Islanders heavy favorites heading into the USL season
By: BoriQa | April 9th, 2009
Now that the Islanders amazing CCL run is over, lets move on and get back to an unfinished business.
On April 18th the Islanders will play the Vancouver Whitecaps in the 2nd Leg of the 2008 USL-1 Final at Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium in Bayamón. Vancouver leads the series 2-1 after their 1st leg win last October.
Ehem… well… OK, so it’s not the 2nd leg of the 2008 Final. It is the Islanders 2009 season opener, and it will surely be revenge for last year’s final result, so it really feels like a pseudo 2nd leg of the 2008 Final.
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As you may recall, 2008 was the last year the USL used the one-game final format. Starting with 2009, the USL Final (just like the USL quarter finals and semifinals do currently) will be played in a 2-game (home and away) format. The USL changed the finals format after the fan outcry over the controvery last year with the league granting Vancouver the rights to host the final over the 2008 Commissioners Cup and Regular season winners Puerto Rico Islanders.
So on the 18th of April the Islanders will get a chance for revenge and to show the “what if” there had been a 2-leg format last year.
Some say the Islanders are the heavy favorites heading into the USL season. Some MLS (yes, you read right M.L.S.) followers already picked the Islanders as one of the top three teams in USL-1 this season. Here is a quote from the MLS article:
Given the Islanders depth, quality, experience and coaching it’s hard to imagine this team not contending for the title again this season. CONCACAF comes first but after that is done, expect a fierce run at another Commissioners’ Cup from this squad.
Well said!
The Islanders had a remarkable “preseason” 5-2-3 [W-D-L] record (including MLS & USL friendlies and official CCL games) in preparation to this year’s USL regular season:
PRI 0-1 Chicago Fire
PRI 0-0 Red Bulls
PRI 2-0 Columbus Crew
PRI 3-2 University of South Florida
PRI 1-2 DC United
PRI 2-1 Marathon from Honduras
PRI 1-0 Marathon from Honduras
PRI 2-0 Cruz Azul from Mexico
PRI 0-0 Austin Aztec (lost 3-0 the friendly penalty shootout)
PRI 0-2 Cruz Azul from Mexico (1-1 in OT, and lost 4-2 in penalty shootout)
10 games, that’s a third of a full USL-1 regular season!
A “fierce” battle is a nice way to describe what’s coming up in 2009.
The Islanders will be a team to beat.
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Comments
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Lets show them that it wasnt a fluke! Im going to this game for sure.
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Don’t lump in the ConcaChampions games with preseason games. BIG difference between the two. What’s the matter with you? The Islanders DID NOT play the CCL games in preparation for the UL-1 season. The CCL was “el mero mero”. Now, the upcoming UL-1 games are in preparation for the Islanders’ CFU semifinal game they have coming up.
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Footballer I dont think he ment that CCL game where just in preparation for the USL 1 season. He just stating that comparing other USL 1 club preseason the Islanders had a pretty amazing one and come into the season in better condition than must.
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