S. Beach WNT Falls to Portugal in Opening Match of 2023 Mundialito Tournament

AYAMONTE, Spain (Oct. 13, 2023) – The U.S. Women’s Beach Soccer National Team fell 6-1 to Portugal in the opening match of the 2023 Women’s Mundialito Beach Soccer Tournament on Friday.

In the first-ever match between the two nations in women’s beach soccer, Portugal bagged two goals in each of the three periods of play.

Portugal’s Andreia Silva opened the scoring five minutes into the match, but the USA nearly pulled level when defender Nikki Haimes, who was making her international debut, saw a close-range effort well saved by Jamila Marreios. After U.S. captain Ali Hall was whistled for a foul deep in her team’s attacking end, Daniela Pereira smashed a highlight-reel free kick into the top right corner to give Portugal a 2-0 lead with less than a minute left in the opening frame.

Ema Toscano gave Portugal a 3-0 lead five minutes into the second period, before Daniela grabbed her second goal of the game, blocking a clearance from Kilee Quigley with just two seconds on the clock in the second frame.

Quigley gabbed one back for the USA early in third period. Rachel Hunter won a one-on-one with a Portugal defender on the left and biked a cross to Quigley who smashed home her effort at the right post. The goal was the 15^th of Quigley’s international career, extending her lead at the top of the USBWNT’s all-time scoring list. It was also her team-leading ninth goal of 2023.

The USA celebration was short-lived as Andreia Silva scored her second of the match from the kickoff, beating substitute U.S. goalkeeper Gabby Batmani inside the top left corner. Érica Ferreira closed the scoring with nine minutes remaining in the third period, winning the ball at the back before quickly slotting home an effort inside the lower left post.

NEXT UP: The USA will look to bounce back when it faces tournament hosts and No. 1 ranked Spain on Saturday, Oct. 14 at 10:45 a.m. ET. The match will be broadcast live on ESPN3 and BeachSoccerTV.com.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

• The match was the USBWNT’s seventh of 2023, marking the most international games played by the side since the program launched in 2019.

• With the defeat, the team moves to 5-2-0 in 2023 and 11-11-0 all-time.

• Goalkeeper Gabby Batmani replaced Melissa Lowder to begin the third period.

• Forward Kilee Quigley scored her 15^th international goal, the most all-time in USBWNT history. Quigley also bagged her team-leading ninth goal of 2023.

• Defender Nikki Haimes made her international debut, becoming the 24^th different player to appear for the USBWNT.

• Forward Ashley Triplett made her first appearance since April 16, 2022 vs. El Salvador, returning to game action for the first time since giving birth in March.

- U.S. WOMEN’S BEACH SOCCER NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT -

Match: United States Beach Soccer Women’s National Team vs. Portugal
Date: October 13, 2023
Competition: Mundialito Beach Soccer 2023
Venue: Isla Canela Beach Stadium; Ayamonte, Spain
Attendance: 250
Kickoff: 8 a.m. ET (2 p.m. local time)
Weather: 78 degrees

Scoring Summary:                1          2          3          F

USA                                        0          0          1          1
POR                                        2          2          2          6

POR – Andreia Silva                                      6:31 (1st Period)
POR - Daniela Pereira                                     3:55 (1st)
POR – Ema Toscano                                       6:57 (2nd)
POR – Daniela Pereira                                    1:00 (2nd)
USA - Kilee Quigley (Rachel Hunter)           10:12 (3rd)
POR – Andreia Silva                                      10:08 (3rd)
POR – Érica Ferreira                                       9:12 (3rd)

Lineups:
USA: 12-Melissa Lowder, 3-Hannah Adler, 9-Kilee Quigley, 10-Ali Hall (capt.), 11-Rachel Hunter
Substitutes: 1-Gabriella Batmani, 2-Nikki Haimes, 4-Kelly Garzon, 5-Makenzie Chronopoulos, 6-Jeane Sunseri-Warp, 7-Lauren Leslie, 8-Ashley Triplett
Head coach: Morgan Church

POR: 1-Jamila Marreiros (capt.), 2-Ema Toscano, 5-Ines Cruz., 9-Cristiana de Sousa Costa, 11-Erica Ferreira
Substitutes: 12-Petra Reis, 4-Joana Flores, 13-Andreia Silva, 16-Marta Simões, 17-Edna Peralta, 18-Daniela Pereira, 20-Joana Lucas
Head coach: Alan Calvacanti

Misconduct Summary:
none

Officials:
1st Referee: Patricia Gomez Gomez (ESP)
2nd Referee: Matthieu Dor (FRA)
3rd Referee: Fiammetta Susanna (ITA)
Timekeeper: Jordy Vermeire  (BEL)