Almost 40 years passed before a team from Jobabo returned to the top of first-class football, now with a 3-2 victory over their counterparts from the capital municipality on Saturday at La Pista stadium. This thrilling match was decided in stoppage time by Víctor Cutiño's goal.
Las Tunas, Cuba.- Under the watchful eyes of several members of that champion team from the late 1980s, this generation came out to “La Pista” with the obvious boost they felt from defeating defending champion Manatí in the semifinals. Once again, the southerners relied on the skills of Osniel Trutié, whose presence made the difference throughout. The hosts relied on the same effectiveness that had brought them to this stage; it's worth noting that they put Jobabo's defense in trouble on several occasions.
In fact, it was Las Tunas who scored first, thanks to Juan Andreus Milanés in the 22nd minute; however, the visitors countered six minutes later through Trutié.
Coming back from the break, it seemed Las Tunas had the clearest ideas, and Juan Andreus, once again with a header, put his team ahead just nine minutes into the second half.
These were perhaps Las Tunas' best minutes, as they began to play the ball with good judgment, forcing their opponents to counterattack. Thus, at 56’, the tie came, also with Trutié proving a killer with a hard, cross shot that the Las Tunas goalkeeper nearly deflected.
From that moment on, both teams took their defensive precautions, as neither was suited to the intense pace of the game. The home side relied heavily on long balls, looking for a header that could leave a teammate alone. But they ran into the immeasurable Daimar Edgar, a defensive wall.
Jobabo also tried their luck, especially with the skillful Duamel Fornaris's runs down the right. After collecting a corner, he set up Víctor Cutiño, who finished with a right-footed shot to seal the result.
"Very proud, very happy with my teammates," said Trutié, rightly chosen as the event's most valuable player (MVP). The forward, who had words of praise for his opponents, didn't want all the glory of this triumph. "I felt I had to work for the team, since football isn't about one person, it's about a collective; we're 11 players. I felt I had to play my part, my role as a striker, to score goals; and well, the result came out," affirmed the event's leading scorer (4).
“The team has a good performance; we surprised everyone, reached the final, and beat a good opponent,” said head coach Dulian Edgar Walton after the match. Without hiding his joy, he pointed to the combination of experience and youth as the keys to this success. Regarding his star player, he said: “I've been training Osniel since he was 10 years old, and he's always been a competitive player.”
After a minimal tournament that left a gap in player care, especially in these final matches, the football scene in this region is turning its attention to preparing for the Clausura Tournament (Closing), which is scheduled to start in September.
