July 7, 2024 – Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
The 2024 Junior Pan American Men’s Championship continued on Day 4 with Chile beating Brazil 1-0, the USA beating Mexico 6-0, and Argentina beating Canada 4-0. American midfielder Sekai Charasika, 17, was outstanding in helping the USA win, scoring four goals off penalty corners.
Pool: Brazil (0) – Chile (1)
The fatigue of the fourth day slowly began to show, with Brazil and Chile remaining scoreless for the first 51 minutes of the match. A clinical finish from Felipe Richard in the fourth quarter was the difference between the two teams. For Chile, the margin of victory was less important as three points would secure them a place in the top four of the round robin. Matias Amoroso’s team dominated the ball, but Brazil could not let their guard down. Energetic play from Lucas Varela and captain Arthur Giro kept Brazil’s work rate high and confident.
Forward Felipe Duisberg had a chance to put Chile ahead but the ball squirted well wide of the net, and Brazilian goalkeeper Leonardo Santos kept Chile’s penalty corner ace Sebastian Wolanski at bay to give the visitors the lead in the 15th minute.Number Brazil had numerous set-piece chances, including two in the second quarter and multiple in the final frame. Brazil flicker Frederico Sauerbronn struggled to get the ball on goal. Early in the third quarter, Chile appeared to have a free kick from the penalty spot when Felipe Richard was thwarted by Giro’s quick stick, but a video review overturned the penalty stroke, further frustrating the Chilean attack.
A series of penalty corners offered no relief, but a goal from Richard in the 51st minute gave Chile some breathing room.st 1 minute. The play began with Alexei de Wit making a run at the top of the circle. He spun and passed to Richard, who calmly trapped the ball and slotted it across the legs of Santos and into the goal to seal a 1-0 victory for Chile.
Pool: USA (6) – Mexico (0)
Sekai Charasica converted four penalty corner kicks to lead the U.S. to a 6-0 victory over Mexico. Despite Charasica’s goal, the U.S. was inefficient on set pieces. By the third quarter, the U.S. had earned 19 penalty corner kicks, not including retakes, and Charasica’s goal was the only one that beat Mexican goalkeeper Edgar Espinoza.
Espinosa did well to deny multiple U.S. chances, but Mexico’s Alexis Sabala and Angel Gonzalez ran miles to give their team more energy. Mexico had a chance for a penalty corner, but a missed trap at the top of the circle left U.S. goalkeeper Thomas Curtis untested.
Charashka’s clinical finish was 25Number30Number And 32and Mehtab Grewal scored USA’s fourth goal with a penalty kick one minute before the end of the game. Willem Pauw ran down the baseline and Angel Gonzalez overcommitted, challenging with his stick, which was awarded a penalty stroke and confirmed by video review. Grewal scored his third goal of the tournament, following his last-minute winner against Brazil the day before. Grewal was also called for a penalty kick to score USA’s sixth goal in the fourth quarter.
Pool: Canada (0) – Argentina (6)
Argentina dominated the match from start to finish, continuing their unbeaten streak with a 6-0 victory over Canada’s Young Bucks. Leoncitos took the lead with a penalty corner two minutes into the game. Lorenzo Somaini’s low flick was caught by Canada’s Kylin Robinson, but the retake bounced off the backboard to give Argentina the lead. The onslaught continued as Bruno Correa deflected a pass through the circle to double Argentina’s lead. Matias Andreotti scored the third goal to silence Canada.
In the second quarter, the Canadian team was more organized and calm, allowing only one goal to Argentina. Lautaro Martinez won a scramble in front of the goal to make the score 4-0. Canada managed to outnumber their defense, but Argentina countered with better three-dimensional skills and quick handling. Thiago Salazar and Martinez added one goal each in the second half, and Argentina won the game comfortably, 6-0.
With this victory, Argentina has won their fourth game of the tournament with one game remaining in the pool. Tomorrow, July 8th, is a rest day, so the final pool games will be on July 9th, with Brazil vs. Mexico (12:00), Argentina vs. USA (16:00), and Chile vs. Canada (20:00).
