HOUSTON, Texas, CMC – Guadeloupe charged to the top of Group D while eliminating Cuba with a dominant 4-1 win at Shell Energy Stadium Saturday night.
Matthias Phaeton, a 23-year-old forward who plays in the Bulgarian top flight, netted a brace in the 13th and 43rd minutes. At the same time, Ange Plumain (41st) and Anthony Baron (51st) also got on the scoresheet to earn the French Caribbean side their first win of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, following their draw with hosts Canada in Toronto last Tuesday.
Aricheell Hernández accounted for Cuba’s only goal from the spot in the 63rd.
The defeat for Cuba was their second, coming on the heels of their 1-0 loss to Guatemala in Fort Lauderdale, leaving them without a point with a game still to play.
In the other Group D game, Canada endured another disappointing result when they drew nil-all with Guatemala. They are now facing a do-or-die final-round clash with Cuba to reach the next stage of the confederation showpiece.
Phaeton highlighted the first-ever Gold Cup meeting between the two teams when he unleashed a 22-yard rocket to put Guadeloupe ahead.
Cuba thought they had equalized in the 38th minute when Maykel Reyes finished a clever move, only for the strike to be ruled off-side.
Guadeloupe capitalized, scoring twice in the last five minutes before the break. First, Plumain curled in a volley from the top of the 18-yard box before Phaeton added his second with a near-carbon copy of his first.
Baron erased any hope of a Cuba comeback moments after the resumption when he spun in the box, beat his two markers, and slotted home from close range, not long after Luis Paradela’s header shaved the crossbar for the Spanish-speaking Caribbean outfit.
Cuba finally got the tournament’s first goal, substitute Eduardo Hernández brought down in the area, and Aricheell Hernández sent goalkeeper Davy Rouyard the wrong way.
and then 