
{"id":329562,"date":"2025-10-11T16:21:36","date_gmt":"2025-10-11T20:21:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/?p=329562"},"modified":"2025-10-13T11:02:06","modified_gmt":"2025-10-13T15:02:06","slug":"u-20-world-cup-cuba-didnt-participate-it-competed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/cuba\/sports-cuba\/u-20-world-cup-cuba-didnt-participate-it-competed\/","title":{"rendered":"U-20 World Cup: Cuba didn\u2019t participate, it competed"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Over the past few days, Cuban soccer has dominated sports headlines, both on and off the island. And with good reason. In the group stage of the U-20 World Cup being held in Chile, the Cuban national team produced one of the most surprising performances ever recorded by a national team in international tournaments.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">At first glance, the group they were assigned to invited pessimism. With Argentina, Italy and Australia as rivals, all that was left was to cross their fingers and pray to the soccer gods so they wouldn\u2019t return from the World Cup adventure with their heads down and their bags full of goals.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/CUB-ITA-2.jpg\" alt=\"Cuban players celebrate with the fans at the end of a U-20 World Cup match between Italy and Cuba at the El\u00edas Figueroa Brander Stadium in Valpara\u00edso, Chile. EFE\/Adriana Thomasa.\u00a0\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cuban players celebrate with the fans at the end of a U-20 World Cup match between Italy and Cuba at the El\u00edas Figueroa Brander Stadium in Valpara\u00edso, Chile. EFE\/Adriana Thomasa.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">However, nothing could be further from the truth. Against all odds, our team are returning from the Andes with a point snatched from Italy, four goals scored in three matches, and without having suffered a single defeat.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The World Cup, however, didn\u2019t start in the best way for the Cubans. By the fourth minute of play, Argentina had already scored the first and the shadow of a rout was beginning to loom over the El\u00edas Figueroa Stadium in Valpara\u00edso.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/CUB-ARG-3.jpg\" alt=\"Cuba\u2019s Alessio Raballo (left) battles for the ball with Argentina\u2019s Juan Villalba during a U-20 World Cup match between Cuba and Argentina at the El\u00edas Figueroa Stadium in Valpara\u00edso, Chile. EFE\/Adriana Thomasa.\u00a0\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cuba\u2019s Alessio Raballo (left) battles for the ball with Argentina\u2019s Juan Villalba during a U-20 World Cup match between Cuba and Argentina at the El\u00edas Figueroa Stadium in Valpara\u00edso, Chile. EFE\/Adriana Thomasa.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">However, the early expulsion of a Argentine defender allowed the Cubans to close the gap for a few minutes. Even so, it was the Argentines who extended their lead, scoring the second goal despite being down a man.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Just before halftime, our team pulled one back through Karel P\u00e9rez. The captain pushed a ball that had fluttered across the six-yard box after a corner kick, making it 2-1.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/CUB-ARG-5.jpg\" alt=\"Cuban players celebrate a goal during a U-20 World Cup match between Cuba and Argentina at the El\u00edas Figueroa Stadium in Valpara\u00edso, Chile. EFE\/Adriana Thomasa\u00a0\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cuban players celebrate a goal during a U-20 World Cup match between Cuba and Argentina at the El\u00edas Figueroa Stadium in Valpara\u00edso, Chile. EFE\/Adriana Thomasa<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">In the second half, Pedro Pablo Pereira\u2019s team focused more on goal average than on winning the match. Even so, Argentina managed to extend its lead shortly before the final whistle, with a shot from a poor angle that perhaps goalkeeper Yurdy Hodel\u00edn could have done more with.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The second match arrived with a closer score than anyone would have predicted for the debut. Like Argentina in its first match, Italy seemed immense, unbeatable. And they probably would have been if not for the fact that, after scoring two goals against us in the first half, an opposing player was once again sent off. Two individual plays by the promising Jade Qui\u00f1ones on Idorissou forced the European to commit a foul. Two yellow cards and he was sent off.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/CUB-ITA-9.jpg\" alt=\"Cuba\u2019s Jade Qui\u00f1ones controls the ball during a U-20 World Cup match between Italy and Cuba at the El\u00edas Figueroa Brander Stadium in Valpara\u00edso, Chile. EFE\/Adriana Thomasa \" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cuba\u2019s Jade Qui\u00f1ones controls the ball during a U-20 World Cup match between Italy and Cuba at the El\u00edas Figueroa Brander Stadium in Valpara\u00edso, Chile. EFE\/Adriana Thomasa<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Thus, Cuba faced the second half with an extra man on the pitch. And, with the lesson learned from the first match, the team went all out on the attack. The strategy paid off: with two penalties accurately awarded by the referee \u2014 and perfectly executed by Michael Camejo \u2014 Cuban soccer pulled off one of the biggest surprises in its recent history by drawing 2-2 against Italy.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Thus, Cuba entered the third match with a real chance of advancing to the quarterfinals. Something that not even the most optimistic would have imagined at the start of the tournament. A victory against Australia, depending on other results, could allow us to qualify as runners-up in our group or as one of the four best third-place finishers.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/CUB-AUS-11.jpg\" alt=\"Cuban players line up before a Group D match of the U-20 World Cup between Australia and Cuba at the Julio Mart\u00ednez Pr\u00e1danos National Stadium in Santiago, Chile. EFE\/Esteban Garay.\u00a0\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cuban players line up before a Group D match of the U-20 World Cup between Australia and Cuba at the Julio Mart\u00ednez Pr\u00e1danos National Stadium in Santiago, Chile. EFE\/Esteban Garay.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">But this time, fate had other plans. In a back-and-forth match, with opportunities for both sides, it was the team from the southern continent who opened the scoring with an unstoppable individual play, scoring the second after a resounding error by international Diego Catasus and the third following a clumsy clearance by goalkeeper Yurdy Hodel\u00edn. Cuba scored the honor goal from a cross from Samuel Rodr\u00edguez that Alessio Raballo finished in an unorthodox manner.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Some might say there\u2019s no paradise without a red card. And they wouldn\u2019t be wrong. Although it should also be remembered that the expulsions that favored us were, in every case, fair and earned thanks to the skill of our players.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/CUB-AUS-9.jpg\" alt=\"Lucas Herrington (left) of Australia fights for the ball with Alessio Raballo (right) of Cuba during a Group D match of the U-20 World Cup between Australia and Cuba at the Julio Mart\u00ednez Pr\u00e1danos National Stadium in Santiago, Chile. EFE\/Esteban Garay. \" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lucas Herrington (left) of Australia fights for the ball with Alessio Raballo (right) of Cuba during a Group D match of the U-20 World Cup between Australia and Cuba at the Julio Mart\u00ednez Pr\u00e1danos National Stadium in Santiago, Chile. EFE\/Esteban Garay.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The Cubans, in terms of results, exceeded all expectations. On an island where the gloom erased their smiles, people \u2014 for a few days \u2014 smiled again thanks to sports. And they did so to the rhythm of the least expected: that of kicking a ball. This time performed by twenty-one teenagers, from here and there, who dared to look history in the face and say: \u201cI\u2019m coming for you.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">In the places where many of them grew up, soccer cleats are a luxury, the ball is anything that rolls and the goalposts are two stones in the middle of the street. Facing them were players trained in the best soccer academies in the world; some even earned playing time in their respective countries\u2019 first division.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">It seemed like a dream, but we didn\u2019t dream it: Cuba not only went to a World Cup, but <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">competed<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"gtx-trans\" style=\"position: absolute; left: 344px; top: 74.5455px;\">\n<div class=\"gtx-trans-icon\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Despite facing powerhouses like Argentina and Italy, the Cuban national team stood up and left an impression that was as dignified as it was unexpected. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3768,"featured_media":329566,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[33528],"tags":[22347,14967,35050],"ppma_author":[34872],"class_list":["post-329562","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports-cuba","tag-cuban-soccer","tag-cuban-sports","tag-world-cup"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>U-20 World Cup: Cuba didn\u2019t participate, it competed | OnCubaNews English<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"U-20 World Cup: Over the past few days, Cuban soccer has dominated sports headlines, both on and off the island.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link 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