Five Cuban Soccer Players Defect

Posted March 16, 2008 at 09:17 AM by Michael J. Sedor

Section: Events, Soccer, Tennis, Columns/Blogs, Michael Sedor

Five Cuban U-23 soccer players went missing from their Tampa, Fla. hotel following their 1-1 men’s soccer Olympic qualifying match Tuesday night. Players included star goalkeeper Jose Manuel Miranda and the assist man on their Wednesday goal Yordany Alvarez. Their apparent defection, first reported by ESPN Deportes, elicits some vital questions from this American soccer fan: why couldn’t they have done it before the U.S.A. match? Then the Stars and Stripes would have definitely won.

Or why couldn’t the Cubans have waited until the group stage was over? You see, Cuba’s team now tops out at a wobbly 15 players. Their depleted squad, now bereft of its best talent, will offer little resistance to its Honduran and Panamanian opponents. In addition to the disappearances, Cuba’s lone tournament goal scorer, Roberto Linares, received a dubious red card at the end of the U.S. match making him ineligible for their upcoming game against Honduras. It seems that you can chalk up easy victories for their delighted future adversaries.

In other missing persons news, Andy Roddick has officially decided to skip the Beijing Olympics in favor of playing in Washington, D.C.’s Legg Mason Classic. We understand Andy. Who can resist Washington D.C. in August with its 100-degree weather, 100% humidity, and empty everyone-in-Rehoboth streets? Not us. Maybe he’ll even go to the International Spy Museum and learn about clandestine Cold War defections.

To be fair, Andy’s patriotic spirit is unquestionable. He has represented the U.S. at all turns in the Davis Cup and competed four years ago in August. He cites U.S. Open prep as his Beijing withdrawal reason. We’re on Andy’s side and wish him success in preventing Roger Federer from winning his fifth straight U.S. Open.

Sources: [ESPN]

Photo courtesy of Michael and Gabrielle Sedor.