Cuba confirms defection of at least 5 footballers at Pre-Olympic

The Miami daily El Nuevo Herald, however, said Thursday that there have been seven defections from the team.

 Following a 1-1 draw against the United States on Tuesday, keeper Jose Manuel Miranda, centre-back Yenier Bermudez (team captain) and midfielders Yordanis Alvarez, Loanni Cartaya and Erlys Garcia were said to have defected. El Nuevo Herald said defender Yendry Diaz and midfielder Eder Roldan had also defected.

 Cuban football authorities said the team will "keep going" in its search for a place in Beijing 2008, if the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) will allow it.

 "According to the rules we can play, as long as there are more than seven players we can play," ACF general secretary Antonio Garces told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

 On Thursday, Cuba - which also had another player suspended and had travelled to the United States with only 18 players - was set to play Honduras.

 "We're fine, calm, feeling hopeful about our new lives," Bermudez told The Miami Herald late Wednesday. "Of course, we're nervous because we're young, have no family here, and we don't yet know the way of life here, but we hope the Cuban and American communities will help us get started."

   In a telephone conversation with dpa in Havana, Garces said he was not in a position to confirm the total number of defections because he had not yet contacted the team in the United States. However, he admitted this was a "tough blow" for Cuban football.

 "We cannot sit down and cry," he said. "We have to keep fighting and take football forward."

   The top two teams in the eight-team Tampa tournament will be granted spots at the Beijing Olympics in August.