#717: Canada, Haiti Qualify for Gold Cup (fwd)

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From:nozier@tradewind.net

Sunday October 10 9:25 PM ET  Canada, Haiti Qualify for Gold Cup

 LOS ANGELES (AP) - Canada and Haiti emerged from the final day of a
four-team round-robin playoff with berths in the CONCACAF Gold Cup
soccer tournament. Carlo Corazzin's two first-half goals gave Canada a
2-1 victory over Haiti on Sunday in the first game of the doubleheader
 and a group-high seven points. Haiti qualified despite Cuba's 3-1
victory over El Salvador in the second game. Haiti and Cuba tied for
second with four points each, but Haiti's 1-0 victory over Cuba on
Friday night determined the final berth. The Gold Cup, the championship
for North America, Central America and the Caribbean, will take place
Feb. 12-27 in Los Angeles, Miami and San Diego. A draw will take place
Wednesday in New York to place the 12 teams in groups. The United States
has an automatic berth as the host nation. Corazzin scored his first
goal in the ninth minute when he volleyed Marc Bircham's cross off his
left foot from 6 yards. In the 43rd minute, Corazzin volleyed Jim
Brennan's cross with his right foot inside the left post.
 Haiti's Johny Descolines broke the shutout when he redirected hrismonor
Thelusma's corner kick in the 48th minute. But Haiti had to play with 10
men after Thelusma received a red card in the 75th minute. Cuba's
Serguey Prado scored the winning goal in the 75th minute when he
volleyed Pedro Baez's cross from 10 yards. Teammate Andres Roldan added
the final goal in second-half injury time.
 Manuel Bobadilla gave Cuba a 1-0 lead in the 44th minute but Raul Diaz
Arce's penalty kick tied the score three minutes later. El Salvador
played without midfielder Mauricio Cienfuegos, who was suspended for one
game after receiving a red card Friday night against Canada. Also
suspended were teammate Carlos Castro Borja and head coach Mario Perez,
who vehemently protested Cienfuegos' ejection at the end of the first
half Friday night.