GOLNOIR



	CUBA NEWS & SCORES Cuba advances after 4-0 win HAVANA (AP/Yahoo)—Cuba advanced to a politically charged semifinal group with the United States in qualifying for the 2010 World Cup, defeating Antigua and Barbuda 4-0 on Sunday night as Roberto Linares scored three goals. Cuba won the home-and-home, total-goal series 8-3 and will be with the U.S., Guatemala and Trinidad and Tobago in Group One of the North and Central American and Caribbean region. Cuba hosts the Americans on Sept. 6 or 7 and plays the U.S. at Washington’s RFK Stadium on Oct. 11. The top two nations in the group advance to next year’s regional finals. The top three teams in the finals qualify for the 2010 tournament in South Africa, and the No. 4 team plays the No. 5 nation from South America in a playoff for another berth. The United States is 5-1-1 against the Cubans, but has never played in Cuba. The teams have not met in a World Cup qualifier since 1949, when they played twice in Mexico City. Following a 1-1 tie against the Cubans, the Americans won the final match 5-2 and advanced to the 1950 tournament, where they upset England. Complete Story Cuba moves on to the semifinal round (AP Photo/Javier Galeano) Cuba wins shootout The last of the twelve second-round ties in North, Central America and the Caribbean is now underway as Cuba managed a slim win over Antigua and Barbuda in a 4-3 goal feast in St. John's. Kerry Skepple, who scored in a recent friendly with St. Kitts, grabbed the opener for the home side in only the 9th minute of the first leg of the CONACACAF region's second round of qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™. Cuba's Jaine Valencia drew level just a minute later, but Skepple struck again shortly after in the 13th minute to put the hosts up. Cuban Yoel Colome equalised in the 22nd minute, and Valencia made it 3-2 for Cuba with his second of the night on 74 minutes. The home crowd at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium thought their side had earned a share of the points when Tyio Simon made it 3-3 in the 81st minute, but Leonel Pla silenced the supporters for good to give the Cubans a 4-3 win with just five minutes to go. Complete Story SCOREBOARD 2010 WORLD CUP QUALIFYING (Semifinal Round) 10/11/08 at Washington, DC, USA USA 6 v. Cuba 1 9/10/08 at Guatemala City, Guatemala Guatemala 4 Cuba 1 8/20/08 at Havana, Cuba Cuba 1 Trinidad and Tobago 3 2010 WORLD CUP QUALIFYING (Preliminary Round) 6/22/08 at Havana, Cuba Cuba 4 Antigua and Barbuda 0 6/17/08 at St. John's, St. Kitts and Nevis Antigua and Barbuda 3 Cuba 4 SCHEDULE/FIXTURES 2010 WORLD CUP QUALIFYING (Semifinal Round) 10/15/08 at Havana, Cuba Cuba v. Guatemala 11/19/08 at Port of Spain, Trinidad Trinidad and Tobago v. Cuba Back to Preceeding Page










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