The Communist island nation's reigning Olympic champions, typically denied the chance to compete against US stars because of political rivalry, will now come to the United States in a showdown for global bragging rights.

The Cubans advanced to a Saturday semi-final at San Diego against Caribbean second-round group co-champion Dominican Republic, which clinched a trip to California by edging Venezuela 2-1 on Tuesday. The Dominicans beat Cuba 7-3 on Monday in their second-round matchup.

The other semi-final will match the qualifiers from a four-team group in Anaheim, California, that includes Japan, South Korea, Mexico and the United States. Games in the other group conclude Thursday.

Puerto Rico's stars, aided by a home-field advantage in the first and second rounds, were undone by their own mistakes.

Cuban manager Higinio Velez was ejected by American second base umpire James Hoye during an emotional seventh inning where Puerto Rico pulled within the final margin and nearly equalized.

Valentin scored on a force out attempt on base runner Ricky Ledee, who was ruled safe by Hoye when shortstop Eduardo Paret missed a catch attempt. Velez protested the call too aggressively and was tossed out for his trouble.

Carlos Beltran, a New York Mets outfielder, smacked a two-out single to score Cintron from third base but Ivan Rodriguez of the Detroit Tigers tried to score the tying run from first and was thrown out by Yulieski Gourriel at home.

Rodriguez would later strike out in the ninth to end the game and seal Cuba's triumph.

Cuba still led 4-3 in the eighth inning when Puerto Rico loaded the bases on singles by Jose Cruz and Carlos Delgado and an error from Cuban first baseman Joan Carlos Pedroso that allowed Jose Valentin to reach base.

But Puerto Rican shortstop Alex Cintron, whose earlier error allowed two Cuban runs to score, hit into an inning-ending double play to kill the hosts' hopes of pulling level.

The Cubans had seized a 4-1 lead on two Puerto Rican mistakes in the fourth. Relief pitcher Jose Santiago hit Paret with the bases loaded to force in a run. Paret and Alexei Ramirez would later score on shortstop Cintron's error.

Paret scored from third on an Ariel Borrero ground out in the first inning but New York Yankees star Bernie Williams smashed a leadoff homer in the first to equalize for Puerto Rico.