National Stadium, Kingston, Jamaica: Lion tamers Grenada continued their DCC Cinderella story with a 6-5 penalty shootout victory to lower the curtain on the highly favoured Cuban’s Digicel Caribbean Championships.
This semifinals’ showdown settled into a rhythm early, and as expected it was Cuba who dominated the early proceedings; their crisp accurate passing and good wide play forcing Grenada onto the back foot. However, two early attacks were wayward when it came time to finish for Cuba.
Grenada has one of the most feared attackers in the tournament in Kithson Bain, but it’s the lanky Ricky Charles that gives the Spice Boyz some extra flavour from the midfield. Charles was at his determined best and offered Grenada’s first go at goal in minute six. Charles would be involved in Grenada’s next attack, when his free-kick was handled in the box by Leonel Duarte. With no option but to point to the spot, a penalty was awarded. At first it looked like skipper Anthony Modeste might take it but following his previous miss from the spot, Ricky Charles was given the dubious honour and duly dispatched to give Grenada the go ahead goal in minute 12.
Cuba would counter just four minutes later; Joel Colome somehow managed to dig out a shot with the ball beneath him from just beside the defensive D, Colome’s shot somehow skidded through the Grenada backline before creeping past a diving Noel in goal, returning the score line to an even keel.
Cuba’s canceller got Grenada going and the game opened up into a less rigid affair, with both teams beginning to play in the style to which they have become accustomed. Cuba, as expected, went on the attack and came close when an off colour Duarte skied his side footed strike after some neat buildup into the box from Colome.
Despite a period of uncharacteristically sloppy passing from the Cuban’s, the Lion’s were able to wrest control of the fixture for the first time in minute 33 when Grenada got caught with a high line. As the ball was looped through into the space by Reysandry Fernandez there was only ever going to be one player to get to it first and that’s the road runner Roberto Linares, who made up five yards on his marker before lobbing it over the head of Noel in goal to give Cuba what they felt was a deserving 2-1 lead at the halftime break.
Complacency was not an option for Cuba, especially with one of the tournament’s top scorers in Kithson Bain on the prowl; the former QPR striker has been in electrifying form this season, and has displayed his pedigree in the DCC with 5 goals already. But Grenada was finding chances difficult to come by, as Cuba continued to look capable at the back. However Grenada did generate some chances; Marcus Julien’s audacious run through the center of Cuba’s rear command saw him felled with a sniper tackle by the impressive Yenier Marquez. Kithson Bain then decided to make himself a pain to the Cuban defense, by dropping a little deeper and unleashing from a distance, one effort forcing Hoez to shovel over the bar from 25 yards.
At the other end, Man of the match Desmond Noel was the reason Grenada remained within striking distance, as only a series of world class stops could prevent Cuba from extending their advantage. On the subject of striking distance, Bain’s tactic worked, having dropped deep to strike moments before, in minute 81 he somehow burrowed his way through the Cuban defense on willpower alone, before finishing low past the goalkeeper to register the goal that lead to extra time.
After a scoreless end to the extra period, the dreaded penalty shootout was the last resort. Grenada and Cuba would both complete their 5 penalty set with just one miss apiece, with Kithson Bain the culprit for Grenada and Jaine Colome at fault for Cuba. But with the stage set, Reysandry Fernandez dragged his shot wide to inflict sudden death on Cuba’s Tournament hopes, as the Lions go out with a whimper at the penultimate hurdle of the Digicel Caribbean Championships.
Cuba (Team List): 2. Silvio Minoso, 3. Yenier Marquez, 4. Hanier Dranquet (5. Jorge Clavelo min-70), 6. Joel Colome (17. Luis Vallegas min-101), 8. Alianni Urgelles, 9. Alain Cervantes, 10. Roberto Linares, 12. Odelin Molina Hoez, 14. Jaine Colome, 15. Leonel Duarte (13. Ariel Martinez min-54), 16. Reysandry Fernandez
Subs: 1. Danny Quinteros Chevans, 7. Lazaro Alfonso, 11. Jensse Munos, 18. Mario Ruiz Leonard
Grenada (Team list): 3. Shannon Phillip, 4. Cassim Langaigne, 6. Marc Marshall, 9. Ricky Charles, 10. Kithson Bain, 11. Anthony Modeste, 13. Dwayne Leo, 14. Marcus Julien (19. Fimbar Williams min-75), 17. Kwan Baptiste, (23. Junior Williams min-90), 25. Shane Rennie, 30. Desmond Noel (GK)
Subs: 1. James Raeburn, 5. Michael Mark, 22. Marcus Douglas, 27. Marvin Fredericks,
Referee: Roberto Moreno (PAN).
