Cuba beat TT Youths in final

That result completed a miserable day for Trinidad and Tobago, after the Soca Warriors lost 1-0 away to Haiti in a friendly international, while the Girls’ Under-15 were beaten 3-2 by Jamaica in the CFU Girls Invitational final.

Randy Lizama and his replacement Osvaldo Lemus were the goal-scorers for the Cubans while Ross Russell pulled one back for Trinidad and Tobago.

Cuba made two changes to the their squad who eliminated Haiti 5-4 in a penalty shoot-out on Friday while Trinidad and Tobago kept the same starters who defeated Jamaica 3-1 in extra time.

Influential TT captain Jerrel Britto had a couple of early chances to put his squad ahead - in the 13th, he got a pass from his strike partner Cordel Cato but his right-footer was saved by goalkeeper Odisnel Copper; a minute later Britto hit a right-footed half-volley overbar while, in the 16th, Britto teed up Cato who, on the run, had his effort denied by Copper.

The Cubans asserted themselves in the game with quick passing and aggressive tackling, which unsettled the TT squad, especially left-back Shaquille Stewart, who needlessly lost possession to forward Yaudel Lahera in the 33rd but the Cuban hit the side-netting.

Cuba broke the deadlock in the 47th, as Lizama met a left-sided free-kick from his captain Luis Portal and headed past the right-hand of goalie John Thomas.

Trinidad and Tobago tried valiantly for the equaliser, with Copper doing well to deny a shot from midfielder Shahdon Winchester in the 54th, following a free-kick by Britto; while Cato gathered a deep ball from Stewart but his 57th minute close-range shot hit the crossbar.

Winchester found Britto with a pair of neat passes, in the 68th and 79th, but the earlier shot went overbar and the second try was saved.

Cuba weathered those storms and extended their lead in the 83rd, through Lemus, who drilled his left-footer past Thomas following a defensive breakdown.

Russell met a long ball from fellow substitute Moriba Ballah and drove home his left-footer, in stoppage time, but the trophy, by then, was already secured by the Cubans.

Teams -

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO: John Thomas; Reshad Wint, Zavion Navarro, Omarr Charles (Moriba Ballah 77th), Shaquille Stewart; Ryan Fredericks, Kylon Gay (Ross Russell 59th), Luke Hernandez (Vernell Ramirez 68th), Shahdon Winchester; Cordel Cato, Jerrel Britto (capt).

CUBA: Odisnel Copper; Daniel Cantero, Yadien Ortiz, Yandri Prieto, Alejandro Marquez; Osdani Soto, Randy Lizama (Osvaldo Lemus 76th), Luis Portal (capt), Over Urgellez (Liosvel Hernandez 82nd); Raidel Fernandez (Humberto Puig 69th), Yaudel Lahera.