Soca Warriors open Finals against Cuba
By Ian Prescott (T&T Express)
Trinidad and Tobago will play the opening match of the the 2010 Digicel Caribbean Cup Finals against an always dangerous Cuban team on Friday November 26 at the Stade Dillon, Fort-de-France, Martinique.
T&T's Soca Warriors open the Finals with a 6 p.m. meeting with Cuba, while hosts Martinique face Grenada in the 8.30 p.m. second match of the double-header in Fort-de-France.
The Caribbean Cup Finals eight-team field was completed yesterday after Cuba won Group G qualifying following a 0-0 draw with Antigua and Barbuda , who also qualified for the Finals, which will be held from November 26-December 5 in the French Caribbean island.
The line-up consists of defending champions Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Guadeloupe, Cuba, Guyana, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada and hosts Martinique.
Trinidad and Tobago have found Cuba difficult opponents over the years. Cuba last beat Bertille St Clair·s Soca Warriors at the 2005 Digicel Cup Finals, but T&T have won their last four meetings, including 3-1 in Cuba and 3-0 in Trinidad in 2008 during qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Yesterday, Cuba won their place in the Finals after drawing goalless with hosts Antigua before a massive home crowd at the Antigua Recreation Ground in St John's.
Both teams finished with five points, but Cuba were group winners via a +2 super goal-average.
Suriname finished third on four points after blanking Dominica 5-0.
Longstanding bitter rivals Cuba and Antigua started the game at a quick pace.
Cuba came closest to scoring on 36 minutes when Armando Isidoro found himself in front of Antiguan keeper Keita Decastro, but his lobbed effort bounced off the cross bar and away. Isidoro again had a chance after a great cut back from strike partner Duarte Pla, but his effort was blocked on the line by Mack and cleared away.
Pla had the chance of the match on 41 minutes when he raced clear from the halfway line for a one-on-one with Decastro. The Antiguan keeper held his nerve, stood tall and smothered Pla·s effort to the relief of the screaming home crowd.
The second half started at the same quick pace and the Antiguan crowd did not have long to wait until their team had the ball in the net after a lovely strike from Jamie Thomas flew in off the post, only for Jamaica ref Courtney Campbell to rule out any celebrations as he had called for an infringement moments before Thomas·s effort.
2010 DIGICEL CARIBBEAN CUP FINALS:
GROUP H--Trinidad & Tobago, Cuba, Martinique, Grenada
GROUP I--Jamaica, Guadeloupe, Antigua & Barbuda, Guyana
