Havana, September 2 (JIT)-- The Cuban Football Association announced on Saturday the team that will represent the Greater of the Antilles in the CONCACAF Nations League A level. 

At a press conference held at the Ciudad Deportiva Coliseum, the governing body of soccer on the island officially presented the new head coach of the senior team, Yunielys Castillo, from Espiritu.

The national coach explained his team's objectives for the tournament that will begin on September 8 in the Dominican Republic against Haiti.

We will go for the victory in that game, as well as against Suriname on September 12 at the Antonio Maceo Stadium," said Castillo.

We have a squad with young players that are being incorporated, but we have kept the base that gave us the qualification to this level and that recently played in the CONCACAF Gold Cup 2023, he explained.

Among the new additions are players of proven talent who stood out in the recently concluded 107th National Soccer League, including leading scorer Christian Valiente.

Other call-ups are new. They are the wingers Karel Pérez, from Santiago de Cuba, and Orlando Clavo, from Artemisia. 

Several of the athletes called up were already under the orders of the espirituano in the U-20 national team, which he led until his appointment as head of the senior team.

We know the quality of these athletes, who despite their youth already have some experience in the international arena and above all understand the system we are trying to put on the court. We hope that this will bring us good dividends, predicted the Cuban DT.

Ismel Jiménez will join Raiko Arozarena and Nelson Jonhston as goalkeepers. In the defensive section, in addition to Pérez and Calvo, there are the wingers Alejandro Delgado and Dariel Morejón.

They will complete the backline together with experienced central defenders such as Yosel Piedra, Modesto Méndez, Carlos Vázquez, Jorge Luis Corrales and Mario Peñalver.

In the midfield, Eduardo Hernández, Yunior Yuri Pérez, Romario Torres and the novelty of Rey Ángel Rodríguez will play, in addition to José Carlos Paradela, who came in at the last minute after it was learned that Onel Hernández will not be called up this time either, since he is on the injured list of his club, Norwich City.

In the attacking front, Maykel Reyes, Yasnier Matos, William Pozo, Daniel Díaz, Luis Javier Paradela and the novelty of Valiente from Holguín remain.