During the 2024 BSWW Acapulco Beach Soccer Cup, the U.S. Men’s Beach Soccer National Team fell 8-7 in extra time to No. 5-ranked Spain and lost 6-3 to Colombia before bouncing back with a 6-4 win against rivals Mexico to claim third in the competition.
Below, find recaps and match reports from all three contests.
BEACH MNT DROPS 8-7 EXTRA TIME DECISION TO SPAIN IN OPENING MATCH OF 2024 ACAPULCO BEACH SOCCER CUP
Antonio Chavez and Ricardo Carvalho Record Braces; Tanner Akol, Cody Valcarcel and Andres Navas Get on the Score Sheet
ACAPULCO, Mexico (Dec. 13, 2024) – The USA received braces from Antonio Chavez and Ricardo Carvalho, and at one point held a 6-3 lead against No. 5 ranked Spain, but ultimately fell 8-7 in extra time in the opening match of the 2024 BSWW Acapulco Beach Soccer Cup.
Spain ran out to a 2-0 lead thanks to a brace from Chiky Ardil, but the USA responded through an Antonio Chavez free kick and Tanner Akol solo overhead effort to bring things level at 2-2 at the end of the first period.
The USA took the lead about four minutes into the second period when goalkeeper Austin Collier’s throw out of the back found Alvar Franco on the right. He one touched to Ricardo Carvalho who hammered it home to make it 3-2.
A free kick goal from Cody Valcarcel extended the U.S. lead to 4-2, and while Ramy Saghadani cut the lead back to one goal, Chavez stepped up with his second free kick goal of the match, before setting up Andres Navas from close range to send the USA into the second intermission with a 6-3 lead.
Spain turned things around in the third as Chiky Ardil completed his hat trick about three minutes in, before scoring his fourth goal via penalty kick with four minutes remaining to cut the U.S. lead to one goal. Spain got lucky on the restart following the goal, when U.S. captain Gabe Silveira powered a one-time effort off the crossbar. Spain remained composed and with just seconds remaining the ball luckily bounced for Saghadani on the right, whose low finish beat Austin Collier inside the left post to send the match to extra time.
Spain carried the momentum into the extra frame as Jose Antonio Oliver and Miguel Angel Kuman gave the side an 8-6 lead. Never giving up, the USA got one back as Carvalho recorded his second of the match from a free kick with one second remaining to cap the scoring at 8-7.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- The match marked the second time Antonio Chavez recorded two goals and three overall goal contributions in a match following the USA’s 7-3 win against Saudi Arabia at the 2023 Acapulco Beach Soccer Cup.
- Ricardo Carvalho recorded his first career brace.
- Tanner Akol tallied his team-leading fifth goal of 2024.
- Alvaro Franco’s assist to Carvalho in the second period marked his third-straight match with a goal contribution.
- The USA moved to 3-6 in nine all-time meetings with Spain. This match marked the first time the Beach MNT took Spain to extra time.
-U.S. MEN’S BEACH SOCCER NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT-
Match: United States Beach Men’s National Team vs. Spain
Date: December 13, 2024
Competition: 2024 Acapulco Beach Soccer Cup
Venue: Arena GNP Seguros; Acapulco, Mexico
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. local)
Weather: 82 degrees, clear
| Scoring Summary | 1 | 2 | 3 | ET | FT |
| USA | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| ESP | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 8 |
| ESP - Chiky Ardil | 11:31 (1st Period) |
| ESP - Chiky Ardil | 7:09 (1st Period) |
| USA - Antonio Chavez (Free Kick) | 6:33 (1st Period) |
| USA - Tanner Akol (Cody Valcarcel) | 2:55 (1st Period) |
| USA - Ricardo Carvalho (Alvaro Franco) | 7:37 (2nd Period) |
| USA - Cody Valcarcel (Free Kick) | 4:10 (2nd Period) |
| ESP - Ramy Saghadani | 2:47 (2nd Period) |
| USA - Antonio Chavez (Free Kick) | 1:08 (2nd Period) |
| USA - Andres Navas (Antonio Chavez) | 0:49 (2nd Period) |
| ESP - Chiky Ardil | 9:28 (3rd Period) |
| ESP - Chiky Ardil (Penalty Kick) | 4:10 (3rd Period) |
| ESP - Ramy Saghadani | 0:01 (3rd Period) |
| ESP - Jose Antonio Oliver | 2:19 (Extra Time) |
| ESP - Miguel Angel Kuman | 0:40 (Extra Time) |
| USA - Ricardo Carvalho | 0:01 (Extra Time) |
Lineups:
USA: 1-Austin Collier; 2-Tanner Akol, 3-Antonio Chavez, 4-Ricardo Carvalho, 10-Gabe Silveira (capt.)
Substitutes: 6-Cody Valcarcel, 7-Andres Navas, 8-Conner Rezende, 11-Alvaro Franco
Did Not Play: 12-Andres Diaz
Head coach: Ian Carry
ESP: 1-Pablo, 3-Jose Antonio Oliver, 5-David Ardil, 11-Chiky Ardil, 20-Ramy
Substitutes: 12-Nene, 2-Antonio Rigaud, 9-Suli Batis Soleiman, 10-Miguel Angel Kuman, 15-Ridu
Head coach: Cristian Medez Lacarcel
Misconduct Summary:
ESP – Miguel Angel Kuman :01 (3rd Period)
BEACH MNT FALLS 6-3 TO COLOMBIA IN SECOND MATCH OF 2024 ACAPULCO BEACH SOCCER CUP
Andres Navas Records First Career Brace; Gabe Silveira Scores Third Goal of 2024
ACAPULCO, Mexico (Dec. 14, 2024) – The U.S. Men’s Beach Soccer National team received a brace from Andres Navas and goal from captain Gabe Silveira, but ultimately fell 6-3 to Colombia on the second matchday of the 2024 BSWW Acapulco Beach Soccer Cup on Saturday.
The USA found the game’s first goal just over three minutes into the match. Tanner Akol’s quick throw-in from the left found Cody Valcarcel, who chested the ball up before biking it to the right side of the pitch. There, Silveira alertly ran onto it and slotted just under the right glove of onrushing Colombia goalkeeper Pipe to make it 1-0.
Colombia fought back and equalized via a beautiful bicycle kick from Julio Cesar Pantoja at 3:27, but the USA regained the lead with 1:13 remaining in the first on a textbook beach soccer goal. Goalkeeper Austin Collier threw the ball forward for Valcarcel on the left who nodded the ball to Navas where the forward’s glancing touch was just enough to beat Pipe and take the U.S. into the break up 2-1.
Colombia took control in the second period as Kevin Angel fired past Collier from the left off a corner kick with 6:28 remaining. Los Cafeteros then took the lead with 2:40 left as a lobbed ball forward was headed by Esleider just over the onrushing Collier to make it 3-2 heading into the second intermission.
Though the USA kept looking for chances in the third, a nice combination between Kevin Andrey and Esleider saw the latter put home his second of the match to make it 4-2 with 7:30 remaining. After Cody Valcarcel was judged to have been fouled in the penalty area, the USA was able to pull back within a goal as Andres Navas powered his spot kick past goalkeeper Kevin Angel.
Colombia though saw the game out as Juan Fernando Ossa struck twice inside the final three minutes to give the South American side a 6-3 victory.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- Andres Navas recorded his first career brace to take his career total to nine goals in 24 appearances.
- Cody Valcarcel helped create all three U.S. goals and was credited with two assists, giving him four career assists in 29 caps.
- Gabe Silveira scored his 45 career goal in his 59th Beach MNT appearance
- Goalkeeper Andres Diaz made his Beach MNT debut, replacing Austin Collier to start the third period.
- The USA moved to 1-2 all-time against Colombia.
-U.S. MEN’S BEACH SOCCER NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT-
Match: United States Beach Men’s National Team vs. Colombia
Date: December 14, 2024
Competition: 2024 Acapulco Beach Soccer Cup
Venue: Arena GNP Seguros; Acapulco, Mexico
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. local)
Weather: 84 degrees, clear
| Scoring Summary | 1 | 2 | 3 | FT |
| USA | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| COL | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| USA - Gabe Silveira (Cody Valcarcel) | 8:44 (1st Period) |
| COL - Julio Cesar Pantoja | 3:27 (1st Period) |
| USA - Andres Navas (Cody Valcarcel) | 1:13 (1st Period) |
| COL - Kevin Angel | 6:28 (2nd Period) |
| COL - Esleider | 2:40 (2nd Period) |
| COL - Esleider | 7:30 (3rd Period) |
| USA - Andres Navas | 4:31 (3rd Period) |
| COL - Juan Fernando Ossa | 2:55 (3rd Period) |
| COL - Juan Fernando Ossa | 0:19 (3rd Period) |
Lineups:
USA: 1-Austin Collier; 2-Tanner Akol, 3-Antonio Chavez, 4-Ricardo Carvalho, 10-Gabe Silveira (Capt.)
Substitutes: 12-Andres Diaz 6-Cody Valcarcel, 7-Andres Navas, 8-Conner Rezende, 11-Alvaro Franco
Head coach: Ian Carry
COL: 1-Pipe, 2-Wilmar Eduardo, 6-Kevin Andrey, 10-Juan Fernando Ossa, 11-Esleider
Substitutes: 12-Kevin Angel, 3-Luis Rodriguez, 5-Edu (Capt.), 7-Sebastian Hernandez, 8-Julio Cesar Pantoja
Head coach: Santiago Alzate
Misconduct Summary:
USA – Gabe Silveira (Caution)9:00 (3rd Period)
COL – Andres Rivera (Caution)4:31 (3rd Period)
TANNER AKOL HAT TRICK GUIDES BEACH MNT TO 6-4 WIN AGAINST MEXICO IN ACAPULCO CUP FINALE
Akol’s Second Career Hat Trick Along With Goals from Rezende, Silveira and Chavez Help USA Finish 2024 on Positive Note
ACAPULCO, Mexico (Dec. 15, 2024) – The U.S. Men’s Beach Soccer National Team used a hat trick from Tanner Akol and goals from Conner Rezende, Gabe Silveira and Antonio Chavez to finish the year off with a 6-4 victory against rivals Mexico and claim third place at the 2024 BSWW Acapulco Beach Soccer Cup.
The USA put Mexico on notice just a minute in, as Cody Valcarcel intercepted a pass at the back leading to Gabe Silveira smashing an effort of the left post. Despite that early danger, it would take the U.S. nearly 10 more minutes to find the game’s first goal, as Valcarcel received a pass on the left from Rezende and laid it back where the striker ran on and blasted a first-time effort into the top left corner from 20 yards out to give the USA a 1-0 edge going into the first break.
Earning his first career start, goalkeeper Andres Diaz nearly grabbed his first goal when he juggled forward before unleashing a right-footed shoot that clanged off the cross bar about a minute into the second period. Minutes later, Silveira was judged to have been fouled while attempting a bicycle kick, earning a free kick just outside the penalty area which he tucked into the lower right corner to make it 2-0.
After Rezende committed a foul in the U.S. penalty area, Mexico’s Enoch Lopez stepped up to slot his spot kick to the left of Diaz with six-and-a-half minutes remaining in the second. The USA restored a two-goal lead with just under two minutes remaining when Rezende headed a ball forward for Akol on the left, before he cut in and let loose on a left-footed blast from 25 yards to make it 3-1.
Akol got his second in the dying moments of the second period. Diaz rolled the ball out for Rezende, who left it for Navas on the right as he continued his run up the flank. Navas returned the pass for Rezende whose cross from the right corner was deflected by Mexico’s Salomón Wbias before Akol alertly smashed home his second bicycle kick of the tournament to make it 4-1 at the end of the second period.
The two teams traded goals back and forth in the third period with Mexico back on the front foot at the start as Daniel Guzman flicked home a near-post header off a throw-in just a minute into the period, but the USA responded through none other than Akol. Diaz played a ball out of the back for Ricardo Carvalho at the right corner flag where he flipped it up and centered for Akol who ran onto it and first-timed past Gabriel Macias into the lower right corner. The goal sealed Akol’s second international hat trick with 7:56 remaining in the third period.
Mexico hit back again as Macias’ long-range effort was nodded on by Guzman, beating substitute ‘keeper Austin Collier into the top left corner to make it 5-3 with six minutes left. The USA’s Antonio Chavez responded through a great individual effort, winning the ball in the defensive end before carrying it forward. After his initial run was denied, the defender flipped it up and hit a bicycle kick from just outside the penalty area that beat Macias inside the lower right post to claim his third goal of the tournament.
Mexico added one more through Lopez with only 29 seconds remaining, but the USA did well to see out the match against its rivals and close 2024 with an impressive 6-4 victory and claim third place at the 2024 Acapulco Beach Soccer Cup. The Beach MNT will reconvene for a domestic training camp in January as the team continues to prepare for the Concacaf Beach Soccer Championship to be held in March in the Bahamas.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- Tanner Akol’s hat trick was the second of his international career, and first since scoring five goals in the 11-2 win against Antigua and Barbuda in the 2019 Concacaf Beach Soccer Championship. Akol finishes 2024 as the Beach MNT’s leading scorer with eight goals in 12 matches and takes his career tally to 19 goals in 30 caps.
- Conner Rezende’s opener was his third goal of 2024 and first since scoring against Italy during February’s Beach Soccer World Cup in Dubai. Rezende’s assist on Akol’s first goal was his second of the year, taking his career stats to seven goals and seven assists in 39 caps.
- Captain Gabe Silveira registered his fourth goal of 2024, taking his career tally to 46 goals in 60 appearances.
- Antonio Chavez scored his third of the tournament and fourth of 2024. The defender now has 11 goals and four assists in 44 caps.
- Cody Valcarcel registered his fourth assist of the tournament on Rezende’s opener, taking his total to a team-leading six assists in 2024. Combined with his two goals, Valcarcel finishes the year tied with Akol (8 goals) and Chavez (4 goals, 4 assists) for the team lead with eight overall goal contributions.
- Ricardo Carvalho collected his fourth career assist on Akol’s third goal.
- After earning his debut on Saturday against Colombia, goalkeeper Andres Diaz collected his first start for the Beach MNT on Sunday.
-U.S. MEN’S BEACH SOCCER NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT-
Match: United States Beach Men’s National Team vs. Colombia
Date: December 15, 2024
Competition: 2024 Acapulco Beach Soccer Cup
Venue: Arena GNP Seguros; Acapulco, Mexico
Kickoff: 9:30 p.m. ET (8:30 p.m. local)
Weather: 84 degrees, clear
| Scoring Summary | 1 | 2 | 3 | FT |
| USA | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| MEX | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| USA - Conner Rezende (Cody Valcarcel) | 1:46 (1st Period) |
| USA - Gabe Silveira (Free Kick) | 9:01 (2nd Period) |
| MEX - Enoch Lopez (Penalty Kick) | 6:30 (2nd Period) |
| USA - Tanner Akol (Conner Rezende) | 1:54 (2nd Period) |
| USA - Tanner Akol | 0:10 (2nd Period) |
| MEX - Daniel Guzman | 10:59 (3rd Period) |
| USA - Tanner Akol (Ricardo Carvalho) | 7:56 (3rd Period) |
| MEX - Daniel Guzman | 6:11 (3rd Period) |
| USA - Antonio Chavez | 4:36 (3rd Period) |
| MEX - Enoch Lopez | 0:29 (3rd Period |
Lineups:
USA: 12-Andres Diaz; 2-Tanner Akol, 3-Antonio Chavez, 6-Cody Valcarcel, 10-Gabe Silveira (Capt.)
Substitutes: 1-Austin Collier, 4-Ricardo Carvalho 7-Andres Navas, 8-Conner Rezende, 11-Alvaro Franco
Head coach: Ian Carry
MEX: 1-Gabriel Macias; 3-Salomón Wbias, 6-Alejandro Garcia (Capt), 8-Enoch López, 9-Daniel Guzmán
Substitutes: 12-Owen Ramirez, 2-Emerson Cervantes, 4-Edgar Portilla, 5-César Cruz, 7-Ramón Maldonado
Head coach: Francisco Cati Balderrama
Misconduct Summary:
none