Regardless, the Islanders poor showing in the 2010 SuperCopa Finals will keep them thinking about better planning for next year’s tournament.

The Islanders played the Supercopa without: Bill Gaudette, Nick Addlery, David Foley, Kendall Jagdeosingh, Marco Velez, Emory, Nurse and Daniel; all of whose contracts expired at the end of the 2010 USSF Div2 CHampionship.

David Horst (on loan from Real Salt Lake) was also missing from the tournament; while Alexis Rivera and Jonathan Faña were both unable to play in the Final due to injuries. Both Alexis and Faña played in the Group Round of the SuperCopa.

The Islanders will be looking for some revenge next year against River Plate PR in the 2011 Caribbean Football Union’s Clubs Championship.

Islanders 0-2 River Plate PR

Final

River Plate PR wins 2010 SuperCopa with a 3-0 aggregate lead.

Goals:
1. RPR: A. Russo 35′
2. RPR: Y. Perez 38′

Islanders Lineup
Laurendi, Miranda, Telesford, Martinez (Salem), Villaroel, Gbandi, Hansen (Mashriqui), Delgado, Bangura (Turizo 67′), Henry (Robertson 46′), Allison

The 2nd leg of the Final is on Sunday again at Juan Ramón Loubriel stadium.

Lineup Islanders:
Laurendi, Henry, Salem, Telesford, Delgado, Hansen, Miranda, Gbandi, Martinez, Villaroel, Allison

Yet the fans rivalry between these two teams has been going on for years…

The story of the Islanders is now well known in Borinquen.

Prior to 2010, 2008 was the Islanders best year: The Islanders won the Caribbean’s 3rd berth to the newly created CONCACAF Champions League (CCL). They were the USL Regular Season Champions (winners of the Commissioner’s Cup), USL Subchampion, 2008-09 CONCACAF Champion’s League Semifinalists.

In the 2008-09 CFU/CCL run the Islanders defeated several regional powerhouses: San Juan Jabloteh (Trinidad & Tobago), Liga Alajuelense (Costa Rica), Tauro FC (Panama), Marathon (Honduras), Santos Laguna and Cruz Azul (Mexico).

That year (2008) they swept the USL’s awards: Organization of the Year, Progress Award, Fair Play Award , Coach of the Year, Goalkeeper of the Year, Defender of the Year and Most Valuable Player!

In 2009 the Islanders were the Caribbean Football Union’s (CFU) Clubs Championship Subchampions, and on their way to their 2nd straight CONCACAF Champions League they knocked out the MLS’ Toronto FC in the preliminary stage. The Islanders finished 3rd overall in the USL Regular Season and after defeating Rochester in the quarterfinals (their 2nd straight year defeating the Rhinos in USL Playoffs), they fell to the Montreal Impact in the Semifinals.

River Plate PR, thought by some to be one of the other Titans of Puerto Rican soccer, won the (now extint amateur) Premier Football League’s Championship in 2007, were 2008 Puerto Rico Soccer League (PRSL) Sub Champions and 2009 PRSL Regular Season Champions. They also won an obscure weekend event in the Dominican Republic, the Monte Plata Cup, by defeating just two teams: one from the D.R. (Bayagüana) and another from Haiti (Atletic) in 2009.

Both Islanders and River Plate PR participated (along with 2009 PRSL Champion Bayamón FC) in the 2010 Caribbean Football Union’s (CFU) Clubs Championship, with the potencial first meeting between the two Puerto Rico Titans (Islanders and River Plate PR) brewing for sometime in the later stages of the tournament…

But it wasn’t meant to be, and River Plate PR got eliminated in the 2nd round by Trinidad & Tobago’s San Juan Jabloteh.

Meanwhile, the Islanders went on to win the 2010 Caribbean Clubs Tournament, their first CFU Championship ever!

The Islanders then went on as the Caribbean Champions to the 2010-11 CONCACAF Champion League, where they routed 4-1 the mighty MLS’ L.A. Galaxy eliminating them from the tournament. Then in the Groups Stage, the Islanders routed El Salvador’s FAS 4-1, came back from 2-goals behind to defeat the reigning Mexican Champion Toluca 3-2; before falling to Hondura’s Olimpia 3-0 in their final CCL match.

Back in the USSF Div2 league, the Islanders struggled throughout the regular season play to finish on 8th place overall, getting the last playoff berth of the league; to then get into form in the playoffs defeating the Rochester Rhinos in the quarterfinals, the Vancouver Whitecaps in the semifinals and the Carolina Railhawks in the Final match, on their way to the Islanders’ first League Championship ever.

Now the Islanders are 2 games away from earning their 3rd title of the year! The 2010 SuperCopa Championship!

Just one night away from satisfying fan rivalries accross the island with their first match against the infamous River Plate Puerto Rico.

The match will take place Thursday night at 7pm EST (8pm AST) at Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium in Bayamón, the home of the Puerto Rican Orange Goliath!!!

The Islanders will now face River Plate PR for the first time ever in Puerto Rican football history. River Plate PR defeated Sevilla FC Juncos with a 2-1 aggregate score after a controversial 1-1 draw last night, that saw River Plate tie the match and win the Semifinal on a corner kick goal, after the referee erred and overuled a lineman’s ‘out of bounds’ call for a corner kick. River Plate FC had won the 1st leg 1-0 in Juncos.

Both SuperCopa finalists, the Islanders and River Plate PR, are qualified to the 2011 CFU Club Champions Cup tournament. The Islanders are the reigning 2010 CFU Champions, while River Plate PR got eliminated by the eventual 2010 CFU Subchampion Joe Public from Trinidad & Tobago in the 2nd round.

The 1st-leg of the Finals will be at 8pm on Thursday at Juan Ramón Loubriel stadium in Bayamón. The 2nd-leg will be on Sunday also at Bayamón, as renovations for the River Plate’s new stadium in San Juan are not complete.

Mayagüez FC and Sevilla FC Juncos will play for 3rd place on Wednesday (1st-Leg) and Saturday (2nd-Leg). It is not yet known if the 3rd place team this year will receive a 3rd spot berth to the 2011 CFU tournament. For the 2010 CFU tournament Puerto Rico had 3 berths: Puerto Rico Islanders, River Plate PR and Bayamón FC.

2010 SuperCopa PRSL

Semifinals

Islanders 2-0 Mayaguez FC

Final

Islanders win series aggregate 4-1

Goals
1. PRI: J. Hansen 10′
2. PRI: A. Rivera 27′

Islanders Lineup:
Laurendi, Delgado, Faña, Villaroel, Rivera, Hansen, Henry, Martinez, Miranda, Gbandi, Telesford

Semifinals

Islanders 2-1 Mayaguez FC

Final

Lineup Islanders:
Laurendi, Miranda, Faña (Turizio 76′), Salem, Hansen, Villaroel, Henry, Noah Delgado (Mashriqui 85′), Telesford, Martinez, Gbandi

Lineup Mayagüez FC:
Torres, Ojeda (Rivera 90′+), Lires (Tamayo 88′), Valcarcel, Nieves (Ibarguen 52′), Tillemont, Salles, Esnaurizar (Urrutia 65′), Chacon, Piña, Mime Ortiz

Goals:
1. PRI: N. Delgado 4′
2. PRI: Salem 45′ (penalty)
3. MFC: M. Salles 90′+ (penalty)

Ejections:
1. MFC: Piña 62′

With the win, the Islanders finised in first place of Group B with a 5W-1T-0L record (16 pts), and will play Mayagüez FC on Thursday in the SuperCopa Semifinals.

River Plate PR and Sevilla FC PR will kick off the other semifinal on Wednesday. River Plate will attempt to avenge in the 2010 SuperCopa Semifinals the 2008 PRSL Championship loss to Sevilla FC.

The results of this tournament will determine which teams will represent Puerto Rico in the 2011 Caribbean Football Union’s (CFU) Clubs Champions Cup, which in turn will qualify three Caribbean teams to the 2011-12 CONCACAF Champions League. The Islanders are the Reigning 2010 CFU Champions.

2010 SuperCopa PRSL

Islanders 6-0 Huracan FC

Final

Islanders Lineup:
Salvatore (GK), Robertson, Jonathan Faña (Mashriqi 79′), Salem, Noah Delgado, Nigel Henry, Josh Hansen (Carlos Morales 87′), Sandi Gbandy, Kevon Villaroel, Edwin Miranda, Turizo

Goals:
1. PRI: Hansen 10′
2. PRI: Gbandi 29′
3. PRI: Turizo 31′
4. PRI: Gbandi 37′
5. PRI: Faña 38′
6. PRI: Hansen 39′

PR United’s Daniel Francis was ejected in the 1st half with a direct red card, and Aguada had to play most of the match with 10 men against an Orange Storm hungry for their 3rd “goleada” of the tournament.

Still, even with the 11-men advantage, the Islanders were unable to score in the 1st half until the last minute when Noah Delgado scored a goal on a long distance shot on the 44′. The half closed 1-0 for the “Naranjas“.

Then in the 2nd half, three Orange goals rained out the Aguada team…

Jonathan Faña scored the 2-0 on the 59′. Josh Hansen got the assist. A few minutes later it was Alexis Rivera who score the 3-0 on the 63′ after a pass from Kevon Villaroel, who got the assist.

Finally on the 70′, right after Jonathan Faña failed to score on a penalty kick, Mauricio Turizo was in the right place at the right time to take a shot on the bouncing ball and scored the 4-0 that sealed the routing.

The win solidifies the Islanders hold of 1st place in Goup B of the SuperCopa with a 4W-1T-0L record and 13 points, while the loss eliminates PR Aguada (1W-0T-4L, 3 pts.) from the tournament.

The Islanders return to Juan Ramón Loubriel stadium on November 28th to play their last game in the Group Stages of the 2010 SuperCopa against Caguas’ Huracan FC.

Junco’s Sevilla FC-PR is in 2nd place in Group B with 7 points (2W-1T-1L). Sevilla plays Huracan FC Sunday night (Nov. 21) and closes the Group stage against PR United on November 29th.

2010 SuperCopa PRSL

November 20, 2010

Islanders 4-0 PR United Aguada

Final

Goals:
1. PRI: Noah Delgado 44′
2. PRI: Jonathan Faña 59′
3. PRI: Alexis Rivera 63′
4. PRI: Mauricio Turizo 70′

Lineup Islanders:
Cody Laurendi, Richard Martinez, Osei Telesford, Nigel Henry, Kevon Villaroel, Noah Delgado (C. Morales 66′), Edwin Miranda, Salem, Mauricio Turizo, Josh Hansen (Mashriqi), Jonathan Faña

Lineup PR United:
Frubal, Adriano, Nilsinho, O. Berdecia, C. Fajardo, C. Boal, R. Ruelas, Andres Delgado, C. Vallejos, A. Chaparro, Wess Giachetti

The Islanders took a very early lead in the 2nd minute on a goal by Noah Delgado. Sevilla reacted and tied the game on a goal by Puerto Rican National sharp shooter Chris Megaloudis on the 12′.

The game stayed 1-1 until the 76′ when Jonathan Faña scored a ‘golazo‘ for 2-1 lead for the Orange Troops, just a few minutes after Faña himself missed a penalty shot.

Late in the game James Robertson received a hit to the head, and ended up leaving Juncos in an ambulance.

With the win the Islanders take sole posesion of the 1st place in Group B of the 2010 SuperCopa PRSL with 10 points and a GD of +15. Sevilla is still in 2nd place with 7 points.

2010 SuperCopa PRSL

November 16, 2010

Islanders 2-1 Sevilla FC Juncos

Final

Lineup Islanders: Cody Laurendi (GK), Jonathan Faña, Edwin Miranda, Noah Delgado, Alexis Rivera, Kevon Villaroel, Nigel Henry, Sandy Gbandi, Rich Martinez, James Robertson (Mauricio Turizo 87′), Osei Telesford

Goals:
1. PRI: Noah Delgado 2′
2. SEV: Chris Megaloudis 12′
3. PRI: Jonathan Faña 76′

The Islanders went into the Puerto Rican professional soccer history books with a record-high 11-0 win in the 2010 SuperCopa, by destroying a young, inexperienced and outclassed Huracan FC at their alternate home field at Caguas. The Huracan’s regular Ydelfonso Solá Morales stadium was unavailable due to a conflict with a baseball game already scheduled.

Anthony Allison scored a hat-trick+ (4 goals), Maurizio Turizo scored a pair of goals; and the list of the single-goal scorers in the record setting game included: James Robertson, Osei Telesford, Sandy Gbandi, Edwin Miranda and Richard Martínez.

After three matches, the Islanders lead Group B in the SuperCopa with 2 wins and a draw, 7 points and a GD of +14. Juncos’ Sevilla FC is second, also with 7 points but with only a +2 GD.

The battle for the leadership of Group B moves to Juncos on November 16th, when the Islanders visit Sevilla PR and try to avenge the sour 1-1 draw two weeks ago in Bayamón.

2010 SuperCopa PRSL

November 11, 2010

Islanders 11-0 Caguas Huracan FC

Final

Islanders Lineup:
Cody Laurendi (GK) , Alexis Rivera, Anthony Allison, Edwin Miranda, Kevon Villaroel, Mohammed Mashriqui (Mauricio Turizo), Noah Delgado (Carlos Morales), Osei Telesford (Nigel Henry), Richard Martinez, Sandy Gbandi, James Robertson

Goals:
1. PRI: J. Robertson 3′
2. PRI: O. Telesford 14′
3. PRI: A. Allison 26′
4. PRI: S. Gbandi 30′
5. PRI: E. Miranda 33′
6. PRI: R. Martinez 34′
7. PRI: A. Allison 54′
8. PRI: M. Turizo 65′
9. PRI: A. Allison 71′
10. PRI: M. Turizo 75′
11. PRI: A. Allison 80′

The three goals were scored by Osei Teleford (18′), 2nd half substitute Kevon Villarroel (85′) and Anthony Allison (90′+2). It was Allison’s 2nd goal of the tournament.

On the 4′, after a defensive error by Nigel Henry, Aguada’s Joshua Rodríguez took a shot at goal, brilliantly saved by Islanders goalkeeper Cody Laurendi. Noah Delgado had a shot hit the post on the 34′.

The Islanders will play Caguas Huracane next, no Thursday November 11th.

With the win the Islanders take the lead of Group B with 4 points, followed by PR United with 3 points, both teams with 2 games played. Third place is Sevilla Juncos with 1 point and Caguas Huracan is last without any points, after one match for each team.

2010 SuperCopa PRSL

PR United Aguada 0-3 Islanders

Lineup Islanders:
Cody Laurendi, Alexis Rivera, Anthony Allison, Carlos E. Morales (James Robertson 70′), Edwin Miranda, Joseph Salem (Jorge Mora 43′), Mohamad Mashriqui (Kevon Villaroel 78′), Nigel Henry, Noah Delgado, Osei Telesford, Richard Martinez,

Goals:
1. PRI: O. Telesford 18′
2. PRI: K. Villaroel 85′
3. PRI: A. Allison 90′+