Puerto Rico, Cruz Azul set for 2009 semifinal rematch

September 15, 2009

In a rematch of last year’s CONCACAF Champions League semifinals, the Puerto Rico Islanders will host Cruz Azul on Tuesday night in Bayamon.

While the Islanders, which were eliminated last year on penalty kicks, would love their revenge, Puerto Rico is playing for Champions League survival after failing to secure a point in its first two matches.

After three consecutive victories following a 3-1 loss to Deportivo Saprissa in their Champions League match, the Islanders have dropped back-to-back United Soccer Leagues First Division matches. A 5-2 drubbing by Minnesota was followed by a 2-1 road defeat to the Carolina RailHawks on Saturday.

In third place in the USL-1, Puerto Rico has just one game remaining in their regular season, heading to South Florida to take on Miami FC Blues Saturday night.

Goalkeeper Bill Gaudette, who was suspended for the Islanders last group match because of yellow card accumulation, has missed the last two league matches because of a knee injury. The American, though, is expected to play against Cruz Azul.

The Islanders have also lost Domenic Mediate and Sandy Gbandi to injury.

“We cannot make excuses. We must move forward,” Puerto Rico coach Colin Clarke said. “Now comes the important part of the season as the playoffs begin. We also have a great game on Tuesday, which I think we need to win to get through the group stage.”

Cruz Azul will come in confident, especially after a 1-0 victory on Saturday against Atlas at Estadio Jalisco. Mario Ortiz scored the dramatic 90th-minute winner for La Maqunia, which is one point in front of Santos in the Mexican Apertura’s Group 3. Cruz Azul has won three straight league games.

Saprissa and the Columbus Crew are tied with three points apiece in Group B and they’ll clash at the Monster’s Cave in San Jose, Costa Rica on Wednesday night.

On Sunday, Saprissa rallied from an early deficit to draw 1-1 with Herediano at Estadio Rosabel Cordero. Armando Alonso Rodriguez struck for the equalizer in the 42nd minute for Saprissa, which remains unbeaten in Costa Rica’s Invierno 2009.

On an Eddie Gaven stoppage time penalty kick, the Columbus Crew defeated the Houston Dynamo 2-1 Sunday at Crew Stadium. Columbus maintains a three point advantage over the Chicago Fire in the MLS Eastern Conference and now move two points in front of Houston in the race for the Supporters Shield, awarded to the regular-season champion.

It was a contentious match, which saw both teams have a man sent off after an altercation between Columbus’ Adam Moffat and United States international Ricardo Clark of Houston in the 82nd minute. Gaven’s PK was also hotly disputed and reportedly words were exchanged between Crew star Guillermo Barros Schelotto and Houston coach Dominic Kinnear in the tunnel after the match.

“We won. That is more important, not what is said by the Houston coach” Schelotto said. “It’s his problem, not my problem. We played very good, better than them and we won.”

By Dylan Butler

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