FIFA has confirmed 3 Cuban soccer players in Toronto for a game against Canada have defected.

Team Cuba arrived in the city Thursday with 14 players but only 10 dressed for Friday night's World Cup qualifying match.  Another player was sick.

US Customs wouldn't confirm reports the missing players had tried to cross into the States from Niagara Falls.

Cuban coach Alexander Gonzalez lamented the departures of the missing
players: "As with any Cuban sport team that travels around the world, they're all chasing the American dream,'' he said. ``And it's difficult to try to keep the team together."

Last January, 2 players with Cuba's women's team defected after a CONCACAF match against Canada in Vancouver.

Canada's men's squad is ranked 61st in the world.  They beat Cuba 3-0 on Friday to move on to face Honduras.

**With files from the Canadian Press