TKO – Islanders knock out the Rhinos off the playoffs (Part 2)
By: BoriQa |
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The message is clear. The Orange Darth Vader tifo says it all…
It wasn’t as exhilarating as last year, when the Islanders scored 3 goals at home (victory goal on the 119′ in overtime) to shutout the Rhinos and win the 2008 Semi-Final match up 3-2 on aggregate; but the Islanders duplicated the same feat this year: they came back from behind and knocked out Rochester of the USL-1 Playoffs.
After losing 1-2 to the Rhinos last Thursday in the away leg of the 2009 Quarter Finals, the Islanders rallied past Rochester to win the return leg in Bayamón 4-1, win the quarterfinal match up 5-3 on aggregate, and eliminate the Rhinos who fell out the USL-1 playoffs in Puerto Rico for the 2nd year in a row.
CONCACAF: Live by the Alajuelazo, Die by the Alajuelazo!
By: BoriQa | Add Comments
The Islanders had leads against Cruz Azul (3-1) and Saprissa (1-0) in the home games at Bayamón, but…
The Islanders 2008 killer alajuelazo weapon (last minute goal) was used twice against them at home in Bayamón, and Puerto Rico had to settle with sour draws (that tasted like defeats) against both Cruz Azul (3-3, tying goal in 85′) and Saprissa (1-1, tying goal in 90′+3).
With 2 draws and 2 losses in 4 Group C games, the Islanders are all but eliminated from the 2009-10 CCL.
Category: Puerto Rico IslandersIslanders Regular USL-1 season wrap up
By: BoriQa | Add Comments
The Islanders finished 3rd place.
How they ended the regular season, later…
Category: Puerto Rico IslandersIslanders strike first! But fall 3-1 to Saprissa…
By: BoriQa | Add Comments
On the 26th minute last night the Islanders’ Domenic Mediate scored a ‘golazo‘ that surprised and shocked the local crowd, as well as many of his critics, as the Islanders took a 1-0 lead at Ricardo Saprissa stadium in San Jose, Costa Rica.
But that lead was not to last long… Saprissa came back 9 minutes later on a goal by birthday boy Jairo Arrieta (26 years old yesterday) to tie the score 1-1; and again on the 40th minute on a goal by veteran midfielder Walter Centeno, to seal a 2-1 Saprissa halftime lead. Saprissa caught a break on their first goal as the shot hit the top pole and bounced down just inside the goal line before bouncing outside of the goal posts.
Andres Nuñez added an insurance goal on the 49th for the Costa Ricans.
The Islanders nearly got back into the game in the 73rd minute, but the Costa Rican goalkeeper did well to put a Scott Jones attempt from the left side of the box onto the post. Just as it appeared the ball was going to cross the line, it somehow spun in reverse on the stadium carpet.
Sandy Gbandi hit the bar in the 80th minute after a defensive header by Saprissa’s Douglas Sequeira fell in his direction.
It was not to be Puerto Rico’s night, as they posted their second loss in two games, and dropped to last place in Group C.
The Islanders meet next the Minnesota Thunder on Saturday August 29th at Juan Ramon Loubriel stadium in a regular season USL game.
The Islanders will resume CCL play against Cruz Azul from Mexico on September 15th.
Islanders visit Saprissa tonight in CCL
By: BoriQa | 4 Comments
It’s almost a year since the Islanders last visited Costa Rica. On August 27, 2008 the Islanders accomplished something never achieved by a U.S.A. league based team, get a result in Costa Rica!
That night the Islanders faced the Costa Rican powerhouse Liga Alajuelense, who took the lead on the 28th minute on a goal by Argenis Fernández. To the surprise of the Costa Ricans, on the 64th minute the Orange troops tied the score on a goal by Osei Telesford.
Then came the infamous 90th minute, Liga Alajuelense’s Yendrick Ruiz went inside of the box and was taken down by defender Nigel Henry, for a penalty call. It was Alajuelense’s last oportunity to score, win the game and save themselves the embarrassment of losing a result to an unknown Puerto Rican side.
Alajuelense’s Windell Gabriel was the one selected to take the penalty kick and to cut the Islanders throat! But to the surprise of the world, Gabriel kicked straight to Bill “The Wall” Gaudette who correctly guessed the shot and jumped to his left for the big save! It was over!
The Islanders had drawn Liga Alajuelense 1-1, and got a positive result in Costa Rica, something no MLS team had been able to do in 8 tries.
Tonight, in their 2nd encounter ever on Costa Rican soil, the Islanders will meet for the first time the Purple Monster of Saprissa in their 2nd game in the Group Stage of the 2009-10 CONCACAF Champions League.
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Islanders to face Saprissa in Costa Rica WITHOUT Gaudette
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Translation of Spanish article by Primera Hora:
Islanders will travel to Costa Rica without Bill Gaudette
Saturday – August 22, 2009
Esteban Pagán Rivera / Primera Hora
The Puerto Rico Islanders will travel tomorrow (Sunday) to Costa Rica to face Saprissa without their star goalkeeper, Bill Gaudette.
The orange goalkeeper, a fundamental part of the Islanders defense, will serve a one-game suspension due to yellow cards accumulation. Backup goalie Mike Behonick and the 3rd goalkeeper Justin Myers will make the trip.
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Islanders drop first in CCL group stage*
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The Islanders failed to score in the 2-0 loss to the Columbus Crew in the opening match of the 2009-10 CONCACAF Champions League group stage action. The first half was, for the most part, even. Columbus enjoyed most of the possesion and attacking runs but the finishing wasnt all their. The Islanders created some opportunities but could not find the final pass. The Islanders stuck to their defensive game plan in the first half and it was looking good.
The first 10 minutes of the second half was a different story. The Islanders seemed more efficient offensively, getting their only corner and making a few offensive runs into the box. Most of those runs where made by Noah Delgado. The positivity was short lived after some suspect defending on a set peice which allowed a goal from the Crew’s tall stiker in the 58′, Lenhart. The 79′ goal by Rogers killed the Islanders confidence and it was all downhill from there. Read the rest of this entry »
Islanders drop first in CCL group stage
By: BoriQa | 7 Comments
The Islanders failed to score in the 2-0 loss to the Columbus Crew in the opening match of the 2009-10 CONCACAF Champions League group stage action.
In less than half an hour of game, the Islanders already had 3 yellow cards: Cristian Arrieta (18′), Nick Addlery (19′) and Bill Gaudette 28′.
The Islanders best opportunity to score came on the 36′ when Petter Villegas missed a shot after a pass from Nick Addlery.
After a scoreless halftime; just within a minute of the Islanders making their first substitution of the night on the 57′ (Domenic Mediate for Petter Villegas), Steven Lenhart scored a goal (58′) for the Columbus Crew. Assist by C. Marshall.
Then on the 79′ Robbie Rogers scored the second Columbus Crew on a defensive mishap by Cristian Arrieta. Alejandro Moreno got the assist.
Colin “General” Clarke was missing from the bench as he was serving the 3rd and final game suspension due to an incident at the end of the CFU Championship game.
Kendall Jagdeosingh was missing from the roster due a dubious red card he received on the last CCL game against Toronto FC.
1-2-3, Islanders sweep the Montreal Impact
By: BoriQa | 3 Comments
For the 2nd consecutive time this season, the Puerto Rico Islanders posted a 1-0 shutout over the Montreal Impact, this time at home in Bayamón at the Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium, in front of 5,701 fans.
The Islanders swept the Montreal Impact this season in their head-to-head series undefeated with 3 wins. The Islanders had already defeated the Montrealers 3-2 (home) and 1-0 (away) earlier this season.
The Islanders took the lead on the 37th minute after a corner kick by Jonathan Steele, which Cristian Arrieta deflected to the center with a header, that John Krause headed in himself to the right of Impact keeper Matt Jordan for the winning goal.
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The USSF/MLS – CONCACAF conspiracy theory! (Part 1)
By: BoriQa | 8 Comments
How could the USL outwit, outplay & outlast the MLS in the 2008-09 CONCACAF Champions League?
The answer is simple!
The level of play in the USL (as an alternative league) is closer to that of the MLS, than many (in the USSF and MLS) would like to admit to.
= Prelude =
In the 2008-09 CCL, the two classified USL teams showed heart and desire to succeed, while most of the MLS teams looked uninterested and took for granted their perceived superiority and got blown away by “so called” (inside of their bubble) lesser teams.
Many in the United States and Canada (and the world) cheered and watched as the USL’s Montreal Impact and Puerto Rico Islanders became quaterfinalists and semifinalists, taking on and advancing through the tournament defeating some Central American and Mexican favorites.
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