CUBA REACT TO BEAT BARBADOS

Cuba lifted a 3-0 déficit to beat Barbados 4-3 in the opener of the sixth day of the 8th men's Junior Pan-American Championship, which is being held at the Antonio Maceo stadium in Santiago de Las Vegas, 25 kilometres South of La Havana.

This tournament will qualify the top three for the World Championship to take place from June 29 to July 10 in Rotterdam, Holland.

Barbados surprised the hosts and their followers because of their speed and accurate play. With an offensive scheme the visitors opened the score, in the fifth minute, through Randy Jules, increasing the lead - in the 11th minute - by Laurando Davis from a corner rebound.

Cuba tried to advance, but was overwhelmed throughout the field and they never found the way to harm their rivals.

Meanwhile, Barbados defended well taking control of the midfield to dominate the first 35 minutes.

It was expected a Cuban reaction after half-time, but Barbados netted again - five minutes from the re-start - through Jamar Small from a penalty corner.

It seemed that Barbados would win the match easily, but the home side reacted and pushed by their noisy and passionate fans surprised the visitors, pressing them towards their back row.

Then, in the 45th minute, Cuba scored through Alberto Díaz from a penalty corner.

Barbados, meanwhile, tried to take advantage of the counter-attack and then - in the 48th minute - missed an incredible chance to increase the lead when Neil Franklin's penalty stroke weak shot was saved by Cuban keeper Leodán Hernández.

And Barbados paid for this, as Cuba converted again - in the 50th minute - through Walberto Olivares - from a powerful dragged corner shot.

At that time, Cuba dominated the match throughout the field, cutting Barbados' circulation. Then, the equalizer arrived - in the 57th minute - when a Cuban player was knocked down inside the circle and Lázaro Aguilera netted the 3-3 from a penalty stroke.

But Cuba was not satisfied, and six minutes later, scored the winning goal by Orlando Quirola while Cuban fans noisily celebrated their team amazing victory.

Barbados: Francis; Small, Puckerin, Payne, Henry; Franklin, Forde, Jules; Davis; Harding and Clarke. Also played: Phillips, Griffith, Rice and Hutson. Coach: Peter Chase.

Cuba: Hernández; González, Caballero, Arley Díaz, Barzaga; Dieguez, Risquet, Olivares; Aguilera; Makenci and Quirola. Also played: Castillo, Alberto Díaz and Herrera. Coach: Yumai Oliva.

Umpires: Javier Palomo (Mexico) and Daniel Gonzáles (Peru).

Booking - Yellow cards: 31m, Dieguez (C); 41m, Olivares (C). Green cards: 31m, Dieguez (C); 51m, Davis (B); 56m, Quirola (C); 64m, Risquet (C); 65m, Forde (B); 67m, Aguilera (C).

UNITED STATES BEAT JAMAICA, JUMP TO SECOND PLACE

In the second match of the day, United States defeated Jamaica 3-0 in a lacklustre and boring match.

With this result, the US team jumped to the second spot of the Group A with six points and better goal difference than Cuba, who also have six units.

Jamaica opposed a tough resistance against the United States, in the first 35 minutes of the match, with another excellent performance by keeper Donovan Shakespeare.

The North Americans were superior, but appeared imprecise in midfield and in front of Jamaica's goal. However, they went to half-time leading 2-0 with goals by captain Patrick Harris, in the 14th minute, and his brother Sean, six minutes later.

The match did not change after the break as United States continuing attacking to increase their lead to 3-0, from Patrick Harris again, in the 41st minute, from a penalty corner.

The slow rhythm of the match did not change and finally the US took a deserved victory.

Jamaica: Shakespeare; Fisher, McGlashen, Levy, Wheatley; Jones, K. Smith, Gardiner, Richards; Beach and Davis. Also played: Fisher, Burke, Kelly, Marshall and Duncan. Coach: Michael Broadber.

United States: Saez; Sherburne, Maham, Freundlich; P. Harris, Ginolfi, Farooqui, S. Harris; R. Jordan, D. Jordan and Cunningham. Also played: Pile, Niles, Grenwall, Scally and Zayac. Coach: Nicholas Conway.

Umpires: Armando Bajares (Venezuela) and Sukh Bajwa (Canada).

Booking - Green cards: 8m, R. Jordan (US), 47m, Mahan (US); 68m, Davis (J).

MEXICO WIN, JUMP TO TOP

Mexico obtained an overwhelming victory over Puerto Rico by 14-0 in the third match of the day to jump to the top of the eighth Men's Junior Pan-American Championship, but with one more match played.

Mexico had to struggle to break the opposition of an organized Puerto Rico. Only after 18 minutes, the Mexican could defeat their rivals resistance when Reyson Aguayo opened the score.

From then on, Mexico appeared more accurate in their combinations to net two more to go to the break leading 3-0.

Oscar Galván from a corner rebound, in the 23rd minute, and César García, four minutes later, obtained the 3-0 half-time lead for Mexico.

Mexico kept the pace of the second half, reaching Puerto Rico's circle several times, to net 11 goals more against a Puerto Rican team who had lost completely control of the ball.

Five of the goals of the second half were netted by Edgar García - in the 54th, 56th, 64th, 66th and 69th minutes, while the others were got by Jorge Gómez (in the 48th and 55th); captain Roberto García (in the 40th and 57th, the latter from a penalty stroke); Galván, in the 41st minute, and Aguayo, in the 59th.

Puerto Rico: González; Ortiz, Rivera, Figueras, C. Feliciano; León, Basora, Colón; Cruz, O. Feliciano and Márquez. Also played: Rodríguez, Fernández, F. Maldonado and Machado. Coach: Carlos Ríos.

Mexico: Vargas; Galván, Zuleta, R. García, Reyes; Gallegos, Martínez, Ríos Benítez; E. García, Gómez and C. García. Also played: Aguayo, Borquez and Correa. Coach: Jaime Chávez.

Umpires: Kim Hong Lae (Korea) and Roger Broomes (Barbados).

Booking - Yellow card: 23m, Galván (M).

ANOTHER OVERWHELMING WIN FOR T&T

Trinidad & Tobago demolished a young and inexperienced Venezuela 19-0 in the last match of the day to climb provisionally to the third place, but with one more match than Canada, who also have six points.

With eight goals from Wayne Legerton (in the second, 16th, 20th, 26th, 34th, 46th, 54th and 68th minutes); five by Kiel Murray (in the 11th, 42nd, 43rd, 57th and 58th); and the rest through Akim Toussaint (35th and 47tH); Alan Henderson (three minutes from the start); Joel Bodkin, in the fifth minute; Ezekiel Cupid, in the 28th, and Brent Graham, in the final minute, Trinidad & Tobago took the victory.

Trinidad & Tobago: Thompson; Graham, Hume, Rambaran, Luces; Henderson, Cowie, Baptiste; Murray, Legerton and Bodkin. Also played: Cupid, Toussaint, Craig and Pierre. Coach: Richard Quan Chan.

Venezuela: Quiñones; Jones, Lizardi, Galavis, Gutiérrez; Serrano, S. Kaiser, Gamboa; Tovar, Guilarte and Alvizu. Also played: R. Kaiser, Tuset, Rodríguez and Rico. Coach: Lucas Piccioli.

Umpires: Luis Villa (Cuba) and Daniel López (Uruguay).