BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — THE Sugar Boyz crashed out of Gold Cup contention following a 4-0 defeat to Cuba in Havana this afternoon.
After narrowly winning the first leg at home last week, the Sugar Boyz needed just a draw to secure a spot in the CONCACAF Gold Cup qualifying round. However, they were outplayed by a more intense and higher-ranked Cuban side.
Playing under bright skies at the Estadio Antonio Maceo in Santiago de Cuba, Onel Hernández opened the scoring in the 40th minute, weaving through the left flank before unleashing a powerful strike from the edge of the penalty area.
Yosel Piedra extended Cuba's lead in stoppage time of the first half (45+3') with a precise shot from just outside the penalty box, giving the hosts a commanding advantage on aggregate.
Despite their efforts to mount a comeback in the second half, the Sugar Boyz struggled to penetrate Cuba's defense and were placed under constant pressure. Luis Paradela, who scored Cuba’s lone goal in the first leg, found the net again in the 50th minute with a close-range finish following a clever assist from Yasnier Matos.
Maykel Reyes sealed the victory for Cuba with a penalty in the 87th minute, rounding out a dominant performance by the home side.
Cuba advanced to the Gold Cup Prelims with a 5-2 aggregate win, leaving the Sugar Boyz to regroup as they prepare to resume their FIFA World Cup qualification campaign.
