First-half goals from Sheldon Bateau and Andre Boucaud were enough to give Trinidad and Tobago a 2-0 win over Cuba in the Gold Cup at the University of Phoenix Stadium this evening.
The game's first chance did not arrive until after 15 minutes, and it fell to Trinidad when Lester Peltier caught hold of a pass from Daneil Cyrus to fire straight at the keeper in the Cuban goal.
The miss was not to matter too much, though, as Trinidad and Tobago went in front in the 17th minute, thanks to Bateau who finished adroitly to push his side ahead.
Cuba failed to create much in the first half, but they came close twice from distance after clever shots from both Ariel Martinez and Daniel Luis were denied by Jan Michael Williams down low.
Tobago took a vital two-goal lead into the break, however, when Boucaud profited from some neat knock-down play from a throw, before lashing wildly beyond the keeper from around 18 yards out.
Boucaud's side had further chances in the second half, but both Kenwyne Jones and Ataullah Guerra were denied down at the bottom corner by Cuban stopper Diosvelis Guerra.
Cuba might have established a tense finish late on had Martinez not seen his long-range effort creep wide, leaving Trinidad and Tobago to close out a comfortable win in Phoenix.
Christopher Dodd
USA
Jamaica
Saint Kitts
Mexico
Qatar
Honduras
Panama
Costa Rica
Canada
Cuba
