El Salvador beats Cuba in qualifying
(Associated Press, 03.24.12)
NASHVILLE — Andres Flores scored twice to lead El Salvador over Cuba 4-0 on Saturday in qualifying for the men’s Olympic soccer tournament.
El Salvador plays the United States on Monday, and the top two teams in the group advance to the semifinals of North and Central America and the Caribbean. The semifinal winners on March 31 qualify for London.
Lester Blanco put El Salvador ahead in the fourth minute. Cuban captain Carlos Domingo Francisco was ejected in the 49th for his second yellow card, assessed after he stepped on Blanco’s calf. Flores scored four minutes later off a pass from Isidro Gutierrez. Richard Menjivar scored in the 69th minute, and Flores got his second goal in the 80th minute just an El Salvador shot clanked off the crossbar.
SCORING SUMMARY
ES — Léster Blanco 4′
ES — Andrés Flores 52′
ES — Richard Menjivar 68′
ES — Andrés Flores 80′
DISCIPLINE SUMMARY
CUB — Yellow Card — Dairon Blanco (5′)
CUB — Yellow Card — Carlos Francisco (25′)
CUB — Yellow Card — Arichel Hernández (40′)
CUB — Yellow/Red Card — Carlos Francisco (49′)
CUB — Yellow Card — Osay Martínez (61′)
CUBA LINEUP
Manager: Raul González Triana
Odisnel Cooper
Carlos Francisco
Renay Malblanche
Yoisel Salazar
Maikel Chang
Dairon Blanco
Osay Martínez
Evier Cordovéz González
Yosmel De Armas
Jorge Fariñas (Ricardo Peña Domínguez 57′)
Arichel Hernández (Daniel Luis 61′)
EL SALVADOR LINEUP
Manager: Mauricio Alfaro
Yimmy Cuéllar
Xavier García
Milton Molina (Elman Rivas 73′)
Alexander Larín
Alexander Mendoza
Léster Blanco
Andrés Flores
Diego Chavarría
Jaime Alas (Edwin Sánchez 82′)
Herbert Sosa
Richard Menjivar (Isidro Gutiérrez 46′)