U.S. game makes soccer king in baseball-crazy Cuba

HAVANA — Light on talent and with little soccer tradition, Cuba almost certainly won't make the 2010 World Cup. That makes Saturday night's qualifier against the United States, with its political overtones, the highlight of the Cubans' qualifying campaign.

The United States, ranked 28th in the world and trying to earn a spot in its sixth straight World Cup, is making its first trip to the communist-run island since a 5-2 exhibition loss in 1947.

"Cuba-U.S. is always a classic in any sport," Cuba goalkeeper Odelin Molina said. "The fans will be excited to have a World Cup team here, but the fact that it's the United States makes it so much more exciting."

Since that match in Havana 61 years ago, the United States has gone 5-0-1 against Cubans, outscoring them 13-1 in four matches since 1998. But when the teams met in the first round of the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup, they were tied before Landon Donovan's 87th-minute goal sparked the United States to a 4-1 win at Seattle.

U.S. coach Bob Bradley has praised Cuba, saying it's national team strikes a balance between the kind of athleticism common in Caribbean soccer and the finesse of a more Latin American style. The Americans were somewhat limited in their ability to gather firsthand information on the Cuban team.

"We have been able accumulate DVDs,"' Bradley said. "Our pure ability to send somebody Cuba for scouting is not that easy."

Cuba appeared overmatched in a 3-1 home loss to Trinidad and Tobago on Aug. 20, the opening night of the semifinals in the North and Central American and Caribbean region. That same night, the U.S. won 1-0 at Guatemala on Carlos Bocanegra's 69th-minute goal.

The T&T game failed to inspire the fan base of this baseball-crazy nation, drawing only about 1,500 spectators to decrepit Pedro Marrero Stadium, which is plagued by a crumbling roof that litters some seats with debris, and a bare-bones lighting system erected only weeks ago.

Cuba's players insist Saturday night's contest will be different.

"The stadium will be full," midfielder Jaime Colome said. "It's a game that's very important."

A sellout shouldn't be hard. Pedro Marrero's official capacity is around 20,000, though far fewer fans are actually needed to fill it because officials don't open large sections of more-remote seating.

Unlike the game against Trinidad and Tobago, Saturday's match will be carried on state-controlled television and has been much ballyhooed by official news and sports programs. Cubans heading to the stadium will pay 1 peso, or about 4 American pennies, for admission. The government also promised to provide transportation and free admission to students and young communists to ensure the cheers for the home side are especially deafening.