Dwight Yorke - ap

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (AP)

Trinidad and Tobago progressed to the CONCACAF finals of World Cup qualifying by beating Cuba 3-0 yesterday.

Trinidad needed only a draw to join the United States as qualifiers from Group 1, but Kenwyne Jones and Dwight Yorke scored in a two-minute span of the second half, and Keon Daniel's late strike helped to send the fans home happy from Hasely Crawford Stadium.

On a heavy pitch soaked by two days of torrential rain, Trinidad almost scored after two minutes when Cuba defender Jenier Molina slipped and gifted possession to Russell Latapy, but the 40-year-old dragged his shot wide.

Cuba could have scored in the 24th when a fierce Mario Leonard drive beat goalkeeper Clayton Ince only to hit the inside of the post. Roberto Balmaseda failed to convert the rebound.

Trinidad began to look nervous as numerous chances were wasted but Yorke put Jones through one-on-one with Cuba goalkeeper Danis Quintero Chevans in the 67th and he slotted the ball beneath Chevans.

Moments later Jones returned the favor when he fed Yorke inside the penalty area and the Trinidad skipper made no mistake, drifting past a defender before driving a low right-foot shot beyond Chevans.

With a minute to go, Carlos Edwards charged down the right flank before cutting the ball back to the top of the box, from where Daniel calmly side-footed a shot into the roof of the net.