Islanders open second CCL campaignTAMPA, FL - The Puerto Rico Islanders return to CONCACAF Champions League action when they kick off their second campaign in the second edition of the tournament Wednesday in Toronto against the Major League Soccer club. The match can be seen on Fox Soccer Channel with the second leg in Bayamon next Tuesday, also on FSC.
The USL First Division's Islanders were a major part of the CONCACAF Champions League's success in its inaugural running, capturing a worldwide audience with their amazing run against the odds and nearly advancing to the final only to see the dream end in a semifinal round penalty kick tiebreaker.
Puerto Rico began their defiance of expectations with a Preliminary Round series win over CONCACAF Champions Cup tournament veteran Alajuelense, playing to a 1-1 draw on the road in Costa Rica and winning 2-1 at home to advance to the Group Stage, where they registered an upset win over Mexico's Santos Laguna and drew CSD Municipal 2-2 on the road, helping them finish second to move onto the Quarterfinals. In the knockout rounds, they stunned CD Marathon with a 2-1 win at home and a 1-0 victory on the road, and then shocked Cruz Azul 2-0 at home in the first leg of the Semifinals. The Mexican giants would rally in the second leg to tie the series 2-2 to force overtime, where they each scored again. In the end, Cruz Azul would move on with a 4-2 decision in the tiebreaker April 7, less than two weeks before the start of the season.
It has been an unusual month for the Islanders leading up to this marquee series. After giving up the league's fewest goals last year, the Islanders were allowing a higher number of goals in the first third of the season, but returned to outstanding defensive form in July, nearly going the entire month without allowing a goal. After a 2-1 win in Carolina closed out June, Puerto Rico posted five consecutive shutouts, all on the road, with the run ending in a 4-2 loss at Vancouver this past Saturday with three regular defensive starters and goalkeeper Bill Guadette riding the bench in preparation for Wednesday's match.
While the defense has peaked, the offense has gone eerily silent, scoring just once in that same time frame, a penalty kick from Cristian Arrieta, before Hansen got two late strikes in Vancouver, one on a penalty.
Puerto Rico enters the series in a three-way tie for the league lead in USL-1 with a record of 9-5-8 while Toronto sits fourth in the Eastern Conference at 7-7-5 and are ninth overall in MLS.
Toronto comes into the match with just one league win in their last four outings (1-2-1) and are 3-4-1 over the last eight. Their record at home for 2009 is 5-3-3 with 13 goals for and 11 allowed. The Canadians will be affected by injury. Defender Nana Attakor is out while defender Adrian Serioux is questionable along with star midfielder Amado Guevara, who scored twice in their 6-1 win over Montreal in the Nutrilite Canadian Championship finale.
Toronto advanced to the CONCACAF Champions League on the goal differential tiebreaker after finishing tied with USL-1's Vancouver Whitecaps with a record of 3-0-1. They opened the four-game series with a 1-0 victory at home against the defending USL-1 champions and then posted an identical 1-0 win at home against Montreal. They then fell 2-0 at Vancouver, who swept their two-game set with Montreal, to force a difficult task for the Ontario club heading to Quebec for the final contest. Needing to win by four, Toronto stunned Montreal with six unanswered after giving up the opener.
Puerto Rico advanced to the tournament needing just one win in their Caribbean Football Union tournament appearance. An automatic entrant to the semifinals, the Islanders downed Tempete of Haiti 2-0 in Trinidad to advance to the CFU Final and qualify for their second straight CONCACAF appearance. Facing a two-game series against Portland the following weekend, coach Colin Clarke controversially rested key players in the Final and would finish runners-up, 2-1, to Trinidad & Tobago's W Connection.
W-League Conference Teams Unveiled
TAMPA, FL -- United Soccer Leagues announced Wednesday the All-Conference Teams for the 2009 W-League season and the All-Conference Teams, honoring 33 of the top players in the league as voted on by team coaches and general managers.
Returning to the All-Conference teams from last season are Seattle Sounders midfielder Michelle French (right) and FC Indiana striker Laura Del Rio.
One of the most honored players in league history, 2009 marks the fifth time French has been named to the league's All-Conference team.
Earlier this week Del Rio was named this season's Scoring and Goal Scoring Champion.
Among the four teams remaining in the W-League playoffs, 12 players were named to their respective All-Conference teams, with Pali Blues placing the most players, with four.
The W-League semifinals take place this weekend with a coast-to-coast matchup when Pali visits Hudson Valley on Friday, July 31 and a capital city clash when Washington hosts Ottawa on Saturday, August 1.
Central Conference G Shannon Lynn FC Indiana Lionesses D Jenny Jeffers Chicago Red Eleven D Ria Percival Ottawa Fury D Clare Rustad Toronto Lady Lynx M Gemma Davidson Chicago Red Eleven M Jennifer Hance Ottawa Fury M Fatima Leyva FC Indiana Lionesses M Rosa Tantillo Buffalo Flash F Laura Del Rio FC Indiana Lionesses F Amber Hearn Ottawa Fury F Caroline Smith Minnesota Lightning Eastern Conference G Michelle Betos Atlanta Silverbacks D Casey Brown Boston Renegades D Ashleigh Gunning Hudson Valley Quickstrike D Philisha Lewis Tampa Bay Hellenic D Brittany Taylor Hudson Valley Quickstrike M Lindsay Ozimek Charlotte Lady Eagles M Christine Rife Charlotte Lady Eagles M Megan Tomlinson Atlanta Silverbacks F Angelika Johansson Hudson Valley Quickstrike F Jen Parsons Washington Freedom F Brittany Tegeler Washington Freedom Western Conference G Katie Hultin Seattle Sounders D Jenea Gibbons Los Angeles Legends D Kelli Smith Seattle Sounders D Leah Tapscott Pali Blues M Michelle French Seattle Sounders M Tobin Heath Pali Blues M Nikki Marshall Colorado Force M Carmelina Moscato Vancouver Whitecaps M Nikki Washington Pali Blues F Iris Mora Pali Blues F Jodi Ann Robinson Vancouver Whitecaps
Also announced were the players who received the most votes for each team not represented among the All-Conference selections. They were:
Central Conference: Melissa Lesage (Quebec City), Christina Julien (Laval), Jenn Wolbert (London), Heather MacDougall (Hamilton), Casey Zimney (Rochester), Haley Ford (Cleveland), Margaret Allgeier (Fort Wayne), Anna Stinson (Kalamazoo), Courtney Nash (West Michigan)
Eastern Conference: Shaneka Gordon (Hampton Roads), Lindsey Vera (Connecticut), Mary Casey (Northern Virginia), Jennifer Woodie (Richmond), Robyn Jones (New Jersey), Brooke DeRosa (Long Island), Fortuna Velaj (Connecticut), Courtney McMahon (New York), Rachel Richards (Western Mass)
Western Conference: Taryn Hemmings (Real Colorado), Kay Hawke (Ventura County)
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