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Haiti and Cuba storm on
(FIFA.com) Sunday 14 October 2007
Cuba finished top of Caribbean preliminary Group G to secure their first passage to the final CONCACAF qualifying round for the Men's Olympic Football Tournament since 1984. They were in top form through their two matches as they edged hosts Trinidad & Tobago and tiny islanders Grenada.
First off the Leones del Caribe put in a fine performance against neighbours T&T in which the outstanding Roberto Linares Yalmacida scored one and Leonel Duarte added another. An own goal rounded out the scoring in a 3-0 win.
Yalmacida was on target again in an exacting 2-1 win over Grenada. Lyndon Antoine's equaliser was the first that the rampaging Cubans had conceded in 389 minutes of Caribbean qualifying for Beijing 2008, and they responded like true champions when Yalmacida grabbed the winner (and his second of the match) in the 67th minute. With four goals in two games, the Havana-based man will be one to watch when Cuba meet heavyweights USA, Mexico and Canada in the final round.
Hosts Haiti do enough
Haiti, whose senior side are current champions of the Caribbean, put on a similarly dominant performance to their Cuban neighbours over in the Group H triangular series, where they slipped past Jamaica and Bahamas.
The Haitians, who hosted the triangular, got off to the best possible start when Leonel Saint Preux and Alain Vubert both scored braces in a comprehensive 6-0 win over Bahamas. And needing only a draw in their second match on Saturday against a Jamaican outfit that had lost out to minnows Bahamas in their opener, Haiti played an effective counter-attacking game that was rewarded with a 2-1 win.
"The Haitians just dropped behind the ball, got very defensive as they knew what was needed for them to advance. Tactically they played well," said downcast Jamaica coach Wendell Downswell after seeing his side beaten by goals from Bidrece Azor and Fabrice Noel. "In a game like this we had to gamble somewhere down the line to see if we could get the goals."
Cuba and Haiti will both be fancying their chances when they meet up with the region's big guns in the final round of qualifying for Beijing 2008, at a venue and date yet to be confirmed. The eight-team round robin will also feature three Central American teams; Canada, Mexico and USA.
The two top finishers will progress to the Men's Olympic Football Tournament next summer in the Far East.
(FIFA.com) Sunday 14 October 2007
Cuba finished top of Caribbean preliminary Group G to secure their first passage to the final CONCACAF qualifying round for the Men's Olympic Football Tournament since 1984. They were in top form through their two matches as they edged hosts Trinidad & Tobago and tiny islanders Grenada.
First off the Leones del Caribe put in a fine performance against neighbours T&T in which the outstanding Roberto Linares Yalmacida scored one and Leonel Duarte added another. An own goal rounded out the scoring in a 3-0 win.
Yalmacida was on target again in an exacting 2-1 win over Grenada. Lyndon Antoine's equaliser was the first that the rampaging Cubans had conceded in 389 minutes of Caribbean qualifying for Beijing 2008, and they responded like true champions when Yalmacida grabbed the winner (and his second of the match) in the 67th minute. With four goals in two games, the Havana-based man will be one to watch when Cuba meet heavyweights USA, Mexico and Canada in the final round.
Hosts Haiti do enough
Haiti, whose senior side are current champions of the Caribbean, put on a similarly dominant performance to their Cuban neighbours over in the Group H triangular series, where they slipped past Jamaica and Bahamas.
The Haitians, who hosted the triangular, got off to the best possible start when Leonel Saint Preux and Alain Vubert both scored braces in a comprehensive 6-0 win over Bahamas. And needing only a draw in their second match on Saturday against a Jamaican outfit that had lost out to minnows Bahamas in their opener, Haiti played an effective counter-attacking game that was rewarded with a 2-1 win.
"The Haitians just dropped behind the ball, got very defensive as they knew what was needed for them to advance. Tactically they played well," said downcast Jamaica coach Wendell Downswell after seeing his side beaten by goals from Bidrece Azor and Fabrice Noel. "In a game like this we had to gamble somewhere down the line to see if we could get the goals."
Cuba and Haiti will both be fancying their chances when they meet up with the region's big guns in the final round of qualifying for Beijing 2008, at a venue and date yet to be confirmed. The eight-team round robin will also feature three Central American teams; Canada, Mexico and USA.
The two top finishers will progress to the Men's Olympic Football Tournament next summer in the Far East.