…Cuba, Guyana in interesting final Group ‘D’ clash Sunday

BARBADOS and Cuba played to an amusing scoreless draw yesterday at the Leonora Track and Field Facility, on the second match-day of the CONCACAF Women’s U-17 Caribbean Qualifiers.
It was not the result Cuba’s head coach Lazra Ruiz Alfonso wanted, especially after he watched the girls from the Land of the Flying Fish defeat Guyana 5-1 on Wednesday.
Result meant that Cuba will now have to beat Guyana by five goals and, while for the ‘Lady Jags’ they will be playing for pride since technically the defeat against the Bajans, coupled with yesterday’s outcome, was enough to eliminate them from the competition.
Meanwhile, the game between Cuba and Barbados was one where both teams came out looking hungry, but, the ‘Bajans’ stuck to their script – play deep in the defence and let Cuba attack.
It was a plan that was evident from the opening whistle by referee Joanne Monestime, since Barbados didn’t attack much on the counter, but rather defended like their life was on the line. After all, the team would like to qualify for FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup next year in Uruguay.
Cuba came close on several occasions to scoring, but not as close as Elianne Valdes Sarmiento’s penalty midway through the second half.
Sarmiento was tasked with giving Cuba a lead and possibly the win, but her effort came crashing off the crossbar; much to the dismay of the vociferous Cubans supporters in the stands.
The game offered little after the missed penalty and when the referee signalled the end of the game, it was Barbados who celebrated as if they won, because of their superior goal difference in the group.