In a game to secure the Soca Warriors place in the quarterfinals of the Gold Cup, Trinidad and Tobago took care of business by defeating Cuba 2-0 and moving to first place in the group with six points. At least until Mexico play later in the evening. Cuba played better than they did against Mexico, however, were not able to convert any of their shots on goal. Trinidad and Tobago now set up a battle for first place against Mexico in their final Group C game on Wednesday. Cuba remains at the bottom of the group with zero points and a goal differential of -8.
The Soca Warriors started early as Kenwyne Jones had an early opportunity to put his nation on top in the tenth minute before kicking it wide of the goal as three Cuban defenders descended upon him. Seven minutes later a goal came by Trinidad defender Sheldon Bateau. After Lester Peltier’s wide-open shot was blocked by Cuban goalkeeper Disovelis Guerra, it went in on deflection.
Andre Boucaud scored the second goal in the 42nd minute as Cuba failed to mark him just inside the box on a throw-in, giving Trinidad a 2-0 lead at halftime.
Cuba didn’t seem to start playing until after they were down 1-0. In the 24th minute, a counter by Cuba provided the team’s first chance in first half. Maykel Reyes was inches away from knocking one past Trinidad goalkeeper Jan Michael Williams. Then, a moment of scare in minute 39 when Jan-Michael Williams misplayed a free kick leaving Bateau to clean up the loose ball for a Cuba corner.
Trinidad’s keeper, Williams, was lost in the 44th minute to a potential hamstring injury when he blocked Maikel Reyes’ shot inside the box, helping to avoid giving Cuba any momentum before halftime.
Cuba seemed to settle down and play better as a unit in the second half; however, Trinidad and Tobago’s defense and continuous attacking kept the game out of reach for the Cubans. It also helped that Trinidad seemed to have the height advantage and Cuba seemed to fire a lot of shots off target.
Cuba does have some positives to take away from the game. The team seemed to gel better as players such as Adrian Diz Pe, Andy Vaquero and young Daniel Luis provided good chemistry as they play together on the same club team in Cuba, La Habana. Striker Maikel Reyes seemed to be a dangerous force and a player who may be in MLS today if he were from anywhere else in the CONCACAF region.
Trinidad will now focus on their next game, which could be for first place, against Mexico, however, will be without midfielder Andre Boucau. Boucau picked up a yellow card in the 28th minute to go with a previous yellow card in the Guatemala game. He scored the second goal for Trinidad and Tobago tonight. The team will also be without starting goalkeeper Jan-Michael Williams. We will have to wait to find out about the severity of his injury.
