Cuba returns to League A and qualifies for the Gold Cup

SANTIAGO DE CUBA, Cuba, Mar 27 (ACN) The Cuban national soccer team defeated Guadeloupe by one goal to zero in a match played on Sunday at the Antonio Maceo stadium in this city, a victory that qualifies Cuba to the Gold Cup and grants promotion to the A League of Nations.

At the end of the first half of the game, a right-footed shot by Yasnier Matos from Holguin after a cross by Karel Espino, put the scoreboard in favor of the national team, in a match marked by several threats from both teams.

In Division B of the Confederation of North, Central American, Caribbean and Caribbean Soccer, the team scored 15 points out of a possible 18, scored 11 goals and conceded only three, in addition to keeping four clean sheets.

Pablo Elier Sánchez, technical director of the Leones del Caribe, expressed to the Cuban News Agency the excitement of the entire team with this result that returns Cuba to the main division of the League of Nations and the Gold Cup, where the team was in 2019, but now returns with a more consolidated project.

He highlighted the challenge of increasingly improving the level of play and adopting new strategies, as the quality of the rivals will now be greater.

He highlighted the performance of young talents such as Eduardo García and Yunior Yuri, with a great job today in the role of double pivots, the opportunities of the match created by Luis Javier Paradela, Karel Espino, Yasniel Matos, Dairon Reyes, as well as the defensive work of Carlos Alberto Cavafe and the excellent goalkeeping by Rayko Arozarena.

Yasniel Matos, scorer of the goal, referred to the good dynamic of the group and the desire of each player to go out on the field to give their best to improve in this sport, full of high quality players who are part of teams from other countries and Cuba.

He thanked the support of the Santiago fans and said that new objectives are coming for the team, such as fighting for qualification for the Copa América 2024 and the 2026 World Cup.

Carlos Alberto Cavafe, defender of the Cuban national team, referred to the satisfaction for the small steps they are currently taking and the illusion of being able to move up and grow with their own identity.