Two Cuban women's soccer players

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Two Cuban women's soccer players

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Gallardo and Yisel Rodriguez were listed as absent from the team.

24 January,2012 09:51 am

Two players were missing from the Cuban womens football team for its final game at an Olympic qualifying tournament.Forward Yezenia Gallardo, 20, and midfielder Yisel Rodriguez, 22, were listed as absent from the team for Cubas game Monday night against Haiti at BC Place.Jesus Pereira, the head of the Cuban football delegation at the tournament, declined to stop to answer questions from reporters after the game. Pereira, the coaches and players headed directly to the team bus, again declining questions through a CONCACAF spokesman.CONCACAF spokesman Scott Gleba said the regional football governing body could only confirm that the two players were not with the delegation. He referred further questions to Canadian and Cuban authorities.Gallardo is one of Cubas top players, playing in every minute of the teams first two games at the tournament. Rodriquez also started both games.Cuba lost all three games at the tournament and failed to qualify for the London Olympics.Cuban football players have a history of defecting during tournaments on the North American mainland.Seven members of the mens Under-23 team defected during a CONCACAF Olympic qualifying tournament in Tampa, Florida in 2008, and mens national team player Yosniel Mesa defected last year after a game in Charlotte, North Carolina during the CONCACAF Gold Cup.