Bermuda 1 Cuba 2 Bermuda's dream of a place in the Caribbean Cup finals was shattered by a Cuban team which proved just too tough an obstacle for Clyde Best's men to overcome.

In yesterday's winner-takes-all clash at the National Stadium, only for one short spell in the game did a home win look a realistic possibility.

That was after Keishon Smith followed his Friday night hat-trick against the Caymans with a magnificent 18-yard equaliser in the 62nd minute.

A long ball forward by Shannon Burgess found Smith with a defender on his back at the edge of the penalty area and he turned and unleashed a first-time, left-footed shot into the top right-hand corner of the net.

Suddenly the biggest crowd of the qualifying tournament came to life as they sensed for the first time that the Cubans could be vulnerable.

The visitors, who knew they only needed a draw to reach next month's finals in Trinidad, had taken the lead through Andres Roldan-Amoroso in the 19th minute and looked in control up to Smith's goal.

Four minutes after the equaliser, Best replaced midfielder Devarr Boyles with striker Dwight Basden as Bermuda went all-out for the winner.

But almost immediately, Cuba regained their hold on the match with Amoroso's second goal 20 minutes from time to effectively kill off Bermuda's chances.

It was no disgrace for Bermuda's amateurs to come unstuck against players who have spent recent months playing and training with professional clubs in Germany and against a nation with a high sporting pedigree and a population nearly 200 times that of this Island.

The gulf in class between the sides was most apparent in the opening spell as the Cubans started strongly, as they have in all their games in the qualifying tournament.

It seemed the Latins had drawn first blood after just two minutes, when the diminutive Amoroso sneaked in behind the home defence and chipped over out-rushing goalkeeper Dwayne Adams.

But Kentoine Jennings, outstanding throughout in the Bermudian rearguard, slid back to somehow block the shot on the line as the Cubans vehemently argued it had crossed.

Amoroso had to wait only another 17 minutes before getting his name on the scoresheet, after he controlled a left-wing cross from Osmin Hernandez-Hernandez, stumbled over Clifford Roberts' challenge and rifled high into the net from 12 yards.

Cuba showed superiority both in terms of technique and organisation and bossed the midfield where Miguel Andara-Reyes and Tobio Mora-Utera were giving Meshach Wade and Devarr Boyles the runaround.

On the Cuban left flank, Lazro Darcourt-Martinez gave Bermuda wing-back Andrew Rahman a torrid time.

Cup dream shattered From Page 31 Three minutes before the interval, he turned Rahman near the halfway line, outsprinted his marker on his way into the penalty area and cracked a left-footed shot into the side netting.

Cuba looked more comfortable on the ball and seemed to have more options when in possession, but for all their superiority they failed to carve out many goal-scoring chances.

Bermuda started the second half showing more urgency and lifted the fans' hopes with a rare spell of possession inside the Cuban half.

But it was the Cubans who threatened in the 53rd minute when powerfully-built striker Luis Marten-Pellicier, whose strength had troubled the home defence all afternoon, muscled into the box and shot left-footed, forcing an excellent save from Adams.

Central defender Mario Pedraza-Abreu received the first yellow card of the match on the hour for a reckless, sliding tackle from behind which sent Lightbourne reeling in the centre circle.

Goalmouth action was rare and Smith's equaliser came like a bolt from the blue. It changed the mood of the crowd and the complexion of the match.

When Vasco striker Basden entered the fray, he partnered Smith up front as Lightbourne dropped back to add some badly needed composure on the ball to the midfield. Basden put himself about and nearly scored what would have been the goal of the tournament when he hurled himself at Smith's deep cross from the right and sent a fierce 15-yard header towards the roof of the net. But goalkeeper Odelin Molina-Hernandez denied him a moment of glory, diving to flick the ball over the crossbar.

Cuba sealed their place in the finals with a 70th-minute winner, created by a penetrating run through the left flank of the Bermuda defence by substitute Serguei Prado-Senudo, who rolled the ball invitingly into the six-yard box for Amoroso to slide home.

Bermuda battled to the bitter end and had nothing to be ashamed of when the final whistle signalled their exit from the Caribbean Cup.

Bermuda: D.Adams, S.Burgess, C.Roberts (K.Roberts 71), K.Jennings, R.Spence (K.Dill 57 mins), A.Rahman, O.Steede, D.Boyles (D.Basden 66 mins), M.Wade, K.Smith, K.Lightbourne.

Cuba: O.Molina-Hernandez, V.Alejo-Cordoves, M.Pedraza-Adreu, O.Hernandez-Hernandez, R.Martinez del Risco, T.Mora-Utera, M.Gandara-Reyes (P.Baez-Chala 57 mins), L.Darcourt-Martinez, M.Bobadillo-Gonzalez (S.Prado-Senudo 63 mins), L.Marten-Pellicier, A.Roldan-Amoroso.

Men of the match: Kentoine Jennings (Bermuda); Andres Roldan-Amoroso (Cuba).

Referee: Ricardo Valenzuela (USA).

Cayman Islands 4 Bahamas 1 Tournament whipping boys the Bahamas were condemned to their third straight defeat at the National Stadium yesterday.

But they did manage their first goal of the five-day competition five minutes from the end of their loss to the Caymans, through veteran skipper Lionel Haven.

The Caymans streaked into a 3-0 lead by the interval with two goals from striker Gary Whittaker in the 10th and 40th minutes and one from Eric Brown in the 25th. Owen Dinnall netted their fourth in the 67th minute to round off the Caymans' first win of the tournament.

Photos by Ras Mykkal First blood: Cuban midfielder Andres Roldan-Amoroso cracks in the first of his two goals yesterday as grounded Bermuda defender Clifford Roberts looks on helplessly.

Goal joy: Bermuda striker Keishon Smith shows his delight after his stunning equaliser against Cuba, his fourth goal of the qualifying tournament.

Silky skills: Bermuda substitute Karl Roberts evades a Cuban challenge during second half action.