The New York Cosmos dominated Cuba 4-1 on Tuesday in a soccer friendly meant to promote better relations between the US and Cuba and demonstrate that baseball-mad Cuba is also becoming a soccer nation.
International goodwill was on display as the US flag was unfurled on the pitch and the US national anthem played before the match, both rarities in communist-governed Cuba.
However, the Cuban national team disappointed against a club from the second-tier North American Soccer League, falling behind 4-0 in the first half on two goals by Lucky Mkosana and one each from Sebastian Guenzatti and Hagop Chirishian.
Photo: AP
Cuba, who have not appeared in a World Cup since 1938, scored five minutes into the second half on a strike by Andy Baquero.
Raul, the former Real Madrid striker and Spain captain who is now the face of the New York Cosmos, went scoreless.
The Cosmos became the first US professional sports team to visit Cuba since detente in December last year, when US President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro announced they would seek to restore diplomatic relations that were severed in 1961.
A day-long rain dissuaded many fans who left empty the uncovered sections of the 28,000-seat Pedro Marrero Stadium.
Those who showed were in a festive mood, starting with chants for Brazilian soccer great Pele when he appeared from a balcony before the match. Pele, 74, a star from the Cosmos teams of the 1970s, was on his first visit to Cuba.
Fans even cheered the pre-match warm-ups, blowing horns and waving flags while cramped under a leaky corrugated metal roof on one side of the stadium.
Baseball remains Cuba’s national sport but soccer has gained in popularity, as evidenced by multiplying contests on dusty pitches and a proliferation of Real Madrid and Barcelona jerseys.
“I want Cuba to win but I came to follow Raul, the mythical No. 7 from Madrid,” said Raydel Aguirre, a 23-year-old graphic designer who paid 1 Cuban peso (US$0.05) for his ticket and was wearing the jersey of Real Madrid’s current No. 7, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Seated at midfield, Lionel Hernandez, 47, waved both Cuban and US flags from the same staff. He considered the match, and the new US-Cuban relations, to be momentous.
“Everything is advancing and this is part of it,” Hernandez said. “I’m not referring to the people, because there were never any differences between us, but politically, yes, this is progress.”
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two