International Tournament in California Includes Canada

International tournament in California
28/11/2003

Canadian Futsal team to compete in Anaheim

Ross Ongaro Selects 13-Players for Tournament in Anaheim

Ottawa, Ontario. Canada’s Futsal Head Coach Ross Ongaro has selected 13-players to participate in a Futsal tournament at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA from December 5-7. The tournament will be hosted by the US Futsal Federation. Guatemala, Mexico, and the United States will also compete in this tournament.

All four teams are preparing for next year’s CONCACAF Qualification event leading to the 2004 FIFA Futsal World Championship in Chinese Taipei.
Vancouver Whitecaps and Men’s World Cup player Carlo Corazzin was originally selected to the roster but is not able to attend the tournament in Anaheim due to a minor knee injury.

Ongaro was selected as head coach in January when the association created the National Futsal Program.

“This tournament will be an eye opening experience for a group of players with no Futsal experience and lots of heart, said Ongaro.
All journeys must start with the first steps.”

Canada participated in the inaugural Futsal Championship staged in Netherlands in 1989. Canada finished third in Group C after defeating Japan but losing to both Argentina and Belgium.

Futsal is the only international form of indoor soccer approved by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). The game is frequently referred to as Five-A-Side and is gaining rapid popularity.

More information regarding Futsal can be found by visiting the FIFA web site:
http://www.fifa.com/futsal/laws/2000/index_E.html

Futsal Roster

GK 1 GEHLERT Glenn (Edmonton Scottish)
GK 22 DAVISS Bradley (Edmonton Scottish)
D 2 LYALL Geordie (Vancouver Whitecaps)
D 3 DE SILVA William (Edmonton Aviators)
D 4 VALENTE Alfredo (Vancouver Whitecaps)
D 5 BOSCH Kurt (Unattached)
D 6 LEDUC Patrick (Montreal Impact)
M 7 SELAIDOPOULOS Kyriakos (Laval Dynamites)
M 8 HOLDT Steffan (Calgary Callies)
M 9 SARANTOPOULOS Chris (Unattached)
M 10 KING Tiarnan (Vancouver Whitecaps)
M 11 FRASER Sean (Calgary Storm FC)
T 12 JORDAN Jason (Vancouver Whitecaps)
T 13 CRAVEIRO Nico (Vancouver Whitecaps)

STAFF

CUZZETTO, Charlie Head of Delegation
ONGARO, Ross Head Coach – Futsal
MAZARAK, Gordon Doctor
LAING, Dwayne Athletic Therapist