August « 2009 « Pasion Naranja!

Brief preview: Islanders host the Minnesota Thunder

August 29, 2009

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The Islanders return to USL-1 action tonight when they host the Minnesota Thunder.

Puerto Rico is clearly the favorite team here as they’re facing a team that is averaging less than a point a game and have only managed 5 wins all season. Minnesota is still technically in the playoff race, 8 points behind the 7th place Vancouver Whitecaps. While it’s highly unlikely the Thunder will make the playoffs, they certainly can’t afford to lose tonight if they expect to keep their hopes alive.

The Islanders on the other hand, are pretty much assured a playoff spot at this point. The team will be looking to continue getting 3 points per game in order to place as high as possible on the table and earn a higher seed going into the playoffs. Colin Clarke’s men sit in 4th place with 1 game in hand vs 1st place Portland and 2nd place Caroline, and 2 games in hand vs 3rd place Charleston. If Puerto Rico continue to win, they still have a very good shot at 2nd place in the table. While 1st place is still mathematically possible, seeing how well Portland has been playing – it is highly unlikely the Timbers will give up that spot with just a few games remaining in the season.

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Posted by KVD

USL Under New Ownership

August 28, 2009

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On Thursday evening, our friends at MLS Talk and InsideMinnesota Soccer reported that the United Soccer Leagues have been sold to a new ownership group. The league’s sale has been in the works for some time now but it seems that finally the Atlanta based NuRock Soccer Holdings group has acquired the league from previous owner Umbro/Nike. The NuRock group has come as a surprise to most people following the sale as previously an ownership group composed of Miami FC owners Traffic Sports, as well as owners from the Minnesota Thunder and Carolina Railhawks, were said to be the likely winning bidders for the league.

According to MLS Talk, the “owners were working as recently as Wednesday with another US based group that was working with Nike on completing the acquisition of the USL. This group is very involved in American soccer circles, and were favored by these same owners to take over the league”. It is no secret that several of the club owners in the league have been unhappy with USL management, something that in the end might have influenced the league’s sale. Apparently, NuRock management has some relationship with the USL top brass – something that undoubtedly favored the Atlanta based group. NuRock currently has an Atlanta based USL-PDL operation, as well as having the rights for USL-1 teams in Atlanta and Birmingham.

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Posted by KVD

Post-match: 3 points lost in Costa Rica – Islanders vs Saprissa

August 28, 2009

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It started out promisingly but it ended in agony. The Islanders scored first in what ended up being a 3-1 defeat against Saprissa.

Puerto Rico began this game surprisingly well. While Mediate’s inclusion in the starting lineup was a reason of concern at first, he ended up being one of the best players on the field. The Islanders started by absorbing Saprissa’s pressure while at the same time making sure to control possession and attack when they could. While Colin Clarke’s men looked organized and in control, Saprissa looked like a team with very few ideas other than attempting long range shots.

With the Islanders controlling most of the midfield, Saprissa began to attempt to recover some of the ground in the center but would still have many gaps in the defense. Exploiting one such defensive gap, Domenic Mediate would receive a pass, break free of his defender and send a shot to the back of the net. To the surprise of many, the Islanders were ahead 1-0 in the 25th minute.

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Posted by KVD

Brief update: Another road loss in the CCL

August 25, 2009

Saprissa wins 3-1.

Puerto Rico goalkeeper Bill Gaudette was sorely missed last night when the Islanders allowed Saprissa 3 comeback goals after the ‘Tropa Naranja’ had been ahead 1-0. Domenic Mediate scored the first goal of the match to put the Islanders ahead, but the team then underperformed and allowed Saprissa to come back and score 3 goals.

The Islanders have allowed 5 goals in their two opening CCL group stage matches and are the only the team in the group without a win.

Colin Clarke video interview in Costa Rica

August 25, 2009

The Costa Rican press interviewed Islanders coach Colin Clarke yesterday after the team’s practice in Saprissa stadium.

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Posted by KVD

Match-preview: Do or die time in Costa Rica – Islanders vs Saprissa

August 25, 2009

Saprissa Stadium

5 games left in the CONCACAF Champions League (CCL) group stage for the Islanders. That’s 15 possible points with two extremely hard matches on the road to go. Having lost their first match last week in Columbus, tonight’s game against Saprissa could very well end up deciding whether or not the Islanders advance.

Every team in this group is experienced, strong, and tough at home. The tickets to the quarterfinals will probably go to those teams that can get good results on the road. Last week, as was expected by most, the home teams won comfortably. Puerto Rico went down 2-0 in Columbus and Saprissa also lost 2-0 in Mexico City. Now, these two teams meet in a match that is crucial for both sides. Neither team wants to claim the bottom of the table with a second straight loss.

If the Islanders are to advance, they probably need to win or at least tie against Saprissa. The best chance to steal some points on the road was probably last week when Puerto Rico faced the Crew. Leaving that game in the past, it’s now time for the Islanders to try to gain some momentum in the CCL. With the only remaining road match after this to be against Cruz Azul in Mexico City – it’s clear that tonight’s match is the best opportunity for the Islanders to move in the right direction. There is a good chance that losing in Costa Rica means the Islanders wouldn’t be able to advance out of the group stage. Because of this, it is a do or die match.

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Posted by KVD

Brief update: Cabrero back from France

August 24, 2009

Puerto Rico Trinidad Soccer

The young Puerto Rican star Andres Cabrero returns from France without having signed a contract with a Ligue 1 team – but he does come back with renewed passion and energy.

Cabrero ended on Thursday his tryouts with the Fench club Le Mans Union Club 72. Reportedly, several key people in the club were impressed with his play but unfortunately couldn’t find a place for him on the team’s roster. Still, it seems that his tryouts have left the door open for a relationship in the future.

Judging from his comments to the media, Cabrero feels he matured significantly while in France and is looking forward to reinvesting his energies in the Islanders. Let’s hope that Colin Clarke gives Cabrero the minutes he needs to continue to develop as a key player for the team.

We hope to have an interview with Cabrero in the near future on his experiences in France.

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Posted by KVD

Post-match thoughts: Columbus Crew vs Puerto Rico Islanders

August 23, 2009

After taking the time to let the match sink in, to watch the replays and whatnot – I guess it’s time for some sober thoughts on the Islanders’ loss at Columbus on Tuesday night.

The current MLS champions defended their home well and the 2-0 was a decisive victory for the home team. While the Islanders did not look like the better team, the Crew didn’t look like a much better team either. To me, the match in Toronto was much more one sided – where Puerto Rico continued to bunker in and absorb the TFC pressure. In Columbus, the Islanders actually looked at times like they could have taken the match directly to the Crew and come out victorious.

The first half ended in a deserved 0-0 score line. While the ball was mostly in the Crew’s possession, the Islanders were well organized in the defense and successfully absorbed the pressure with even a few chances at goal. Columbus also got close to scoring but couldn’t manage to get through the Puerto Rico defense.

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Posted by KVD