Beach MNT Plays Valiantly In 8-6 Defeat To World Cup Champs Brazil
Beach MNT Will Face Japan in Semifinal of 2026 Paraiba World Beach Games on Friday at 6 p.m. ET
JOAO PESSOA, Brazil (March 19, 2026) – The U.S. Men’s Beach Soccer National Team made a valiant effort and received a brace from Tanner Akol and single strikes from Alvaro Franco, goalkeeper Brian Shushkovsky and Andres Navas, but ultimately fell 8-6 to seven-time FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup champions Brazil in its group stage finale at the 2026 Paraiba World Beach Games.
With the result, the USA now faces Japan in the semifinal on Friday, March 20 at 6 p.m. ET (7 p.m. local).
FIRST PERIOD
The match started at a frantic pace with the two sides trading four goals in the first four minutes.
The USA got on the board first when Antonio Chavez’s penetrating cross from the left got bast Brazil goalkeeper Bobo before Datinha redirected it into his own net at 11:13.
Brazil equalized about two minutes later as Antonio’s quick throw-in from the right found Benjamin Junior who executed an expert bicycle kick to beat U.S. goalkeeper Austin Collier with 9:36 remaining.
Brazil then took a 2-1 lead at 8:39 as Gin powered his free kick from the right side of midfield past Collier.
The USA brought things level again off a simple build-up out of the back. Collier juggled forward and found Alvaro Franco on the left where he centered for Akol who cleverly heel flicked his effort past the onrushing Brazil goalkeeper with 8:18 remaining, taking the teams into the break locked 2-2.
SECOND PERIOD
Brazil came out on the front foot in the second period and regained the lead just 20 seconds in as Benjamin Junior’s corner kick from the right found Brendo who powered home a bicycle kick from 10 yards out.
Substitute U.S. goalkeeper Brian Shushkovsky made his mark on the match, juggling forward before unleashing a left-footed blast that Alvaro Franco just slightly redirected to push past the Brazil ‘keeper and make it 3-3 with seven minutes left in the second period.
Brazil made it 4-3 with five minutes remaining as Benjamin Junior’s bicycle kick from the left was well saved by Shuskovsky, but Brendo was there on the doorstep to bundle home the rebound.
The hosts then took a two-goal advantage when Rodrigo pounced on a miscue at the back and buried his effort inside the left post with 2:18 remaining.
THIRD PERIOD
After some back and forth play to start the third stanza, the USA made it 5-4 with three minutes remaining as Shushkovsky lobbed a ball to Andres Navas on the right, whose first-time effort trickled inside the lower left post.
Less than two minutes later, Shushkovsky brought it level, the goalkeeper juggling out of the back before unleashing a lethal left-footed volley that crept inside the upper right corner to make it 5-5 with 7:48 remaining.
Brazil re-took the lead just seconds later as a ball careened back off the left post to midfield where Thanger alertly hit a one-time effort that beat Shushkovsky with 7:22 left. Brazil made it 7-5 two minutes later as Bobo’s effort hit off the left post before Thanger again banged home the rebound with 5:20 left.
Brazil made it 8-5 through Antonio with 1:45 remaining, but Akol bit back for the USA to bring the score to 8-6 just seven seconds later, closing the scoring on a competitive match against reigning Beach Soccer World Cup champs.
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
- Tanner Akol recorded the seventh multi-goal game for the Beach MNT, taking his career tally to 22 goals in 37 matches, tying him with Chris Albiston for eighth on the team’s all-time scoring chart.
- Alvaro Franco recorded a goal and two assists, taking his career tally to seven goals and seven assists in 19 caps.
- Brian Shushkovsky scored his first international goal and recorded his first two assists in his fifth overall appearance.
- Andres Navas tallied his 12th international goal in his 32nd appearance for the USA.
-U.S. MEN’S BEACH SOCCER NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT-
Match: United States Beach Men’s National Team vs. Brazil
Date: March 19, 2026
Competition: 2026 Paraíba World Beach Games – Group Stage
Venue: Arena PWBG; Joao Pessoa, Brazil
Attendance: 2,100
Kickoff: 6 p.m. ET (7 p.m. local)
Weather: 83 degrees, humid
| Scoring Summary | 1 | 2 | 3 | F |
| USA | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| BRA | 2 | 3 | 3 | 8 |
| USA – Own Goal (Datinha) | 11:13 (First Period) |
| BRA – Benjamin Junior (Antonio) | 9:36 |
| BRA – Gin (Free Kick) | 8:39 |
| USA – Tanner Akol (Alvaro Franco) | 8:18 |
| BRA – Brendo (Benjamin Junior) | 11:40 (Second Period) |
| USA – Alvaro Franco (Brian Shushkovsky) | 7:00 |
| BRA – Brendo | 5:02 |
| BRA – Rodrigo | 2:18 |
| USA – Andres Navas (Brian Shushkovsky) | 9:07 (Third Period) |
| USA – Brian Shushkovsky | 7:48 |
| BRA – Thanger | 7:22 |
| BRA – Thanger | 5:20 |
| BRA – Antonio (Breno Xavier) | 1:45 |
| USA – Tanner Akol (Alvaro Franco) | 1:38 |
Lineups:
USA: 1-Austin Collier; 3-Antonio Chavez, 4-Fredo Dilbert, 8-Matthew Citron, 9-Alessandro Canale (Capt.)
Substitutes: 2-Tanner Akol, 5-Dillon Thompson, 6-Cody Valcarcel, 7-Andres Navas, 11-Alvaro Franco, 12-Andres Diaz, 21-Brian Shushkovsky
Head coach: Marcelo Mendes
BRA:
1-Bobo, 3-Antonio, 7-Benjamin Junior, 10-Datinha, 14-Tulio Silva
Substitutes: 12-Teleco, 4-Breno Xavier, 5-Filipe Silva, 6-Brendo, 8-Thanger, 9-Rodrigo (Capt.), 11-Gin
Head coach: Chicão Castelo Branco
Stats Summary: USA / BRA
N/A
Misconduct Summary:
none
Officials:
First Official: Lucas Estevao (BRA)
Second Official: Jean Cleres (BRA)
Third Official: Mayron Novaes (BRA)
Timekeeper: Douglas Magno (BRA)