PANAMA captured their first CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship with a 4-2 win over defending champions Mexico on Sunday at the Malcolm Park Beach Soccer Facility in Nassau, Bahamas.Both sides will represent the Confederation — along with the hosts Bahamas — at the 2017 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, beginning April 27.
Justo Arrocha netted a brace, while Alfonso Maquensi and Rafael Garcia contributed with a goal each in a victorious effort.
Mexico – which had won their previous two CBSC final appearances in 2011 and 2015 — saw the competition’s joint-top scorer Jose Ramon Maldonado Alonso strike for two goals.
Despite what was at stake, both sides began in fast fashion, three-time champions Mexico edged proceedings as it rattled the crossbar, before Maldonado Alonso forced a great save from Eder Patino.
Maldonado Alonso, however, would not be kept quiet for long, with the midfielder glancing Diego Villasenor’s throw into the Panama goal with two minutes remaining in the first period to give Mexico a 1-0 lead.
Jose Carlos Moreno spurned a glorious chance to double the advantage as Panama defended with their lives.
That miss was punished as Arrocha equalised with Panama’s first clear-cut chance eight minutes into the middle frame.
Arrocha almost had a second soon after, coming close to capitalising on a poor back pass from Diego Rodriguez, but the defender remained in the thick of things and was on target when he glanced in Ricardo Obregon’s cross with two minutes left in the second period.
Maldonado Alonso was the man to bring the sides back on level terms a minute later, drawing him equal with joint-top scorer Belize’s Marlon Meza on 12 goals.
Panama went ahead for good three minutes into the second period, when Maquensi lobbed Diego Villasenor with precision from out wide.
A wonderful, instinctive save from Jose Victoria kept Panama in front, before Garcia found the bottom corner with two minutes left on the clock for an insurance goal. (Sportsmax.com)