Posted on January 25, 2012

VANCOUVER — The two players of the Cuban women’s National Team have defected to the United States and have asked for political asylum, according to ESPN.com soccer writer Jeff Carlisle.

Forward Yezenia Gallardo, regarded as the team’s best player, and midfielder Yunelsis Rodriguez, were listed as “not present” for Cuba’s Group B game against Costa Rica at the CONCACAF women’s Olympic qualifying tournament on Monday night. Both players had not been seen with the team since Monday, according to sources.

Both players escaped to the United States as Rodriguez was with relatives in Miami and Gallardo with family in Houston.

Rodriguez is with relatives in Miami, while Gallardo has been reunited with family in Houston.

For Rodriguez, it was a difficult decision. She left her parents and husband, Nestor Castro Dongora, in Cuba, ESPN.com reported.

“It’s very hard,” she told ESPN.com. “But I know it’s going to be worth it because this country has a lot of opportunities.”

Rodriguez said that she wants to play for the U.S. National Team in the Olympics someday.

According to ESPN.com, Rodriguez and Gallardo decided to make their move after the team’s loss to Canada on Saturday night.

“We waited for a distraction of the coaches,” Rodriguez told the website. “Then I talked to my roommate (Gallardo), and we decided to go. We tried to take the elevator down to the first floor, but it would only go down to the fifth floor, so we took the stairs down to the street. We hailed a cab and asked him to take us to the border.”

For the entire story, visit http://tinyurl.com/758uz88.

It was the first time women’s soccer players defected, following in the footsteps of several men’s players over the past decade.

At the 2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup, Ray Angel Martinez, who currently plays for the Rochester Lancers in the Major Indoor Soccer League, and Alberto Delgado decided to live in the United States.

Striker Maykel Galindo, who starred for Chivas in 2007-2008 and most recently played for FC Dallas in Major League Soccer, jumped ship during the 2005 Gold Cup.

Osvaldo Alonso, who performs for Seattle Sounders FC, and Lester Moore, left the National Team during the 2007 Gold Cup.

Cuba was hurt by defections during two separate events in the U.S. in 2008.

During the CONCACAF Olympic qualifying tournament in Tampa, seven players left Cuba’s Under-23 team, including Yeniel Bermudez, Yordany Alvarez and Yendry Diaz.

Two days prior to the Caribbean country’s World Cup qualifier against the U.S. in Washington, D.C., two players — left the team’s hotel near the nation’s capital.

And during the 2011 Gold Cup, Yosniel Mesa decided to defect while the team was in Charlotte, N.C. for a game.

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Categories: Canada, Caribbean, Cuba, North America, Olympic Qualifying, U.S.A., Women
Tags: CONCACAF women's Olympic qualifying tournament, ESPN.com, Jeff Carilsle, Yezenia Gallardo, Yunelsis Rodriguez

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