By the Caribbean Journal staff
Cuba shut out Belize, 4-0, on Tuesday to advance to the quarterfinals of the 2013 Gold Cup.
Cuba was led by a hat trick from Ariel Martinez, who scored in the 38th, 63rd and 84th minute, while Yenier Marquez finished things off with a goal in stoppage time.
It was Marquez’s score that gave Cuba the goal it needed to leapfrog Martinique as the remaining third-place qualifier and a place in the quarterfinals.
Cuba dominated the time of possession, 55 percent to 45 percent, outshooting Belize by a whopping 39 to 9. Of those, 15 shots were on goal against the very busy Belize goalkeeper, Woodrow West.
The Cubans will face off against Panama at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on Saturday.
It represents the first time Cuba has made it to the Gold Cup quarterfinals since 2003.
Belize’s Ian Gaynair received a red card. Two Cuban players, Jorge Luis Clavelo and Jorge Luis Corrales Cordero, received yellow cards.