(By Rawle Toney, in Fort Lauderdale (Compliments of: Guyana Lottery Company, Shi Oil and STAG Beer)
FRENCH Guiana will advance to play Trinidad and Tobago on Tuesday, following the cancellation of the French-speaking South American country’s clash with Cuba.

Cuba and French Guiana were scheduled to play in the second game of today’s Gold Cup preliminary triple-header at the DRV PNK Stadium, but just before the conclusion of the Guadalupe vs The Bahamas encounter, the announcement was made of the game being cancelled.In a statement, organisers, CONCACAF, said they were “in regular communication with the Cuban Football Association regarding their travel to the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup Preliminary Round (Prelims).”

“Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 related travel and visa challenges, and the required COVID-19 testing regime, their match tonight against French Guiana will not take place. Given the current public health situation and the ongoing need for protocols to be adhered to, the health and safety of the participating teams cannot be compromised,” according to CONCACAF.

The Miami Herald reported that Cuba’s team spent the week in Nicaragua training, and were expected to arrive in South Florida on Thursday but were unable to make the trip. International travel has been more difficult due to COVID-19 protocols, slowing the visa process.

Canal Caribe, a Cuban television station, aired an interview Friday with Oliet Rodriguez, the commissioner of the Cuban football federation, who had remained hopeful, adding that “the visa situation of the Cuban national team remains the same. Even if it is necessary to arrive and go directly to the field, we will still have the conviction that we can have a good result. We hope the situation can be resolved and we can satisfy the Cuban people who love football and who expect so much from this team that has been growing.”

Cuba’s participation in this Gold Cup, according to reports, was highly anticipated because the roster includes 18 players who play professionally abroad, including forward Onel Hernandez, a Cuban-German dual national who plays for Norwich City in England.
Last year, Hernandez became the first Cuban to play in the English Premier League.

Hernandez, 28, was called to the national team in March and scored two goals in World Cup qualifying matches.
Only five players on the roster are based in Cuba, a major shift in Cuba’s national team selection process. In the past, the entire roster was domestic. Players who made a living elsewhere were not considered for national team duty. Over the years, several players defected during the Gold Cup tournament and other international trips.

In recent months, Cuba chose to invite players who left the island with their parents as children and players who were given permission to go abroad, such as Tulsa FC defender Jorge Corrales, who is back on the national team for the first time in six years.
The Soca Warriors, a team seeking redemption and a turn-around from their administrative and team woes, dumped Montserrat out of the Gold Cup Prelims, following their 6-1 drubbing on Friday evening.

Meanwhile, Guadeloupe with goals from former France Youth player Matthias Phaeton (61’) and Raphael Mirval (67’), edged The Bahamas 2-0.
Guadeloupe will now play the winners before Guyana and Guatemala. That match was the final of two games played yesterday.