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The USA Men’s Senior National Team moved into the quarterfinal round of the FINA World Championships with a 7-3 win over Brazil earlier tonight in Kazan. John Mann (Newport Beach, CA/California/NYAC) scored three goals and Merrill Moses (Palos Verdes, CA/Pepperdine/NYAC) posted 12 saves in the win. Team USA now moves on to meet Serbia in the quarterfinal round on Tuesday at 9:30pm local time/11:30am pt. The match will stream live on UniversalSports.com and air on Universal Sports on delay at 6pm et/3pm pt. For live streaming information, click here.
In a rematch of the Pan American Games gold medal final played less than a month ago, Team USA picked up where they left off in Toronto. Luca Cupido (Newport Beach, CA/California/Newport) stole the show in the first quarter scoring both goals for Team USA to post a 2-0 lead. After Bernardo Gomes got Brazil on the board in the second period, Bret Bonanni (Huntington Beach, CA/Stanford/Stanford) followed with a goal immediately to put the United States ahead 3-1 going into halftime.
The low scoring affair moved into the third period with Bonanni connecting on a penalty shot for a 4-1 lead with 5:12 to play in the period. Brazil didn’t wilt coming back with a goal moments later to trail just 4-2 at the end of three periods.
John Mann took over in the fourth quarter silencing any chance of a Brazil rally. Mann scored on a power play and a natural goal in the opening two minutes of the period to take a 6-2 lead. Brazil’s captain Felipe Perrone broke through for a goal with 2:20 to play but Mann put the cap on the match with 17 seconds left scoring on the counter attack. Team USA would go on to take the match 7-3.
Brazil went 0/3 on power plays and did not attempt a penalty while Team USA was 1/3 on power plays and 1/1 on penalties.
Scoring – Scoresheet
USA 7 (2, 1, 1, 3) J. Mann 3, L. Cupido 2, B. Bonanni 2
BRA 3 (0, 1, 1, 1) F. Perrone 1, B. Gomes 1, G. Guimares 1
Saves – USA – M. Moses 12 M. Baron 1 – BRA – V. Antonelli – 7
6×5 – USA – 1/3 – BRA – 0/3
Penalties – USA – 1/1 – BRA – 0/0
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