Islanders visit Saprissa tonight in CCL

By: BoriQa | August 25th, 2009

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.

Saprissa, believed by many to be the best and most succesful team in Central America, is for the 2nd consecutive year in what is called: “the Group of Death” of the CCL. Last year Saprissa finished 3rd in the group, after Marathon from Honduras and Cruz Azul from Mexico.

Both of those teams crossed the path of the Islanders last year: Marathon fell 3-1 (aggregate) in the quarterfinals, while Cruz Azul took down the Islanders on penalty kicks after a 3-3 (aggregate) draw.

But unlike in the last CCL edition, Saprissa is not the same feared team it was last year. A strong team never the less, Saprissa has their weaknesses this year: they have lost some of their regular players due to contracts elsewhere, their defense is weaker than last year, their main goalkeeper is out due to an injury, and their backup goalkeeper is no performing too well.

Sounds like a recipe for disaster for Saprissa against the 2008-09 Semifinalists, the cinderella Islanders! Unfortunately things are not all perfect in the Orange camp…

Bill Gaudette, the 2008 star goalie that shocked Liga Alajuelense last year, is suspended tonight due to yellow cards accumulation. Islanders’ captain Noah Delgado is unavailable due to a dental infection. Andres Cabrero and Fabrice Noël are unavailable, en route from France, where they were trying out for Le Mans Union Club 72. Osei Telesford, who scored the tying goal against La Liga last year, is still on the disabled list.

Finally, 2008 USL MVP Jonathan Steele has a hamstring injury. Steele is in Costa Rica, and may be able to play, but it’s uncertain at this time.

Along with Steele, the Islanders count with: Behonick (GK), Myers (GK), Arrieta, Henry, Krause, Jones, A. Rivera, Veris, Gargan, Mediate, Gbandy, Marcelin, Villegas, Addlery, Fraser and Jagdeosingh.

Both Saprissa and the Islanders lost their first encounter in the group stage by a 2-0 score, so both teams are desperate to get their first points.

The Islanders will be ‘winners’ with either a win or a draw in Costa Rica. On the other hand, without a win tonight, Saprissa will be in a big predicament, before traveling on September 22nd to Juan Ramón Loubriel stadium in Bayamón, where the Central American Cemetary with the grave of Liga Alajuelense awaits them…

My prediction is a 1-1 draw tonight. But with Jagdeosingh back in the lineup after serving a one game supension in the game against Columbus, I’m inclined to think the Islanders leave Costa Rica with a 2-1 win.