CUBA moved a step closer to advancing to the next round of the 2017 CONCACAF Under-17 Championship with a 2-1 win over Canada on Tuesday afternoon at the Estadio Maracana.
Yandry Romero and Manuel Cruz scored their first goals of the competition on either side of halftime for the Caribbean runners-up, who moved provisionally into first place in Group B.
Cuba took a 1-0 lead in the 26th minute, when Romero converted a rebound of Brian Savigne’s shot from the right side past goalkeeper Gianluca Catalano.
Cruz doubled the advantage in the 59th minute, latching on to a right-wing cross from Carlos Ibarra. He then beat two defenders and slotted the ball home past Catalano from six-yards out.
The Canadians pulled one back in the 71st minute as second-half substitute Alessandro Hojabrpour slipped in an eight-yard shot to the lower left post past goalkeeper Danny Echeverria.
Both sides return to action tomorrow with Cuba taking on Costa Rica while Canada will look to bounce back against Suriname. (Sportsmax)