Guam national football team
 | |||
| Nickname(s) | Matao[1] | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Association | Guam Football Association | ||
| Confederation | AFC (Asia) | ||
| Sub-confederation | EAFF (East Asia) | ||
| Head coach | Karl Dodd | ||
| Most caps | Jason Cunliffe (40) | ||
| Top scorer | Jason Cunliffe (12) | ||
| Home stadium | Guam National Football Stadium | ||
| FIFA code | GUM | ||
| |||
| FIFA ranking | |||
| Current | 192  (February 7, 2019)[2] | ||
| Highest | 146 (August – September 2015) | ||
| Lowest | 205 (November 2004 – February 2005) | ||
| Elo ranking | |||
| Current | 207 (February 2, 2019)[3]} | ||
| Highest | 197 (June 2015) | ||
| Lowest | 228 (March 2007) | ||
| First international | |||
 Fiji 12–0 Guam  (Guam; August 24, 1975) | |||
| Biggest win | |||
 Palau 2-15 Guam (Koror, Palau; August 1, 1998) | |||
| Biggest defeat | |||
 North Korea 21–0 Guam (Taipei, Taiwan; March 11, 2005) | |||
The Guam national football team is the national association football team for the United States territory of Guam and is controlled by the Guam Football Association. They are affiliated with the Asian Football Confederation's East Asian Football Federation region.
Guam reached its highest ever position in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking at 146 in 2015 after impressive victories over Turkmenistan and India.[4]
Contents
History[edit]
Guam's team was founded in 1975 and joined FIFA in 1996. It's one of FIFA's smallest Member Associations in population and size. It has competed in World Cup qualification on two occasions. However, Guam was eliminated in the first round of Asian qualification for the 2002 FIFA World Cup after losing against Iran and Tajikistan and was eliminated in the second round of qualification for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.[5]
Recently, Guam has found success by winning the EAFF preliminary competition and qualifying for the semi-final round in 2012, 2013, and 2014. In 2016, Guam automatically qualified for the semifinal round based on its FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking. Guam finished third out of four teams in Group A of the 2014 Challenge Cup qualifiers, completing group play with a 3–0 victory over Chinese Taipei, a win over its regional rival for the first time in history. During November 2013's FIFA International games schedule, Guam beat Cambodia 2–0 and drew with Laos 1–1. Both these International fixtures were played away at the opponents' home national stadiums.
On June 11, 2015, during the 2018 World Cup qualifiers of Group D, Guam clinched their first-ever World Cup Qualifier win beating Turkmenistan 1–0. The game was the first time Guam hosted a World Cup qualifier on their home soil. Just a few days later, Guam hosted their second World Cup qualifier to India and defeated them by a 2–1 scoreline. The win was notable considering India's FIFA rankings sits 33 spots ahead at No. 141, their population is in the billions and they were recently dubbed the 'sleeping giants of football' by FIFA.[6][7]
Guam National Team Officials[edit]
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Manager |  Karl Dodd
|
| Assistant coach | Josh McCloughan
|
| Goalkeeper coach | Matthew Ham
|
| Team Manager | J.R. Campos
|
| Head of Sports Science |
|
| Physiotherapist | Dr. Ryan Claros
|
| Team Doctor | Dr. Luis Cruz
|
| Video Analyst |
|
| Media Officer | Jill Espiritu
|
| Equipment Director | Kyle Legozzie
|
On February 1, 2012, Gary White was appointed as head coach and also served as the federation's technical director.[8] The same year, Guam Football Association officially adopted the nickname Matao for the team, which refers to the highest social class in ancient Chamorro society.[9][10] National football teams in Guam also began using the Inifresi (Chamorro pledge) regularly before every training session and all matches.[11]
Before 2012, the men's national team had only won twice against FIFA member nations - a 1-0 win against Mongolia in 2009 and a 2-0 win over American Samoa in 2011. In 2012, Guam defeated Macau-China twice - a 3-0 victory in that year's EAFF East Asian Cup Preliminary Round 1 tournament in Guam and another 3-0 victory in the 2012 Philippines Football Peace Cup in Manila. In Round 2 of the EAFF East Asian Cup Preliminary Round, Guam battled to a 1-1 draw with Chinese Taipei, marking the first point earned in the semifinal round of the regional tournament. In 2013, Guam finished third of four teams in Group A of the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup qualification, completing group play with a resounding 3–0 victory over Chinese Taipei, a win over the regional rival for the first time in history. Due to the success of the Matao, FIFA Futbol Mundial (April 2013 episode #137) and various other world media have featured the progress of the Guam national football team. On May 30, 2016, White was appointed as head coach of Shanghai Shenxin in the China League One.[12] With the EAFF E-1 Football Championship semifinal round set for November 2016, Guam acquired head coach Darren Sawatzky on an interim basis.[13]
In late 2017, Guam Football Association announced the appointment of Australia's Karl Dodd as the new Matao Head Coach.[14] Since arriving in Guam in early 2018, Dodd has called prospective players into a training camp in California, where they played against San Diego State University's men's soccer team, as well as LA Galaxy II[15]
Previous Coaches[edit]
Willie McFaul (1999–2003)
Sugao Kambe (2003–2005)- Norio Tsukitate (2005–2009)
- Kazuo Uchida (2011–2012)
Gary White (2012–2016)
Darren Sawatzky (2016–2017)
Karl Dodd (2017- )
Players[edit]
Current squad[edit]
The following players were called up to for the 2017 EAFF E-1 Football Championship against Chinese Taipei national football team, the Hong Kong national football team and North Korea national football team. Caps and goals updated as of December 1, 2016.
| No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GK | Doug Herrick | June 2, 1989 | 26 | 0 | Rovers
| ||
| 22 | GK | Dallas Jaye | June 19, 1993 | 6 | 0 |  Greenville Triumph
| ||
| 18 | GK | Sean Evans | July 10, 1999 | 0 | 0 | Guam Shipyard
| ||
| 2 | DF | Alex Lee | January 5, 1990 | 9 | 0 | Unattached | ||
| 5 | DF | Micah Paulino | November 16, 1992 | 26 | 0 | Guam Shipyard
| ||
| 6 | DF | Mason Grimes | October 21, 1992 | 14 | 0 | Unattached | ||
| 8 | DF | Justin Lee | January 5, 1990 | 10 | 0 |  South Park
| ||
| 14 | DF | Brandon McDonald | January 16, 1986 | 10 | 1 |  Hà Nội FC
| ||
| 20 | DF | A. J. DeLaGarza | November 4, 1987 | 12 | 0 | Houston Dynamo
| ||
| 25 | DF | Scott Leon Guerrero | August 22, 1990 | 21 | 0 | Quality Distributors
| ||
| 3 | MF | Jonahan Romero | March 17, 1988 | 26 | 0 | Rovers
| ||
| 10 | MF | Jason Cunliffe (captain) | October 23, 1983 | 40 | 15 | Bank of Guam Strykers
| ||
| 13 | MF | Ryan Guy | September 5, 1985 | 28 | 3 | SoCal Surf
| ||
| 17 | MF | Ian Mariano | October 7, 1990 | 31 | 2 | Rovers
| ||
| 21 | MF | Marcus Lopez | August 2, 1992 | 20 | 2 | IDL FC
| ||
| 28 | MF | Rin Katsumata | July 3, 1997 | 0 | 0 | Bank of Guam Strykers
| ||
| 9 | FW | Edward Na | February 12, 1996 | 4 | 0 | Tacoma Stars
| ||
| 12 | FW | Tye Perdido | November 28, 1988 | 2 | 0 | Unattached | ||
| 16 | FW | Conner Cappelletti | January 10, 1989 | 3 | 0 | Unattached | ||
| 23 | FW | Shane Malcolm | October 13, 1991 | 17 | 2 | Colorado Springs Switchbacks
| ||
Recent call-ups[edit]
The following players have also been called up to the Guam squad within last 12 months. Retired players are not listed.
Results and fixtures[edit]
2018[edit]
| September 2, 2018 2019 EAFF E-1 Championship First preliminary round | Guam | 4–0 |  Northern Mariana Islands | Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia |
| 13:00 UTC+8 | Mendiola  13' Lopez 26', 68' Cunliffe 65' |
Report | Stadium: MFF Football Centre Attendance: 105 Referee: Gu Chunhan (China) |
| September 4, 2018 2019 EAFF E-1 Championship First preliminary round | Macau  | 2–0 | Guam | Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia |
| 13:00 UTC+8 | Lam Ka Seng 14' Leong Ka Hang 78' |
Report | Stadium: MFF Football Centre Attendance: 106 Referee: Kao Jung-fang (Chinese Taipei) |
| September 6, 2018 2019 EAFF E-1 Championship First preliminary round | Mongolia  | 1–1 | Guam | Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia |
| 17:00 UTC+8 | Tsedenbal 90+4' |
Report | Mendiola 90' |
Stadium: MFF Football Centre Attendance: 1,521 Referee: Kim Woo-sung (South Korea) |
Records[edit]
Guam registered its first victory over a member of FIFA on March 11, 2009, 35 years after making its debut. They beat Mongolia, by a score of 1–0 in the 2010 East Asian Cup Preliminary Competition,[16] at home in Yona. Christopher Mendiola scored the only goal after 9 minutes.
The second victory was a 2–0 against American Samoa on September 1, 2011, in Group A at the 2011 Pacific Games in Noumea, New Caledonia. Dylan Naputi and Elias Merfalen scored in the second half.
Guam has beaten its nearest neighbor, the Northern Mariana Islands on four occasions from 2007 to 2009. Although a member of the East Asia Football Federation since 2006, the islands are not FIFA members.
Recently they have recorded further victories over Chinese Taipei and Macau in International competition and were narrowly beaten 3-2 in Hong Kong against the host country in November 2016.
1975 South Pacific Games[edit]
- Additional information: 1975 South Pacific Games
Guam first competed in football at the 1975 South Pacific Games which it hosted in August of that year. They lost their first ever game to Fiji and then lost to the Solomon Islands to finish at the bottom of Group 2.
1979 South Pacific Games[edit]
- Additional information: 1979 South Pacific Games
Guam competed in South Pacific Games Football – 1979[17] in Fiji and was placed in Group 4 alongside New Caledonia and the New Hebrides (now Vanuatu). During the tournament, held in September 1979, Guam lost to New Caledonia and to the New Hebrides as both of the other teams advanced.
1991 South Pacific Games[edit]
- Additional information: 1991 South Pacific Games
The 1991 South Pacific Games saw Guam's first matches since the 1979 tournament, twelve years previous. In Papua New Guinea, Guam were in Group 2 and lost their opener to Tahiti on September 9, 1991. On September 12 they lost to Fiji before losing to New Caledonia.[18]
1996 Asian Cup[edit]
- Additional information: 1996 AFC Asian Cup qualification
In Guam's first Asian Cup qualification attempt at Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Ryan Stepp at 15 years of age became the youngest player to score in Asian Cup qualification in a 9–2 loss to Chinese Taipei.
2002 World Cup Qualification[edit]
- Additional information: 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification
Guam entered World Cup qualification for the first time for the 2002 tournament which was jointly held in Japan and South Korea. They were put in Group B of the first qualifying round, against Iran (qualifiers in 1998) and Tajikistan. Each team played each other once in the Takhti Stadium in the city of Tabriz, Iran.
2006 AFC Challenge Cup[edit]
- Additional information: 2006 AFC Challenge Cup
The first-ever 2006 AFC Challenge Cup was held in Bangladesh in April 2006. As a competition for Asia's weakest teams, there was no qualification scheme. Guam were put in Group C alongside the hosts, Palestine and Cambodia.
Guam played their first game at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka, on April 1, in front of 3,000 people and were defeated by Palestine, for whom Fahed Attal scored six times. Bangladesh then defeated Guam on April 3, with two late goals from Mohammed Abul. The match was watched by 18,000. Three days later 550 people watched Cambodia defeat Guam at the Bangladesh Army Stadium.
2013 EAFF East Asian Cup[edit]
- Additional information: 2013 EAFF East Asian Cup
In 2012, the first round of preliminary competition was hosted by Guam. Guam finished first within the tournament advancing to Round 2 of preliminary competition.
2014 AFC Challenge Cup[edit]
- Additional information: 2014 AFC Challenge Cup qualification
Guam finished third during the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup qualification and completed their group play with a resounding 3–0 victory over Chinese Taipei for the first time in history.
2015 EAFF East Asian Cup[edit]
- Additional information: 2015 EAFF East Asian Cup
In 2014, the first round of preliminary competition was hosted by Guam. Guam finished first, advancing to the semifinal round for the third-straight time.
2018 World Cup Qualification[edit]
- Additional information: 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
Guam entered the 2018 World Cup qualifiers in Group D. Guam hosted the qualifiers for the first time at the Guam Football Association National Training Center in Harmon, which was built with financial assistance from FIFA’s Goal Programme. During the qualifying round, Guam clinched their first FIFA World Cup qualifying win ever by defeating Turkmenistan. Just a few days later, Guam won their second FIFA World Cup qualifying match beating India. The win was notable considering India's FIFA ranking sits 33 spots ahead at No. 141, the size of India's population, and their reputation as they were recently dubbed "the sleeping giants" of football by FIFA.[6][7]
Tournament record[edit]
World Cup[edit]
| FIFA World Cup record | FIFA World Cup Qualification record | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
 1930
|
Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||
 1934
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 1938
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 1950
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 1954
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 1958
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 1962
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| 1966
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 1970
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 1974
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 1978
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 1982
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| 1986
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 1990
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| 1994
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| 1998
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  2002
|
Did not qualify | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 35 | ||||||||
| 2006
|
Withdrew | ||||||||||||||
 2010
| |||||||||||||||
 2014
| |||||||||||||||
 2018
|
8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 16 | |||||||||
 2022
|
To be determined | To be determined | |||||||||||||
 2026
| |||||||||||||||
| Total | - | 0/21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 51 | |
AFC Asian Cup[edit]
- 2019 – Withdrew from the third tournament due to financial constraints.
East Asian Football Championship[edit]
- 2003 – 5th place in qualifiers
- 2005 – 5th place in qualifiers
- 2008 – 6th place in qualifiers
- 2010 – Qualified to Round 2 (Preliminary Competition winners)
- 2013 – Qualified to Round 2 (Preliminary Competition winners)
- 2015 – Qualified to Round 2 (Preliminary Competition winners)
- 2017 - Automatically qualified to Round 2 (Ranked higher than bottom four countries in East Asia region)
AFC Challenge Cup[edit]
South Pacific Games[edit]
| (South) Pacific (Mini) Games record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
| 1963
|
Did not compete | |||||||
 1966
| ||||||||
 1969
| ||||||||
 1971
| ||||||||
| 1975
|
Group stage | 7th place | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 16 |
| 1979
|
Group stage | 11th place | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 16 |
 1981
|
Did not compete | |||||||
 1983
| ||||||||
| 1987
| ||||||||
| 1991
|
Group stage | 8th place | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 37 |
 1993
|
Group stage | 8th place | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 35 |
| 1995
|
Group stage | 8th place | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 23 |
| 2003
|
Did not compete | |||||||
| 2007
| ||||||||
| 2011
|
Group stage | 9th place | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 21 |
| 2015
|
Did not compete | |||||||
| 2017
| ||||||||
| Total | Group stage | 6/17 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 9 | 148 |
Micronesian Games[edit]
- 1998 – Runners Up
Philippine Peace Cup[edit]
- 2012 – Third place
References[edit]
- ^ Mike Nauta Jr. (June 1, 2012). "Guam men's national soccer team now known as 'Matao'". Marianas Variety. Guam. Archived from the original on March 17, 2014. Retrieved June 2, 2012.
- ^ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking". FIFA. February 7, 2019. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
- ^ Elo rankings change compared to one year ago. "World Football Elo Ratings". eloratings.net. February 2, 2019. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
- ^ "FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking − Guam Men's Ranking". fifa.com. FIFA. August 6, 2015. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
- ^ "Ambitious Guam climbing high". fifa.com. FIFA. February 21, 2014.
- ^ a b "Tiny Guam slay sleeping giants India in World Cup qualifier". uk.reuters.com. Reuters. June 16, 2015.
- ^ a b "White: It was a historic event for Guam". fifa.com. FIFA. June 15, 2015.
- ^ "Guam coach Gary White wants to manage in Premier League". BBC Sport. January 11, 2013.
- ^ Center, Pacific News. "Guam Nat'l Soccer Team Will Called Matao. | PNC News First". pacificnewscenter.com. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
- ^ "» Matao and Acha'ot". www.guampedia.com. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
- ^ Center, Pacific News. "BBC: Guam Matao Coach Gary White Wants to Manage in Premier League - PNC News First". pacificnewscenter.com.
- ^ 关于盖瑞怀特（Gary White） 先生出任上海申鑫足球俱乐部主教练的公告 (in Chinese)
- ^ "Darren Sawatzky takes over Guam National Team". Sounder At Heart. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
- ^ User, Super. "Guam Football Association - GFA appoints Australia's Dodd as Matao Head Coach beginning 2018". www.guamfa.com. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
- ^ "STATESIDE MATAO CAMP FIRST OF ITS KIND - GSPN - Guam Sports Network". GSPN - Guam Sports Network. April 6, 2018. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
- ^ Steve Menary (September 11, 2009). "Guam on the rise". World Soccer Magazine. Retrieved October 30, 2011.
- ^ hif:South Pacific Games Football - 1979
- ^ "Guam - List of International Matches". rsssf.com.
External links[edit]
- Guam Football Association (in English) (in Spanish)
| National teams | |
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| Competitions | |
