Cuba defied the odds and booked a berth in the Gold Cup quarter-finals against regional powerhouse United States with a 1-0 win over Guatemala in their final game of group stage on Wednesday. In a thrilling night match, Yohance Marshall scored in the final seconds of injury time as Trinidad and Tobago rallied from a pair of second-half deficits to earn a 4-4 draw with Mexico in one of the wildest matches in tournament history. Maikel Reyes scored on a perfectly-timed header as the short-handed Cubans overcame a disastrous start to the tournament which saw them besieged by goals.
Cuba gave up eight goals in their first two contests, including a 6-0 rout in the opener to Mexico. They suffered the embarrassment of having two players, Keiler Garcia and Arael Arguellez, go missing and they are believed to have defected. Cuba is also without midfielder Aricheel Hernandez, who has had visa problems. Reyes crashed his way between two defenders to drive home a perfect cross from teammate Alberto Gomez in the 73rd minute at Bank of America Stadium. Reyes' strike was the only goal of the group stage for Cuba but it was all they would need to reach the round of eight for the second straight time and third overall.
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