Islanders win! Cruz Azul the latest victim…
By: BoriQa | March 17th, 2009
Boricuas play great soccer, not just baseball…
Ironically a major upset for Puerto Rico on Tuesday night in the World Baseball Classic was offset by an amazing 2-0 win for the Islanders over the favourite Mexican Cruz Azul, to continue the Puerto Rican Cinderella Champions League run in the 1st leg of the semifinals at the Juan Ramón Loubriel stadium.
In front of an all-time record crowd of 12,751 (previous record: 12,098 in the 2007 USL Semifinal against the Seattle Sounders) the “MLS rejects“, I mean the USL Regular Season Champion Islanders shocked the Mexican subchampion by breaking the score open early in the 4th minute with a goal by Sandi Gbandi, who converted on a pass by Joshua Hansen at the top of the penalty area.
The Islanders doubled up the lead on the 36th minute after Gbandi curled a free kick into the box, where Nicholas Addlery knocked the ball home to score his third goal in three consecutive Champions League match since joining Puerto Rico.
Bill “The Wall” Gaudette played another phenomenal game as he kept a clean sheet for the 2nd time in row in this edition of the CONCACAF Champions League. Gaudette had 11 saves out of 15 Mexican shots.
The Islanders have now scored home wins over two of the three Mexican teams still alive (the other was a 3-1 win over Santos Laguna in the group stage), leaving Atlante as the only semifinalist yet to face the Fabulous Islanders. Atlante lost to Santos Laguna 2-1 in the 1st leg of the 2nd semifinal. Should the Islanders and Atlante move on to the Finals of the Champions League, they will meet for the first time ever, after missing a preseason friendly rumoured to take place late in 2007.
In other news, it was announced this week that the Puerto Rico Islanders will play a preseason friendly against the new USL-1 addition Austin Aztex on April 3rd, before the 2nd leg of the semifinals against Cruz Azul in Mexico City four days later (April 7th).
 |
EPL Match Schedule |  |
 |
Discount Travel to London & Arsenal |
| Arsenal Scores |  | Emirates Stadium information & hotels |
Category: Austin Aztex, CONCACAF Champions League 2008-09, Cruz Azul - Mexico, Friendlies, Match Reports, Preseason, Puerto Rico Islanders, Record Crowds, Videos
Tags: Austin Aztex, CONCACAF Champions League 2008-09, Cruz Azul - Mexico, Friendlies, Match Reports, Preseason, Puerto Rico Islanders, Record Crowds, VideosSubscribe
|
Print
|
Share
      |
Comments
-
DAMN! the islanders are gonna take the whole thing home! I’d rather see the Islanders win it than some Mexican team though…
Posted from
United States
-
Welcome to the Orange Cause Vic
Posted from
United States -
What a game! This team just keeps making me fall more in love with it. What is sad though, I arrived about 10 minutes before kick off and I saw hundreds; maybe even thousands of people outside pissed cause they couldnt get tickets. Thanks God I ordered through ticketpop. If this happens often during the USL season then we might need to expand or move.
First half was brilliant! No fear was shown from our tropa.
All i know is that this squad has earned my attendance. I will never miss a game if i can help it.
Posted from
United States -
I enjoyed the game! especially the first goal by Gbandi… that really wa s asucker punch for Cruz Azul… I’am worried though. The team in certain points began to act as montreal… sincking down to defend… I would have rather had made more of an offesnive push, or played a more mid field oriented defense.
Had it not been for Gaudette’s awesome game, last nights result could have been very differently.
Posted from
United States -
Keep up the good work, Tropa Naranja! USL Pride is on the line!
Posted from
United States -
so far(31′) an exiting game in Mexico. Santos are stong, real physical!
Posted from
United States
Comments are closed
Home 
