Photo: Roberto Morejon (JIT special correspondent)

Havana, December 14 (RHC)-- Cuba defeated Mexico on Tuesday in the Mexico 2022 Youth Handball Tournament of the Americas and the Caribbean.

The team coached by Jover Hernandez achieved its second victory, with a score of 38-31; they occupy the first place in Group B and practically have a ticket to the semifinals of the event, a qualifier for the world championship of the category scheduled for Croatia in 2023.

Only a debacle against Puerto Rico, let's say a loss by more than 20 goals, together with a comfortable victory of Mexico against Martinique, would take the Cubans out of the next phase.

Bearing in mind that the Puerto Ricans lost to the Mexicans by 18 goals, an adverse result for Cuba seems unlikely, much less by such a wide margin.

If Cuba leads Group B, they would avoid the United States, the favorite to win Group A, in the semifinals. Their opponent would then be Greenland and Guadeloupe, much less complicated than the northerners. Therefore, their chances of reaching one of the two World Cup tickets at stake increase. 

The Cubans will close their participation in the group stage this Wednesday against the aforementioned Puerto Ricans.