Mexican champ Monterrey advances to Libertadores

January 15, 2010

Mexican Apertura champion Monterrey defeated America 3-1 on penalties after a 0-0 draw to claim the 2010 InterLiga title and a place in the start of next month’s Copa Libertadores.

Wednesday night’s victory before a capacity crowd of 27,000 at The Home Depot Center put Monterrey, which in December qualified for the 2010-2011 CONCACAF Champions League, in Group 2 of the Libertadores along with Sao Paulo of Brazil, Nacional of Paraguay and Once Caldas of Colombia. It begins play Feb. 10 against Sao Paulo.

Monterrey finished second in its InterLiga group behind Puebla, earning the match against America, which it beat in the quarterfinals of the Apertura Liguilla.

Estudiantes Tecos also advanced to the Libertadores, rallying to beat Puebla 3-2 earlier in the night and securing a place in the preliminary round. It will face Juan Aurich of Peru in a two-leg series for a berth in the main draw.

Both join fellow Mexican clubs Morelia, San Luis and CD Guadalajara in the Libertadores. Morelia had the best regular-season record in the Mexican league of any team not already playing in the CONCACAF Champions League. San Luis and CD Guadalajara were given a special invitation following their withdrawal from last year’s tournament due to influenza fears.

CARSON, California

Concacaf

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El Salvador stuns Costa Rica 2-1 with late goal

July 4, 2009

CARSON, California – El Salvador charged to the top of the the Gold Cup’s Group A Friday night, beating Costa Rica 2-1 with an 86th-minute goal from Osael Romero.

It was Romero’s second of the evening, adding to his 20th-minute tally that put El Salvador ahead. Costa Rica equalized in the 64th, but were unable to contain a potent El Salvador that ended a four-game losing streak to its Central American neighbor.

The game began at a frantic pace, both teams bolstered by a thunderous capacity crowd at The Home Depot Center. El Salvador had the better of play, creating a few near-chances inside the Costa Rican penalty area and drawing two yellow cards on the “Ticos” in the first 10 minutes.

“La Selecta” was finally rewarded in the 20th minute when William Reyes headed a long Miguel Montes punt into the path of Osael Romero. Romero broke free down the left side of the box, beat Costa Rican defender Pablo Herrera with a quick stepover, and drilled a shot into the top left corner.

Seemingly not content with the potency of his attack in the first half an hour, Costa Rican manager Rodrigo Kenton brought in speedy midfielder Andy Herron to replace Harold Wallace in the 32nd minute to add speed in the offensive third. The move almost had an immediate effect, with Herron earning a handful of throw-ins and corner kicks, and providing Centeno with a good option on the right flank.

Costa Rica responded with its own push, threatening El Salvadorian net several times. The best chance came in the 40th minute when Celso Borges got onto the end of a Walter Centeno corner kick, heading a low ball against right post before being it was cleared.

El Salvador almost doubled its lead in the 50th minute when Julio Martinez sent a cross in from the right flank that Reyes almost put into the top corner. Only a diving swat from goalkeeper Keilor Navas held the lead to one.

Costa Rica found its equalizer when Esteban Sirias broke free along the left flank and sent a high cross into the penalty area. Substitute striker Warren Granados rushed into the area and volleyed the ball into the top of the net to even the score 1-1.

The Ticos continued to pound the El Salvadorian defense as the game went on, but were caught napping in the 86th minute. Reyes sent a low ball into the penalty area that was deflected into the path of Romero. The striker hammered home the game-winner to take Costa Rica to the top of Group A ahead of the second round of games in Columbus on Tuesday.

By Jeffrey King

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Tags: Andy Herron, California, CARSON, carson california, Central American, CONCACAF Champions' Cup, corner kick, corner kicks, Costa Rica, El Salvador, el salvadorian, Esteban Sirias, frantic pace, game losing streak, gold cup, Harold Wallace, high cross, home depot, home depot center, Jeffrey King, julio martinez, keilor, lead, left flank, Miguel Montes, minute goal, pablo herrera, Rodrigo Kenton, sirias, ticos, Walter Centeno, Warren Granados, William Reyes, yellow cards

Gerba’s second-half goal leads Canada over Jamaica in Gold Cup opener

July 4, 2009

CARSON, California – Ali Gerba scored in the 75th minute to lead to Canada to a 1-0 win over Jamaica on Friday, kicking off the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Canadian defender Mike Klukowski took a loose ball in the middle of the field and sent a long elooping cross to the Toronto FC striker, who one-timed a strike past Jamaica goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts.

The win in the first game of the doubleheader gave Canada three valuable points heading into its second match against El Salvador at Crew Stadium in Columbus on Tuesday. Costa Rica and El Salvador, both in the World Cup qualifying hexagonal, played in the second match of the evening.

The match was a reversal of the last meeting between Canada and Jamaica, when the Reggae Boyz won 3-0 in a World Cup qualifier that they had to win by a huge margin to advance to the final round.

Goaltending dominated as both Canada’s Greg Sutton and Ricketts produced several dramatic saves, especially in the second half.

Canada coach Stephen Hart’s decision to start the veteran Sutton ahead of Josh Wagenaar proved wise as the taller Sutton used his size to deny Jamaica repeatedly.

Sutton stopped Ricardo Fuller’s point-blank shot in the 65th minute and minutes made a leaping save to deny defender Damian Stewart.

Canada began with a possession game and used its one-touch passing in the middle to limit the athletic Jamaicans.

The keep-away strategy seemed to work, denying Jamaica the ability to exploit the flanks with its speed.

Jamaica was forced to counterattack, which resulted in two quality chances midway through the first half.

Canada’s more patient approach started to pay dividends late in the half.

Canada’s best and only real chance came when 2007 Gold Cup most valuable player Julian de Guzman sent a cross in off a free kick and Kevin McKenna one-timed it from 10 yards out that was tipped just over the bar by Ricketts.

Minutes later, De Guzman sent a cross to Patrice Bernier on the left. Bernier fired just wide of left post and just out of reach of Will Johnson, who was late onto the ball.

Play opened up consdiderably in the second half with both teams generating scoring chances before Gerba’s goal.

Referee Terry Vaughan issued six yellow cards, four to Jamaica (Claude Davis, Jermaine Johsnon, Luton Shelton, Demar Phillips, and O’Neil Thompson) and one to Canada (de Guzman).

Jamaica will try to regroup against Costa Rica in the other match on Tuesday.

By Vijay Setlur

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Tags: ali gerba, California, Canada, canada coach, CARSON, carson california, Claude Davis, COLUMBUS, CONCACAF Champions' Cup, concacaf gold cup, Costa Rica, crew stadium, Damian Stewart, donovan ricketts, doubleheader, El Salvador, first game, flanks, Greg Sutton, Jamaica, jamaicans, Johnson, Josh Wagenaar, julian de guzman, kevin mckenna, loose ball, Luton, Mike Klukowski, Neil Thompson, patient approach, patrice bernier, possession game, reggae boyz, ricardo fuller, stephen hart, Terry Vaughan, toronto fc, Vijay Setlur, world cup qualifier

Costa Rica makes three roster changes for Gold Cup

July 2, 2009

CARSON, California – Costa Rica won’t have the services of Andy Furtado, Christian Bolanos or Michael Umana at the Gold Cup, replacing them on its roster with Josimar Arias, Warren Granados and Pablo Salazar.

The Costa Rican federation late last week announced that Furtado’s “A” sample had tested positive for a banned substance during the Costa Rican league finals, while Bolanos wasn’t released by his club team, IK Start of Norway, and Umana sprained a left knee ligament June 27 against Venezuela.

Furtado has scored two goals in three games for Costa Rica during its World Cup qualifying bid, helping them to the top of the CONCACAF final round standings at its midpoint.

“The whole situation is unfortunate but we have to apply the FIFA regulations and doping regulations and there’s not very much we can do,” Costa Rican football federation General Secretary Joseph Ramirez said.

The circumstances deal a blow to Los Ticos’ hopes of winning its first Gold Cup and potentially its World Cup qualifying chances.

Manager Rodrigo Kenton also will have to adjust to the loss of Bolanos and Umana as his squad heads into its Gold Cup opener against El Salvador on Friday.

Kenton called on Bolanos, who expressed interest in playing, but the club refused to release him claiming Bolanos didn’t want to participate in the Gold Cup.

That prompted Costa Rica to drop Bolanos and send a complaint to FIFA.

“We are in the final stretch and it’s not a good time for a club to start acting in this way particularly for the players,” Ramirez said. “The coaching staff is going to figure out who’s going to play and is going to participate in the World Cup, so it’s matter of opportunities and priorities.”

Despite the changes, particularly the loss of Furtado, Kenton has no plan to alter his team’s style of play heading into the Gold Cup.

“We go with the same approach to all the different teams, be it El Salvador, USA or Mexico,” Kenton said. “We try to have a pattern and style and we don’t change it depending on the opponent. We always continue straight and want consistency and keep the same rhythm and the same speed.”

By Vijay Setlur

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Tags: Andy Furtado, arias, California, CARSON, carson california, christian bolanos, CONCACAF Champions' Cup, Costa Rica, El Salvador, federation general, final stretch, football federation, general secretary, gold cup, good time, Joseph Ramirez, josimar, june 27, knee ligament, left knee, los ticos, Manager Rodrigo Kenton, Mexico, Michael Umana, midpoint, pablo salazar, rodrigo, roster, three games, USA, venezuela, Warren Granados, World Cup

CONCACAF starts preparations for 2014 World Cup with referees confab in Los Angeles

January 12, 2009

CARSON, California — The 2010 World Cup is more than 18 months away and CONCACAF already is beginning preparation for the 2014 championship.

A day-long meeting Saturday of various elements of the confederation’s referees’ community at the Home Depot Center in suburban Los Angeles started the region on the path to Brazil, reviewing past programs, determining new policies and setting future goals.

The meeting was held amid InterLiga tournament games at the Home Depot Center and two days before the U.S. Soccer Federation began its weeklong referee instructor course Monday, part of the FIFA Futuro initiative.

"We are very pleased with the progress made during the CONCACAF Referees Committee meeting,” CONCACAF General Secretary Chuck Blazer said. “The gathering provided us an excellent opportunity to chart our course for the next several years as we expand the size and scope of our referee program."

"Together with FIFA and our member associations we are developing a referee development plan that will yield measurable results between now and 2014."

Besides planning the program to develop referees for the 2014 World Cup, CONCACAF also set in motion other priorities.

The confederation will expand the elite referee program to include assistant referees, with the course to be held in the lead-up to the 2009 Gold Cup. Courses will be introduced for referee assessors and a special emphasis is to be placed on fitness training and nutrition.

Other policy and planning accomplishments included clarifying and solidifying roles within the referee division with the introduction of the FIFA Referees Assistance Program (RAP), outlining preparations for match officials for 2009 CONCACAF competitions such as the U-17 and U-20 championships as well as Champions League and beach soccer tournament, and a review of RAP courses in 2008 with consideration for 2009 schedules and priorities.

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