Islanders knock out TFC of the 2009-10 CCL

By: BoriQa | August 4th, 2009

In front of a 6,000+ home crowd the Puerto Rico Islanders obtained their return ticket to the Group Stage of the CONCACAF Champions League, holding Toronto FC to a 0-0 draw Tuesday and advancing on aggregate.

This time there would be no miracle finish for TFC, as they could manage only a scoreless draw on the return leg against the Puerto Rico Islanders, and Toronto FC was bounced from the Champions League, making the Canadian Champions the first MLS club eliminated from the CONCACAF tournament.

Additionally, the first ever USL vs MLS two-leg tie between representatives of the two leagues goes to the USL.

Toronto FC looked worse than the last time these two teams met, looking kind of tired, listless and disinterested; Puerto Rico, by contrast, looked better, taking more shots and actually having the edge in possession in the first half.

Throughout the 2nd half (even with Toronto’s goalie joining the attack in extra time and with the Islanders a man down) Toronto could not put the ball in the net and as a result, TFC earns the distinction of becoming the first MLS team ever eliminated by a USL team from the Champions League.

After improbably scoring six times in one game to qualify for the CONCACAF Champions League, Toronto FC bowed out of the tournament without scoring a single goal.

Toronto FC’s first foray into international competition is over as they couldn’t get past the USL sides.

Here’s are the Toronto FC CCL-wannabee scores against all the first squad USL teams this year (Canadian Championship & 2009-10 CCL [excluding the B(or C)-team fielded by Montreal Impact in the TFC 6-1 fake miracle]):

TFC vs Vancouver Whitecaps – 1:0
TFC vs Montreal Impact – 1:0
TFC @ Vancouver Whitecaps – 0:2
TFC vs Puerto Rico Islanders – 0:1
TFC @ Puerto Rico Islanders – 0:0

TFC vs USL – GF: 2, GA: 3, GD: -1

The big Orange Darth Vader tifo (above) and Bill Gaudette (below right) say it all: (Islanders) I am your Father! (to the TFC [and the MLS]).

The hero for the island squad was undoubtedly goalkeeper Bill “The Wall, The Saint” Gaudette. The Islanders move on to the group stages of the CONCACAF Champions League and owe this triumph largely to the heroics of goalkeeper extraordinaire Bill Gaudette, whose saves proved decisive while keeping TFC scoreless in both legs.

Kendal Jagdeosingh (the Islanders’ goal scoring hero at BMO field in the first leg) was given a red card at the 88-minute mark to put the Islanders down a man. The reason for the flag was not visually apparent.

The Puerto Rico Islanders now have an alltime international record of 7-1-2 [W-T-L] at home. With the scoreless draw, the Islanders mantain their 15-7 goals lead against CONCACAF opponents at “la Islandera”:

1. 0-1 loss against W Connection (TRI), 2007
2. 3-1 win against Hoppers (ANT), 2007
3. 1-0 win against San Juan Jaboleth (TRI), 2008
4. 2-1 win against LD Alajuelense (CRC), 2008
5. 2-1 win against Tauro FC (PAN), 2008
6. 3-1 win against Santos Laguna (MEX), 2008
7. 0-1 loss against Municipal (GUA), 2008
8. 2-1 win against Marathon (HON), 2009
9. 2-0 win against Cruz Azul (MEX), 2009
10. 0-0 tie against Toronto FC (CAN), 2009

Toronto FC gets buried at the JRL cemetery as the first CONCACAF team ever to tie the Islanders at home. Here are the CONCACAF video highlights of the 1-0 and 0-0 that saw TFC buried among other greats that fell at JRL.

The Islanders will join Group C where it will face either Cruz Azul again or Herediano of Costa Rica, as well as another team from Major League Soccer, the MLS Cup winners Columbus Crew, and Saprissa of Costa Rica. Cruz Azul won the first leg of its Preliminary Round series against Herediano 6-2.

Unlike the beer throwing hooligan fans back in Toronto, the TFC fan-delegation that traveled to Puerto Rico for the game proved that there can be friendship in defeat between rival fan groups. They were very decent and enjoyed a few post-game Medallas with the Islanders’ Bravada in celebration of the friendship under the bridge of the Tren Urbano (Puerto Rican Subway) next to the stadium.