Puerto Rico Islanders News Release - www.puertoricoislandersfc.com
Monday, November 12, 2007
MACOYA, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO -- The Puerto Rico Islanders keep piling on the victories at the CONCACAF Championship Cup 2007 Caribbean Qualification round as they downed Suriname’s SV Leo Victor 7-1 in Trinidad & Tobago to advance to the semifinals of the tournament against Trinidad & Tobago’s Joe Public.
Fabrice Noël continued shining in the series with an assist from Alberto Zapata to score the first goal of the match in minute 18, and then again four minutes later assisted by David Johnson.
Defender Marco Velez also got into the goal action heading a pass from Jonathan Steele past SV Leo Victor’s defender to score for the second time this series, giving his Islanders the 3-0 lead just half an hour into the game.
In minute 38 Fabrice Noël, leading scorer in the Qualifiers, was replaced by Alberto “Cuba” Delgado following a hamstring injury.
SV Leo Victor, however, was not about to remain scoreless despite its setbacks. Suriname’s squad made good on a penalty kick right before the end of the first half and blasted a goal past Josh Saunders, putting a point on the board in their favor for a 3-1 scoreline at the break.
The Islanders, nonetheless, came back on the second half ready to prove their mettle. They showed no mercy scoring consecutive goals in minute 57, Jonathan Steele assisted by Miranda, and 58, Alberto Zapata assisted by Needham, to set the match at 5-1 in their favor.
Ten minutes later, it was Noah Delgado’s turn to find the back of the net, this time with a great assist from Jonathan Steele.
It was now 6-1 for the Islanders, and just as the last whistle was about to blow, David Johnson came down field all by himself in minute 90 to seal the 7-1 victory for USL’s Puerto Rico squad.
This is the third consecutive win for the Islanders (3-0-1) at the CONCACAF Caribbean Qualifiers as they move forward to a semifinal match Wednesday against Trinidad & Tobago’s Joe Public, unbeaten in the tournament at 3-0-0.
The CFU Club Tournament semifinals and final will take place at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on 14 and 16 November, respectively.
The Caribbean winner will progress to the 2008 CONCACAF Champions’ Cup, joining the defending champion Pachuca CF, another Mexican side; MLS regular season champion DC United, the MLS Cup Champion (New England Revolution or Houston Dynamo); along with CD Motagua of Honduras, Costa Rica’s Deportivo Saprissa and another Central American club.
