World Cup Game Notes
March 23, 2015 - Major Arena Soccer League (MASL)
Ontario Fury News Release
Welcome to CITIZENS BUSINESS BANK ARENA in ONTARIO, CALIFORNIA, the home of the ONTARIO FURY of the MAJOR ARENA SOCCER LEAGUE. Today, we will feature GROUP A action in the inaugural WORLD MINIFOOTBALL FEDERATION WORLD CUP.
Today's games will feature EL SALVADOR taking on the CZECH REPUBLIC in the opening game of Group A play at 5:30 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time, with KAZAKHSTAN meeting the host country UNITED STATES set to kickoff about 7:30 p.m.
FURIOUS COMPETITIORS
While there are no current members of the Ontario Fury participating in the event, there are two who have been part of the team in the past. Inaugural season goaltender Sanaldo is playing for his native Brazil as part of Group C play against Canada, Russia and Serbia. And original Fury player Jayro Martinez, who played the Fury's inaugural game against Dallas, is suiting up in Group A as part of team El Salvador.
TEAM ROSTERS
Teams may dress a maximum of 15 players for each game, and a minimum of 10. Each side starts the game with five field players and one goaltender, and may substitute field players freely during the run of play, and at stoppages of play. Teams can be assessed penalties for too many men on the field.
GAME TIMING RULES
The game will be played with four 15-minute periods, with the clock constantly running until the final five minutes of each game. The referees may stop the clock if needed to sort out penalty situations. Each team gets one time out per half, and there is no overtime in group play.
PENALTIES
Unlike the MASL, there are no blue card penalties in the WMF World Cup. Referees can serve yellow cards for severe fouls, each of which carries a two-minute penalty. Teams will be assessed a two-minute penalty for red card offenses, as well. Teams will receive a bench minor penalty after receiving eight minor fouls. There is no penalty for playing the ball over three lines or for a clear from the defensive zone in the games.
TEAM USA
The host nation is fielding a team of MASL All Stars as it shoots for the first-ever crown. Coached by San Diego's Phil Silvagio, the team features five members of the Sockers and three players from the Missouri Comets. League MVP Leo Gibson withdrew from the squad, but the league's Defender of the Year, Pat Healey, and Rookie of the Year, Gordy Gurson, will be wearing the red, white and blue.
GAME BROADCASTS
All games in the WMF World Cup are being broadcast online via GoLive Sports Cast. Ontario's Pep Fernandez and San Diego's Craig Elsten are sharing duties for Group A games.
TOURNAMENT AT A GLANCE
GROUP A
W L GF GA
Czech Republic ............. 0 0 0 0
El Salvador .................... 0 0 0 0
Kazakhstan ................... 0 0 0 0
United States ................ 0 0 0 0
GROUP B
W L GF GA
Mexico .......................... 2 0 16 4
Germany ....................... 1 1 30 10
Romania ....................... 1 1 24 7
India ............................. 0 2 1 50
GROUP C
W L GF GA
Brazil ............................ 0 0 0 0
Canada ......................... 0 0 0 0
Russia ........................... 0 0 0 0
Serbia ........................... 0 0 0 0
SUNDAY'S RESULTS
Germany 29, India 1
Mexico 7, Romania 3
TODAY'S GAMES
El Salvador vs. Czech Republic
India vs. Mexico
Russia vs. Brazil
Kazakhstan vs. United States
Romania vs. Germany
Serbia vs. Canada
TOMORROW'S GAMES
Czech Republic vs. Kazakhstan
Russia vs. Serbia
Brazil vs. Canada
United States vs. El Salvador
ABOUT THE WMF
The World Minifootball Federation was formed in 2013 to provide a single international governing body for 5-, 6- and 7-a-side variations of soccer played around the world, which are currently not recognized by FIFA. The federation oversees versions of the sport played with or without walls.
This is its first-ever World Cup, and is being played under the North American rules, featuring 6-a-side teams including arena walls, a first for many of the sides featuring players on their rosters without North American experience.
LOCAL CONNECTIONS FOR EL SALVADOR
Southern California has the largest population of Salvadorians in the United States according to the 2010 Census. And it shows in the make-up of the team playing in the WMF World Cup. Seven players on El Salvador's roster have ties to the region, including former Ontario player Jayro Martinez. And Martinez is not the only one with experience in professional arena soccer in the United States. Javier Ayala-Hill, who hails from East Palo Alto, played 11 games in 2013-14 for Bay Area Rosal of the Professional Arena Soccer League, scoring nine goals and adding four assists.
CZECHS HAVE EXPERIENCE
While the Czech Republic team will be adjusting to walls, the team does have experience in international play. The team finished third at the European Championships, defeating Germany 2-1 in the third-place game after falling to eventual champion Romania. The team has been in the US for a week preparing in Las Vegas.
Major Arena Soccer League Stories from March 23, 2015
- Brazil Defeats Russia 9-4 at BCA - Rochester Lancers
- World Cup Game Notes - Ontario Fury
- Ambush Head Coach Doran Returns for 2015-16 - St. Louis Ambush
- Farber Replaces Gibson on Team USA Roster - San Diego Sockers
- Blast Falls Short of MASL Championship - Baltimore Blast
- Monterrey Flash Win Ron Newman Cup in Sudden Death OT - MASL
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