Cuban soccer team's victory at the Wildey Turf Stadium in Barbados

Santiago de Cuba, March 24 (RHC)-- A victory was achieved by the national soccer team at the Wildey Turf Stadium in Barbados, with a score of 0-1.

With this victory, the team led by Pablo Elier Sánchez reached 12 points at the top of Group A and only a debacle would take away its ticket to the CONCACAF Gold Cup and promotion to the A level of this league of nations.

Guadeloupe, which remained tied with the Cubans, lost to Antigua and Barbuda and both teams moved to within three points of the top of the group.

The goal difference favors the Cubans so much that on the last matchday only a 0-4 loss to the Guadeloupeans would take the tickets out of their pockets.

Another negative option involves a narrow defeat for Cuba combined with a scandalous seven-goal-plus drubbing by Antigua over Barbados.

The Lions of the Caribbean suffered more than expected against a qualitatively lesser opponent, but they were able to take the victory.

The goal in the third minute by Maykel Reyes, leading scorer of the senior team, suggested that the game would be a rout, especially after two goals disallowed for offside to Karel Espino and Reyes himself. 

Yosel Piedra, the undisputed commander of the Cuban defense, suffered the rigorousness of the referee who gave him two yellow cards in the space of three minutes and with the red card Cuba would play from 34' with one less player.

Sánchez had to reorganize his team's formation in view of the emergency and with the advantage, he sacrificed attacking men to keep the goal, which finally remained at zero.

Cuba could even have scored the second, but once again the assistant gave away Karel Espino's offside in the late stages of the match.

Even with a numerical disadvantage, the players from the Greater Antilles played more of the ball, had more possession and shot more shots at goal than their opponents, which shows that even in adverse circumstances they are capable of dominating this group and making the leap in level that they deserve and that everyone expects.